Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 are polymorphic paired receptors that modulate neutrophil and amnion signaling responses to group B Streptococcus

Syed Raza Ali, Jerry J. Fong, Aaron F. Carlin, Tamara D. Busch, Rebecka Linden, Takashi Angata, Thomas Areschoug, Mana Parast, Nissi Varki, Jeffrey Murray, Victor Nizet, Ajit Varki

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Abstract

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes invasive infections in human newborns. We recently showed that the GBS beta-protein attenuates innate immune responses by binding to sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 5 (Siglec-5), an inhibitory receptor on phagocytes. Interestingly, neutrophils and monocytes also express Siglec-14, which has a ligand-binding domain almost identical to Siglec-5 but signals via an activating motif, raising the possibility that these are paired Siglec receptors that balance immune responses to pathogens. Here we show that beta-protein-expressing GBS binds to both Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 on neutrophils and that the latter engagement counteracts pathogen-induced host immune suppression by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and AKT signaling pathways. Siglec-14 is absent from some humans because of a SIGLEC14-null polymorphism, and homozygous SIGLEC14-null neutrophils are more susceptible to GBS immune subversion. Finally, we report an unexpected human-specific expression of Siglec-5 and Siglec-14 on amniotic epithelium, the site of initial contact of invading GBS with the fetus. GBS amnion immune activation was likewise influenced by the SIGLEC14-null polymorphism. We provide initial evidence that the polymorphism could influence the risk of prematurity among human fetuses of mothers colonized with GBS. This first functionally proven example of a paired receptor system in the Siglec family has multiple implications for regulation of host immunity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1231-1242
JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
Volume211
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Microbiology in the medical area

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