Cited by 62Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon MonoxideHemoglobin structure and functionImmune Response and Inflammation

Heme oxygenase 1 controls early innate immune response of macrophages to Salmonella Typhimurium infection: Heme oxygenase 1 expression affects Salmonella infection

Open access
Mitterstiller, Anna-Maria, Haschka, David, Dichtl, Stefanie, Nairz, Manfred, Demetz, Egon, Talasz, Heribert, Soares, Miguel P., Einwallner, Elisa +4 more·2016·Cellular Microbiology

Abstract

Macrophages are central for the immune control of intracellular microbes. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1, hmox) is the first and rate limiting enzyme in the breakdown of heme originating from degraded senescent erythrocytes and heme-proteins, yielding equal amounts of iron, carbon monoxide and biliverdin. HO-1 is strongly up-regulated in macrophages in response to inflammatory signals, including bacterial endotoxin. In view of the essential role of iron for the growth and proliferation of intracellular bacteria along with known effects of the metal on innate immune function, we examined whether HO-1 plays a role in the control of infection with the intracellular bacterium Salmonella Typhimurium. We studied the course of infection in stably-transfected murine macrophages (RAW264.7) bearing a tetracycline-inducible plasmid producing hmox shRNA and in primary HO-1 knockout macrophages. While uptake of bacteria into macrophages was not affected, a significantly reduced survival of intracellular Salmonella was observed upon hmox knockdown or pharmacological hmox inhibition, which was independent of Nramp1 functionality. This could be traced to limitation of iron availability for intramacrophage bacteria along with enhanced stimulation of innate immune effector pathways, including the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and increased TNF-α expression. Mechanistically, these latter effects result from intracellular iron limitation with subsequent activation of NF-κB and further inos, tnfa and p47phox transcription along with reduced formation of the anti-inflammatory and radical scavenging molecules, CO and biliverdin as a consequence of HO-1 silencing. Taken together our data provide novel evidence that the infection-driven induction of HO-1 exerts detrimental effects in the early control of Salmonella infection, whereas hmox inhibition can favourably modulate anti-bacterial immune effector pathways of macrophages and promote bacterial elimination.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/cmi.12578

Cites

96 of 96 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 23 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    Transferrin-bound iron and non-transferrin-bound iron uptake was significantly increased in uninfected and infected hmox.sh cells compared with ctrl.sh cells.

    “These changes were paralleled by a significant increase in transferrin- bound iron (TBI) and non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) uptake by uninfected and infected hmox.sh cells as compared to ctrl.sh. (Fig. 2D and E).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Increased expression of tnfa, il6, and lcn2 was also seen in hmox knockdown cells upon treatment with heat-inactivated Salmonella or lipopolysaccharide.

    “Of note, in comparison to control macrophages an increased expression of tnfa, il6 and lcn2 was also seen in hmox knockdown cells upon treatment with either heat-inactivated Salmonella (Fig. 4) or lipopolysaccharide (data not shown), pointing to a general and early immune de-activating effect of hmox in inflammatory macrophages.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    RNS production, measured as nitrite concentration in culture supernatants, was increased in hmox.sh macrophages.

    “Notably, the production of RNS, measured via the concentration of the stable NO end-product nitrite in culture supernatants, was also increased in hmox.sh macrophages (Fig. 5E).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    hmox.sh macrophages exhibited higher phosphorylation of the NF-κB p65 subunit compared with ctrl.sh macrophages.

    “Western blot experiment data demonstrated that hmox.sh macrophages exhibit higher phosphorylation of the NF-κB p65 subunit in comparison to crtl.sh macrophages (Fig. 7B).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Infection of RAW264.7 macrophages with hmox shRNA caused a significant time-dependent decrease in intracellular Salmonella numbers compared with control shRNA macrophages.

    “Infection of these cells with S. Typhimurium resulted in significant and time-dependent decrease of bacterial numbers within macrophages as compared to macrophages stable transfected with control shRNA expressing luciferase (Fig. 1D).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 20
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 7
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Increased cellular iron export was observed in Salmonella-infected hmox.sh macrophages at 20 h post-infection, although cytoplasmic fpn1 mRNA levels were reduced at this time.

