Pseudomonas aeruginosa Homoserine Lactone Activates Store-operated cAMP and Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator-dependent Cl- Secretion by Human Airway Epithelia

The ubiquitous bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently causes hospital-acquired infections. P. aeruginosa also infects the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and secretes N-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)-S-homoserine lactone (3O-C12) to regulate bacterial gene expression critical for P. aeruginosa persistence. In addition to its effects as a quorum-sensing gene regulator in P. aeruginosa, 3O-C12 elicits cross-kingdom effects on host cell signaling leading to both pro- or anti-inflammatory effects. We find that in addition to these slow effects mediated through changes in gene expression, 3O-C12 also rapidly increases Cl- and fluid secretion in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR)-expressing airway epithelia. 3O-C12 does not stimulate Cl- secretion in CF cells, suggesting that lactone activates the CFTR. 3O-C12 also appears to directly activate the inositol trisphosphate receptor and release Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lowering [Ca2+] in the ER and thereby activating the Ca2+ -sensitive ER signaling protein STIM1. 3O-C12 increases cytosolic [Ca2+] and, strikingly, also cytosolic [cAMP], the known activator of CFTR. Activation of Cl- current by 3O-C12 was inhibited by a cAMP antagonist and increased by a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Finally, a Ca2+ buffer that lowers [Ca2+] in the ER similar to the effect of 3O-C12 also increased cAMP and I-C1. The results suggest that 3O-C12 stimulates CFTR-dependent Cl- and fluid secretion in airway epithelial cells by activating the inositol trisphosphate receptor, thus lowering [Ca2+] in the ER and activating STIM1 and store-operated cAMP production. In CF airways, where CFTR is absent, the adaptive ability to rapidly flush the bacteria away is compromised because the lactone cannot affect Cl- and fluid secretion.