Antagonistic antibody prevents toll-like receptor 2–driven lethal shock-like syndromes
Guangxun Meng, Mark Rutz, Matthias Schiemann, Jochen Metzger, Alina Grabiec, Ralf Schwandner, Peter B. Luppa, Frank Ebel, Dirk H. Busch, Stefan Bauer, Hermann Wagner, Carsten J. Kirschning
Guangxun Meng, Mark Rutz, Matthias Schiemann, Jochen Metzger, Alina Grabiec, Ralf Schwandner, Peter B. Luppa, Frank Ebel, Dirk H. Busch, Stefan Bauer, Hermann Wagner, Carsten J. Kirschning
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Article Infectious disease

Antagonistic antibody prevents toll-like receptor 2–driven lethal shock-like syndromes

Abstract

Hyperactivation of immune cells by bacterial products through toll-like receptors (TLRs) is thought of as a causative mechanism of septic shock pathology. Infections with Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria provide TLR2-specific agonists and are the major cause of severe sepsis. In order to intervene in TLR2-driven toxemia, we raised mAb’s against the extracellular domain of TLR2. Surface plasmon resonance analysis showed direct and specific interaction of TLR2 and immunostimulatory lipopeptide, which was blocked by T2.5 in a dose-dependent manner. Application of mAb T2.5 inhibited cell activation in experimental murine models of infection. T2.5 also antagonized TLR2-specific activation of primary human macrophages. TLR2 surface expression by murine macrophages was surprisingly weak, while both intra- and extracellular expression increased upon systemic microbial challenge. Systemic application of T2.5 upon lipopeptide challenge inhibited release of inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and prevented lethal shock-like syndrome in mice. Twenty milligrams per kilogram of T2.5 was sufficient to protect mice, and administration of 40 mg/kg of T2.5 was protective even 3 hours after the start of otherwise lethal challenge with Bacillus subtilis. These results indicate that epitope-specific binding of exogenous ligands precedes specific TLR signaling and suggest therapeutic application of a neutralizing anti-TLR2 antibody in acute infection.

Authors

Guangxun Meng, Mark Rutz, Matthias Schiemann, Jochen Metzger, Alina Grabiec, Ralf Schwandner, Peter B. Luppa, Frank Ebel, Dirk H. Busch, Stefan Bauer, Hermann Wagner, Carsten J. Kirschning

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Effects of mAb T2.5 administration on viability after TLR2-specific syst...
Effects of mAb T2.5 administration on viability after TLR2-specific systemic challenge. (A) IFN-γ– and D-galactosamine–sensitized mice received no mAb, 1 mg of mAb T2.5, or 1 mg of conT2 i.p. 30 minutes prior to microbial challenge with bacterial lipopeptide analogue P3CSK4 (open circles, no mAb, n = 4; open triangles, mAb conT2, n = 3; filled squares, mAb T2.5, n = 4). (B–D) Mice challenged with a high dose of h.i. B. subtilis were left untreated, treated 1 hour later with the indicated dosages of mAb T2.5 (B; filled diamonds, 1 mg, n = 3; open squares, 0.5 mg, n = 3; open triangles, 0.25 mg, n = 4; ∞’s, 0.13 mg, n = 4; open circles, no mAb T2.5, n = 4), or treated with 1 mg of mAb’s at the different time points indicated below (C and D). (C) TLR2-specific mAb was administered before (–) or after (+) bacterial challenge (filled inverted triangles, no mAb, n = 8; open circles, mAb conT2, –1 hour, n = 3; filled diamonds, mAb T2.5, –1 hour, n = 4; open squares, mAb T2.5, +1 hour, n = 3; ∞’s, mAb T2.5, +2 hours, n = 3; open diamonds, mAb T2.5, +3 hours, n = 4; open triangles, mAb T2.5, +4 hours, n = 3). (D) TLR2-specific mAb T2.5 was administered before (–) bacterial challenge (open triangles, no mAb; filled squares, mAb T2.5, –3 hours; open diamonds, mAb T2.5, –4 hours; open circles, mAb T2.5, –5 hours; filled inverted triangles, mAb T2.5, –6 hours; n = 3 for all groups).