    “Increased cellular iron export (Fig. 2C and F) was observed in Salmonella infected hmox.sh macrophages 20 h post-infection, although cytoplasmic ferroportin (fpn1) mRNA levels were reduced at this time.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    ROS levels were significantly higher in hmox knockdown than in control cells and were not significantly altered by CORM-2 or bilirubin.

    “ROS levels were significantly higher in hmox knockdown than in control cells, which was not significantly altered in the presence of CORM-2 or bilirubin (Fig. S1 B).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Intramacrophage numbers of an iron-uptake-deficient Salmonella mutant were still significantly lower upon hmox silencing than in control macrophages, although the difference was less prominent than with wild-type Salmonella.

    “Although, the differences in bacterial counts between ctrl.sh and hmox.sh macrophages were less prominent than during infection with wt Salmonella, intramacrophage numbers of mutant Salmonella were still significantly lower upon hmox silencing than in wt macrophages.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Crouch et al., 2008 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    tnfa formation was significantly higher in hmox.sh macrophages at early infection time points and then declined, whereas il10 expression did not significantly differ between infected hmox.sh and ctrl.sh macrophages.

    “However, whereas tnfa formation was significantly higher in hmox.sh macrophages at early time points of infection and then declined, no significant differences in il10 expression were observed between infected hmox.sh and ctrl.sh macrophages (Fig. 3D and E).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Iron supplementation significantly increased the bacterial load in both hmox knockdown and ctrl.sh macrophages, increasing intramacrophage bacterial numbers in hmox.sh phagocytes to those observed in control cells.

    “Iron supplementation significantly increased the bacterial load in both, hmox knockdown and ctrl.sh macrophages thereby increasing the intramacrophage bacterial numbers in hmox.sh phagocytes to that observed in control cells.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Salmonella infection significantly increased tfr1 and dmt1 expression, and this increase was significantly higher in hmox.sh than in ctrl.sh cells.

    “However, we observed a significant increase in tfr1 and dmt1 expression following infection with S. Typhimurium that was significantly higher in hmox. sh than in ctrl.sh cells (Fig. 2A and B).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Silencing hmox in Salmonella-infected macrophages caused significant time-dependent induction of p47phox and nos2 mRNA expression compared with infected control macrophages, and both genes were significantly higher in hmox.sh than control.sh cells at all time points.

    “We found that silencing of hmox was paralleled by a significant time-dependent induction of p47 phagocyte oxidase (p47phoX) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (nos2) mRNA expression as compared to infected control macrophages (Fig. 3A and B).”
    • Also stated in: § Impact of HO-1 on macrophage effector functions · plain
      “However, at all time points, both genes were significantly higher expressed in hmox.sh than in control. sh cells (Fig. 3A and B).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    Salmonella-infected hmox.sh cells produced significantly more ROS than analogously treated control.sh macrophages at 30 min and 3 h post-infection.

    “Salmonella-infected hmox.sh cells produced significantly more ROS in comparison to the analogously treated crtl.sh macrophages (Fig. 6B).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Bilirubin addition did not change bacterial numbers in ctrl.sh cells but increased those in hmox.sh macrophages, resulting in an insignificant change of bacterial numbers.

    “Addition of bilirubin did not change bacterial numbers in ctrl.sh cells but increased those in hmox.sh macrophages resulting in an insignificant change of bacterial numbers (Figure S1 A).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    CORM-2 treatment significantly reduced bacterial numbers in both cell types, but differences between control and hmox knockdown cells remained evident.

    “Moreover, CORM-2 treatment significantly reduced bacterial numbers in both cells types (Figure S1 A), but the differences between control and hmox knockdown cells remained evident.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    hmox knockdown macrophages have low iron content and reduced iron pools while expressing significantly higher levels of NF-κB than corresponding control cells.

