Lipopolysaccharide of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans induces the expression of chemokines MCP-1, MIP-1α, and IP-10 via similar but distinct signaling pathways in murine macrophages

• AaLPS induces chemokines in murine macrophages leading to the infiltration of PBMCs.
• AaLPS induces the expression of chemokines through TLR4.
• Induction of MCP-1 and MIP-1α requires MyD88, ERK, and JNK.
• Induction of IP-10 requires JNK, p38 MAP kinase, and IFN-β/STAT1 but not MyD88.
• AaLPS increases the activation of NF-κB, AP-1, NF-IL6, and ISRE.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a Gram-negative bacterium frequently isolated from lesions of patients with localized aggressive periodontitis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major cell wall component of Gram-negative bacteria, stimulates innate immune cells via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to initiate inflammatory responses. In this study, we purified LPS from A. actinomycetemcomitans (AaLPS) and investigated its ability to induce the expression of chemokines, which play an important role in recruitment of leukocytes to the infection site. AaLPS induced the expression of chemokines, MCP-1, MIP-1α, and IP-10 in murine macrophages, leading to the infiltration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a transwell system. Although TLR4 was essential for the induction of all these chemokines by AaLPS, MCP-1 and MIP-1α expressions were MyD88-dependent, but IP-10 expression was MyD88-independent, as determined using macrophages from mice deficient in TLR4 or MyD88. Furthermore, the activation of ERK and JNK were necessary for the expression of MCP-1 and MIP-1α, whereas p38 MAP kinase and JNK activations were required for IP-10 expression. In addition, IFN-β/STAT1 signaling was exclusively involved in IP-10 expression but not in MCP-1 or MIP-1α expression. AaLPS also activated the transcription factors, NF-κB, AP-1, NF-IL6, and ISRE, all of which are involved in chemokine gene expression. These results suggest that AaLPS induces the expression of chemokines MCP-1, MIP-1α, and IP-10 through TLR4 in murine macrophages. Further, the induction of MCP-1 and MIP-1α requires MyD88, ERK, and JNK, whereas the induction of IP-10 requires JNK, p38 MAP kinase, and IFN-β/STAT1.