Abstract
Background:
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major etiologic agent of bacterial pneumonia. Autolysis and antibiotic-mediated lysis of pneumococci induce release of the pore-forming toxin, pneumolysin (PLY), their major virulence factor, which is a prominent cause of acute lung injury. PLY inhibits alveolar liquid clearance and severely compromises alveolar–capillary barrier function, leading to permeability edema associated with pneumonia. As a consequence, alveolar flooding occurs, which can precipitate lethal hypoxemia by impairing gas exchange. The α subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is crucial for promoting Na+ reabsorption across Na+-transporting epithelia. However, it is not known if human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC) also express ENaC-α and whether this subunit is involved in the regulation of their barrier function.
Methods:
The presence of α, β, and γ subunits of ENaC and protein phosphorylation status in HL-MVEC were assessed in western blotting. The role of ENaC-α in monolayer resistance of HL-MVEC was examined by depletion of this subunit by specific siRNA and by employing the TNF-derived TIP peptide, a specific activator that directly binds to ENaC-α.
Results:
HL-MVEC express all three subunits of ENaC, as well as acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a), which has the capacity to form hybrid non-selective cation channels with ENaC-α. Both TIP peptide, which specifically binds to ENaC-α, and the specific ASIC1a activator MitTx significantly strengthened barrier function in PLY-treated HL-MVEC. ENaC-α depletion significantly increased sensitivity to PLY-induced hyperpermeability and in addition, blunted the protective effect of both the TIP peptide and MitTx, indicating an important role for ENaC-α and for hybrid NSC channels in barrier function of HL-MVEC. TIP peptide blunted PLY-induced phosphorylation of both calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) and of its substrate, the actin-binding protein filamin A (FLN-A), requiring the expression of both ENaC-α and ASIC1a. Since non-phosphorylated FLN-A promotes ENaC channel open probability and blunts stress fiber formation, modulation of this activity represents an attractive target for the protective actions of ENaC-α in both barrier function and liquid clearance.
Conclusion:
Our results in cultured endothelial cells demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for ENaC-α in strengthening capillary barrier function that may apply to the human lung. Strategies aiming to activate endothelial NSC channels that contain ENaC-α should be further investigated as a novel approach to improve barrier function in the capillary endothelium during pneumonia.
Introduction
Pulmonary permeability edema is a life-threatening complication of severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), characterized by impaired alveolar liquid clearance (ALC) and alveolar–capillary hyperpermeability (). Antibiotic treatment of patients infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae significantly reduces bacterial load, but it can also cause massive release of bacterial toxins in the lung compartment (). The 53-kDa pneumococcal pore-forming virulence factor pneumolysin (PLY) was shown to be an important mediator of permeability edema, due to its capacity to impair both endothelial (, ) and epithelial barrier function (). Although pneumococci release sufficient amounts of PLY to perforate the host cell plasma membrane, this does not necessarily cause immediate cell death, since membrane segments harboring toxin-induced pores can be either internalized or eliminated by microvesicle shedding. Dysregulation of cellular homeostasis secondary to transient pore formation/elimination is likely responsible for the damaging actions of PLY (). To date, no proven treatment exists for increased pulmonary permeability edema, apart from ventilation strategies. Hence, the search for novel therapeutic agents that have the ability to restore both endothelial barrier function and ALC capacity is warranted.
Apart from impairing barrier function, PLY has also been shown to decrease the activity of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) (), which is expressed on the apical side of alveolar epithelial cells and which, together with the basolaterally expressed Na+–K+-ATPase (, ), represents the primary mediator of Na+ uptake and liquid clearance in the alveolar compartment. In its native form, ENaC consists of three subunits, α, β, and γ (, ), but also a fourth δ subunit has been described, which can substitute for the α subunit (). ENaC activity is defined as the product of its surface expression N, which is at least partially determined by Nedd-4-2-dependent ubiquitination () and its open probability Po, the latter of which is significantly increased by the formation of a complex comprised of ENaC subunits with MARCKS and PIP2 (). In order to be fully functional, ENaC has to interact with the actin cytoskeleton and in particular with the actin-binding protein, filamin A (FLN-A) ().