    “However, hmox knockdown macrophages have low iron content and reduced iron pools at the same time expressing significantly higher levels of NF-κB than the corresponding control cells.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The improved control can be attributed to impaired bacterial survival mainly as a consequence of iron limitation for intramacrophage microbes along with stimulation of antimicrobial immune effector pathways including radical formation.

    “These can be attributed to impaired bacterial survival, mainly as a consequence of iron limitation for intramacrophage microbes along with stimulation of antimicrobial immune effector pathways including radical formation.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Functional Nramp1 expression in RAW264.7 macrophages is associated with significantly lower intracellular Salmonella multiplication than in macrophages lacking Nramp1 activity.

    “As described in the literature the intracellular multiplication of Salmonella was significantly lower in RAW cells expressing the functional Nramp1 than in macrophages lacking Nramp1 activity (Cellier et al, 2007; Fritsche et al, 2012).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Cellier et al, 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Fritsche et al, 2012 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Salmonella cannot utilize heme and requires the hmox breakdown product iron as a growth factor.

    “In addition, Salmonella cannot utilize heme and thus requires the hmox breakdown product iron as a growth factor (Andrews-Polymenis et al., 2010).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Andrews-Polymenis et al., 2010 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Bacterial iron restriction contributes to impaired bacterial proliferation upon hmox knockdown but is not exclusively responsible for the protective effect.

    “This indicated that bacterial iron restriction contributes to impaired bacterial proliferation upon hmox knockdown but is not exclusively responsible for the observed protective effect.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Heme oxygenase 1 is the first and rate-limiting enzyme in heme breakdown, producing equal amounts of iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin.

    “The enzyme heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1, hmox) is of central importance in this process because it degrades heme to yield equal amounts of iron, carbon monoxide and biliverdin (Tenhunen et al., 1968; Ryter and Tyrrell, 2000).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Tenhunen et al., 1968 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Ryter and Tyrrell, 2000

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    hmox depletion causes induction of Fpn1-mediated iron efflux, which limits the availability of iron for Salmonella.

    “Specifically, our data show that hmox depletion causes an induction of Fpn1-mediated iron efflux (Fig. 2C, E) which limits the availability of iron for Salmonella.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The infection-driven induction of HO-1 exerts detrimental effects in the early control of Salmonella infection, whereas hmox inhibition can favourably modulate anti-bacterial immune effector pathways of macrophages and promote bacterial elimination.

    “Taken together our data provide novel evidence that the infection-driven induction of HO-1 exerts detrimental effects in the early control of Salmonella infection, whereas hmox inhibition can favourably modulate anti-bacterial immune effector pathways of macrophages and promote bacterial elimination.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Infection with Salmonella leads to increased HO-1 expression in host cells.
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Inhibition of HO-1, especially at early stages of infection, limits intracellular bacterial numbers in Mycobacteria abscessus.

    “Furthermore, a recent study of Mycobacteria abscessus found that inhibition of HO-1, especially at the early stages of infection, limits intracellular bacterial numbers (Abdalla et al., 2015).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Abdalla et al., 2015 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The dual role of HO-1 may become most evident in persisting infections; downregulation appears beneficial for immediate control, but in non-resolving infection HO-1 expression at later stages may be necessary to reduce inflammation-driven tissue damage.

    “The dual role of HO-1 may thus become most evident in the course of persisting infections. Its downregulation appears to be beneficial for the immediate control of infection with intracellular pathogens, but in non-resolving infection HO-1 expression at later stages may be necessary to reduce inflammation driven tissue damage.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The current study shows that hmox knockdown in macrophages limits bacterial replication by reducing intracellular iron pools and subsequent bacterial iron incorporation along with stimulation of anti-microbial immune effector mechanisms.

    “The current study shows that hmox knockdown in macrophages limits bacterial replication by reducing intracellular iron pools and subsequent bacterial iron incorporation along with stimulation of anti-microbial immune effector mechanisms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The Salmonella triple mutant ΔentCΔsitΔfeo lacks the ability to synthesize enterobactin and to take up iron via SitABCD and Feo.

