GM-CSF enhances a CpG-independent pathway of neutrophil activation triggered by bacterial DNA

We have previously demonstrated that bacterial DNA induces neutrophil activation through a CpG- and TLR9-independent but MyD88-dependent-pathway. In this study we determined that GM-CSF enhances the activation of neutrophils by bacterial DNA. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor increased IL-8 and IL-1β secretion, and CD11b-upregulation induced by single-stranded bacterial DNA. It also enhanced neutrophil IL-8 production induced by double-stranded bacterial DNA, methylated single-stranded DNA, plasmid DNA, and phosphorothioated-CpG and non-CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides. Together these observations indicated that GM-CSF enhances neutrophil responses triggered by bacterial DNA in a CpG-independent fashion. We also found that GM-CSF enhanced the activation of the MAPKs p38 and ERK1/2 induced by bacterial DNA. Moreover, the pharmacological inhibition of these pathways significantly diminished GM-CSF ability to increase neutrophil activation by bacterial DNA. Finally, we observed that GM-CSF was unable to increase the activation of MyD88−/− neutrophils by bacterial DNA. Our findings suggest that GM-CSF modulates the CpG-independent, MyD88-dependent neutrophil response to bacterial DNA, by increasing the activation of the MAPKs p38 and ERK1/2.