We recently demonstrated that the 17 residue circular TIP peptide (sequence: CGQRETPEGAEAKPWYC), which mimics the lectin-like domain of TNF, directly binds to two domains within the crucial α subunit of ENaC (–). The TIP peptide, through binding to residues Val567 and Glu568 increases the channel’s open probability time by promoting complex formation between human ENaC-α and MARCKS (). In addition, the peptide augments ENaC-α surface expression in PLY-treated H441 cells, by means of reducing the subunit’s ubiquitination (). This activity requires the presence of N-glycosylated Asn residues in the extracellular loop of the subunit (). The presence of the TIP peptide has been shown to increase ALC and to ameliorate acute lung injury in vivo in several species (, –). The TIP peptide is well tolerated, and no significant side effects have been reported upon inhalation in healthy male volunteers (). The TIP peptide is emerging as a potential therapeutic candidate for improving lung function. Data from two phase IIa clinical trials with inhalation of TIP peptide (a.k.a. AP301 and solnatide) in acute lung injury patients, the majority of which had severe pneumonia, and another trial in patients with primary graft dysfunction upon lung transplantation (www.ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT01627613 and NCT02095626, respectively) document efficacy. Both of these pathologies are characterized by capillary endothelial dysfunction.
Although originally thought to mainly constitute the rate-limiting entry step in Na+ reabsorption across lung, kidney, and colon epithelia, it has become clear in recent years that ENaC may also play an important role in the vasculature. In large vessels, ENaC is expressed in both endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell compartments, where it operates as a mechano-sensitive channel, exposed to varying rates of blood flow and laminar shear stress (). In contrast to large vessels, the presence or role of ENaC in the microvasculature, such as in the capillaries in the lung, remains understudied and represents the primary focus of this study. The TIP peptide was shown to increase Na+ uptake in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells () and to restore impaired endothelial barrier function in the presence of the pore-forming toxins PLY and listeriolysin-O (, ).
In view of the previously observed protective activities of the TNF-derived TIP peptide on capillary barrier function in the presence of bacterial toxins, in this study, we investigated the role of its binding partner—ENaC-α—in microvascular endothelial cell barrier function. Our objective was to identify those common signaling molecules modified by bacterial toxins that are involved in both endothelial barrier impairment and ENaC dysfunction.
Materials and Methods
Cells
Human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC) were grown in complete EBM-2 medium (Lonza, Walkersville, MD, USA) at 37°C and 5% CO2. Experiments with PLY were performed in serum-free medium, since the toxin’s activity is neutralized by cholesterol.
PLY Purification
Pneumolysin was purified from a recombinant Listeria innocua 6a strain expressing LPS-free PLY. The batch of PLY used in this study had a specific activity of 1.25 × 107 hemolytic units per milligram.
Biochemicals
Rabbit polyclonal anti-ENaC-α (59), β (60), and γ (2102) antibodies were generated in the laboratory of D.C.E (), anti-human FLN-A, anti-human phospho-FLN-A, anti-human CaMKII, anti-human phospho-CaMKII, and anti-Actin HRP were from Cell Signaling Technology (Danvers, MA, USA). Rabbit anti-human ENaC-α was from Novus Biologicals (Littleton, CO, USA), a rabbit anti-human ASIC1 for IP was from EMD Millipore (Temecula, CA, USA), and a rabbit anti-hASIC1 antibody for WB was a kind gift from Dr. John Wemmie, University of Iowa. Goat anti-rabbit secondary antibodies conjugated to HRP were from Cell Signaling Technology (Danvers, MA, USA). MitTx was purchased from Alomone (Jerusalem, Israel), CaMKII inhibitor XII was from EMD Millipore (Billerica, MA, USA), and the TIP peptide was custom-ordered and purchased from AMBIOPHARM (North-Augusta, SC, USA).