    “The mutant strain, deficient in enterobactin synthesis, SitABCD- and Feo-mediated iron uptake (ΔentCΔsitΔfeo) was constructed and grown as previously described (Crouch et al., 2008).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Crouch et al., 2008 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    HO-1 expression is associated with increased susceptibility to Salmonella bacteremia during malaria infection and increased mortality from Salmonella infection in that setting.

    “On the other side of the coin, HO-1 expression is associated with increased susceptibility to Salmonella bacteremia during malaria infection, and increased mortality from Salmonella infection in that setting (Cunnington et al., 2012).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Cunnington et al., 2012 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    In vitro infection assays using RAW264.7 cells stably transfected with hmox1 shRNA or bone marrow-derived macrophages produced comparable results.

    “RAW264.7 cells stable transfected with hmox1 shRNA or BMDM were used for in vitro infection assays generating comparable results.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Up-regulation of HO-1 during malaria or sepsis is associated with infection tolerance and limitation of tissue damage resulting in improved survival.

    “Up-regulation of HO-1 during malaria or sepsis was demonstrated in association with infection tolerance and limitation of tissue damage resulting in an improved survival (Gozzelino et al., 2010; Larsen et al., 2010).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Gozzelino et al., 2010 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Larsen et al., 2010 source

      Not checked in the free run.

25 of 25
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    HO-1 is strongly up-regulated in macrophages in response to inflammatory signals, including bacterial endotoxin.

    “HO-1 is strongly up-regulated in macrophages in response to inflammatory signals, including bacterial endotoxin.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Infection with Salmonella leads to increased HO-1 expression in host cells.

    “Accordingly, infection with Salmonella leads to increased HO-1 expression in host cells, which may be seen as an attempt of the pathogen to weaken host-derived anti-microbial effector pathways and to secure a sufficient supply of iron.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Heat-killed Salmonella serve as a standardized inflammatory trigger whose effect does not depend on the number of bacteria.

    “They are used as a defined inflammatory stimulus not compromised by bacterial number.”
3 of 3

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Free heme, predicted to accumulate when Hmox1 is inhibited, activates NF-κB to induce TNF and Nos2 transcription resulting in improved control of Salmonella infection.

    “Accordingly, free heme, which is predicted to accumulate when Hmox1 is inhibited, activates NF-κB to induce TNF and Nos2 transcription resulting in improved control of Salmonella infection [154].”

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Figure 2E is cited for both iron uptake and iron efflux

    Minor

    The Results identify Fig. 2E as showing iron uptake and cite Fig. 2F for iron export. The Discussion instead cites Fig. 2E as evidence of iron efflux.

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Authors
Mitterstiller, A.-M., Haschka, D., Dichtl, S., Nairz, M., Demetz, E., Talasz, H., Soares, M. P., Einwallner, E., Esterbauer, H., Fang, F. C., Geley, S., & Weiss, G.
Affiliations
  • Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
  • Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (PT)
  • Medical University of Vienna (AT)
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Department of Internal Medicine VI, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Pneumology; Medical University of Innsbruck; 6020 Innsbruck Austria
Venue
Cellular Microbiology
Published
2016-03-18
Volume
18
Issue
10
Pages
1374-1389
ISSN
1462-5814 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2266696487
Cited by
62
References
95
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 3
FWCI
5.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cellular Microbiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Austrian Research Fund (FWF)
  • Verein zur Förderung von Forschung und Weiterbildung in Infektiologie und Immunologie an der Medizinischen Universität Innsbruck
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Hemoglobin structure and function
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
Keywords
heme oxygenase-1, Salmonella typhimurium, macrophages, innate immunity, iron limitation, intracellular bacterial survival, NF-κB activation, reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, TNF-α, carbon monoxide, biliverdin, shRNA knockdown, NRAMP1, phagocytosis
MeSH terms
RAW 264.7 Cells, Animals, Enzyme Induction, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Iron, Membrane Proteins, Salmonella Infections, Salmonella typhimurium, Gene Expression, NF-kappa B, Reactive Oxygen Species, Microbial Viability, Mice, Heme Oxygenase-1, HEK293 Cells

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