Depletion of ENaC-α or Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1a (ASIC1a) in HL-MVEC
Human lung microvascular endothelial cells were treated with a pool of target-specific 19–25 nt siRNAs designed to knock down either ENaC-α conducting subunit or ASIC1a gene expression, and non-specific, non-targeting siRNA were obtained from Ambion (Grand Island, NY, USA). All siRNA’s were received in lyophilized form. HL-MVEC were transfected at 70–80% confluence with 50–75 nM final concentration of siRNA using siPORT™ Amine transfection reagent (Ambion, Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY, USA) and used for further experiments at 48 h post transfection.
Immunoprecipitation
Human lung microvascular endothelial cells were grown in 60-mm culture flasks and were washed with PBS, scraped, and lysed in 400 µl of 20 mM Tris–HCl, pH 7.4 buffer containing 0.15 M NaCl, 1% non-idet P-40, 2 mM EDTA, as well as protease inhibitors. Lysates were incubated with empty beads in order to remove the non-specific binding partners (preclearing step) and subsequently with ASIC1 antibody for 1 h at 4°C. The mixture of the antibody and the precleared whole cell lysate was then incubated with agarose G magnetic beads overnight at 4°C, followed by three washing steps with PBS containing 2% BSA and eluted in 150 µl of Laemmli buffer. The resulting supernatants were analyzed by western blotting with ENaC-α antibody.
Immunoblotting Procedure
Immediately after treatment, HL-MVEC were washed twice with ice-cold PBS and lysed with RIPA buffer containing a phosphatase and a protease inhibitor mixture. After centrifugation, clear supernatants were mixed with SDS sample buffer and boiled for 5 min. Protein extracts were separated on SDS/PAGE, transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane, incubated with primary antibodies, and subsequently after washing with HRP-conjugated secondary Ab. Immunoreactive proteins were visualized with Clarity solution (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) and were then captured using ChemiDoc system (Bio-Rad). The relative intensity of each protein band was quantified using the ImageLab software (Bio-Rad).
NanoPro Technology
Immediately after treatment, cells were washed and lysed with buffers from ProteinSimple (Santa Clara, CA, USA) as described previously (). Preparation of cell lysates for size-based assay, using the Peggy system, was performed as described by the manufacturer (ProteinSimple).
Measurement of Transendothelial Electrical Resistance
Transendothelial electrical resistance in HL-MVEC monolayers [electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) system 1600R; Applied Biophysics, Troy, NY, USA] was measured as described previously ().
Statistical Analysis
All experimental data are presented as mean ± SD. Control samples and those obtained upon various stimuli were compared by unpaired Student’s t-test. For multiple group comparisons, one-way ANOVA was used. Also, p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
HL-MVEC Express All ENaC Subunits
We previously demonstrated, using whole cell voltage-clamped patch clamp, that TIP peptide increased amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents in freshly isolated mouse MVEC (). Here, we investigated whether HL-MVEC express the three ENaC subunits. Immunoblotting analysis revealed the presence of both uncleaved and mature ENaC-α, β, and γ subunits in human lung MVEC (Figure 1). The immunoreactive bands of ENaC-α at 95, 75, and 65 kDa represent different forms of the subunit, resulting from posttranslational modifications (e.g., glycosylation) and proteolytic processing.
Figure 1
ENaC-α Expression Strengthens Barrier Function in PLY-Treated HL-MVEC Monolayers
The association of ENaC with the cytoskeletal network at the apical membrane is required to help maintain its presence at this site and to prevent its removal by endocytosis (
Figure 2

(A) Representative western blot of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)-α expression in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC), transfected with either scrambled siRNA (control) or ENaC-α siRNA. (B) Efficacy of siRNA-mediated depletion of ENaC-α, relative protein expression in HL-MVEC. (C) Transendothelial resistance (measured in electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing 1600R) in HL-MVEC, transfected with scrambled siRNA or ENaC-α siRNA and treated for 30 min with 60 ng/ml of PLY (corresponding with the maximal drop in resistance), in the presence or absence of TIP peptide (*p < 0.05 versus ctrl, **p < 0.05 versus PLY).
ENaC-α Stimulation Blunts PLY-Induced CaMKII Activation and FLN-A Phosphorylation
Apart from its role in endothelial barrier function demonstrated above, ENaC-α has also been shown to be crucial for ALC (
Pneumolysin (100 or 200 ng/ml) induces FLN-A phosphorylation from as early as 15 min and persisting for at least 60 min (Figure 3A). TIP peptide (50 µg/ml), as well as the CaMKII inhibitor XII (1mM) inhibits FLN-A phosphorylation induced by PLY (60 ng/ml) (Figures 3B,C). As shown in Figure 4A, PLY-treatment (90 ng/ml) induces CaMKII activation in HL-MVEC within 10 min. Thus, both PLY-induced phosphorylation of FLN-A and CaMKII can be partially inhibited by the TIP peptide or by a CaMKII inhibitor (Figures 3A,B and 4A,B). Taken together, these data indicate that PLY, whose deleterious actions on barrier function in HL-MVEC monolayers are at least partially dependent on promoting Ca2+ influx (
Figure 3

(A) Time-dependent representative nanopro technology-based western blot of PLY-induced filamin A (FLN-A) phosphorylation in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC) (100 and 200 ng/ml), as described (
Figure 4

(A) Representative western blot and (B) quantification of phospho-CaMKII over actin ratio of PLY (90 ng/ml)-mediated CaMKII activation in human lung microvascular endothelial cells after 20 min. Cells were either pretreated with TIP peptide (50 µg/ml) or the CaMKII inhibitor XII (1 mM) for 15 min. Values are presented as means ± SD of three independent experiments in duplicates (*p < 0.05 versus ctrl, **p < 0.05 versus PLY).
The Hybrid ENaC-α/ASIC1a Non-Selective Cation Channel Mediates Barrier Protection from PLY
In order to address the apparent discrepancy between our results with the TIP peptide, which improves barrier function in HL-MVEC, and results obtained by others demonstrating that aldosterone-induced activation of ENaC leads to stiffening in large vessel endothelial cells (
MitTx (20 nM), an activator of ASIC1a and of NSC (
Figure 5

(A) Transendothelial resistance (measured in electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing 1600R) in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC), transfected with scrambled siRNA or epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)-α siRNA and treated for 30 min with 60 ng/ml of PLY, in the presence or absence of TIP peptide (50 µg/ml) or MitTx (20 nM) (n = 3, SEM) (*p < 0.05 versus ctrl, **p < 0.05 versus PLY). (B) Representative western blot and quantification of phospho- over total protein ratio of PLY (60 ng/ml)-mediated filamin A (FLN-A) phosphorylation in HL-MVEC after 20 min. Cells were either pretreated with TIP peptide (50 µg/ml) or MitTx (20 nM) for 15 min. (C) Representative stain-free blot showing total protein transferred to the nitrocellulose membrane. (D) siRNA-mediated acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) silencing in HL-MVEC.
Figure 6

Representative immunoprecipitation experiment assessing binding of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)-α (indicated by arrows) to native ASIC1 in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HL-MVEC) and representative stain-free blot showing the total protein transferred to the nitrocellulose membrane before the co-IP experiment (whole HL-MVEC lysate—first lane), the filtrate after the co-IP (second lane), and the eluent (eluted from the ASIC1 antibody-decorated magnetic beads—third lane).
Discussion
Decreased lung capillary barrier function represents one of the major complications of severe pneumonia and ARDS and promotes the development of permeability edema. Upon autolysis or antibiotic-induced lysis, the G+ pathogen S. pneumoniae, the main etiological agent of community acquired pneumonia in the US, releases the cholesterol-binding and pore-forming toxin PLY.
Pneumolysin-induced Ca2+-influx, which is blunted by lanthanum chloride, is crucial for the ability of the toxin to induce hyperpermeability in human lung MVEC (
Apart from preventing stress fiber formation, FLN-A also promotes the interaction between the chaperone protein MARCKS and ENaC subunits (
Figure 7

Proposed sequence of events in the role of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)-α in barrier protection in pneumolysin (PLY)-treated human lung microvascular endothelial cells. PLY, upon pore formation, increases Ca2+-influx (
Our results with the TNF-derived TIP peptide, which directly binds to ENaC-α and which has the capacity to increase both expression and open probability of ENaC in the presence of PLY, are in sharp contrast to the suggested role of ENaC in aldosterone-induced vascular stiffening and eNOS dysfunction in large vessel endothelial cells (
Acid-sensing ion channels represent a family of proteins activated upon extracellular acidification (
In conclusion, our data indicate that the barrier protective effect of ENaC-α in PLY-treated HL-MVEC monolayers is at least partially mediated by NSC channels in these cells. As such, the TIP peptide, which has the capacity to activate both ALC across alveolar epithelium and endothelial barrier function in the presence of bacterial toxins, could represent a therapeutically promising candidate to tackle pulmonary permeability edema associated with bacterial pneumonia. In vivo studies will be needed to further test this mechanism under pathologically relevant conditions.
Statements
Author contributions
Conception or design of the work: IC, AAA, MM, DF, TC, DE, and RL; acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: IC, SS, BG, HP, MH, BB, MR, and JG: drafting the work: IC and RL; revising it critically for important intellectual content: AAA, MR, GW, YH, YS, AV, DF, and DE. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Funding
This work was supported by PO1 grant HL101902 from the NHLBI (to AV and DF) and in part by K01 DK099617 (to AAA), Extramural Success Award from the Vice President for Research at Augusta University (to RL), AHA Scientist Development Grant 17SDG33680024 (to IC), as well as by SFB grant TR-84 “Innate Immunity of the Lung” from the German Research Foundation (DFG) (to HP and TC). The work was also supported by ADA grant #1-16-IBS-196 (to RL, AV, and DF) and NHLBI grant HL51856 (to MAM). RL is a Mercator Fellow of the DFG.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Dr. Wemmie, University of Iowa, for the kind gift of anti-ASIC1a antibodies and Dr. Hummler-Beermann, University of Lausanne, for helpful discussions.
Conflict of interest
No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors. The reviewer, SH, declared a past coauthorship with one of the authors, TC, to the handling Editor, who ensured that the process met the standards of a fair and objective review.
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Summary
Keywords
epithelial sodium channel, non-selective cation channel, TNF, pneumonia, pneumolysin, endothelial barrier function
Citation
Czikora I, Alli AA, Sridhar S, Matthay MA, Pillich H, Hudel M, Berisha B, Gorshkov B, Romero MJ, Gonzales J, Wu G, Huo Y, Su Y, Verin AD, Fulton D, Chakraborty T, Eaton DC and Lucas R (2017) Epithelial Sodium Channel-α Mediates the Protective Effect of the TNF-Derived TIP Peptide in Pneumolysin-Induced Endothelial Barrier Dysfunction. Front. Immunol. 8:842. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00842
Received
04 May 2017
Accepted
04 July 2017
Published
21 July 2017
Volume
8 - 2017
Edited by
Heiko Mühl, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
Reviewed by
Sven Hammerschmidt, University of Greifswald, Germany; Olaf Grisk, University of Greifswald, Germany
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Copyright
© 2017 Czikora, Alli, Sridhar, Matthay, Pillich, Hudel, Berisha, Gorshkov, Romero, Gonzales, Wu, Huo, Su, Verin, Fulton, Chakraborty, Eaton and Lucas.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Rudolf Lucas, rlucas@augusta.edu; Istvan Czikora, iczikora@augusta.edu
Specialty section: This article was submitted to Inflammation, a section of the journal Frontiers in Immunology
Disclaimer
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