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The expression of legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase that controls antigen processing, is reduced in endotoxin-tolerant monocytes

Genes & Immunity volume 6, pages 452–456 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The exposition of monocytes to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) primarily causes a massive inflammatory response that is then followed by a hyporesponsive state of these cells. This latter state is called endotoxin tolerance and is characterized by (i) the attenuated production of proinflammatory mediators after repeated LPS treatment, and (ii) the diminished antigen presentation and T-cell stimulation capacity. The data presented here indicate that LPS priming causes a specific decrease in the expression of legumain (the asparaginyl endopeptidase responsible for the key step in antigen processing) in monocytes. In these cells, the fraction of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II loaded with CLIP was increased. In contrast to monocytes, LPS priming provoked an increase of legumain expression in B cells. Reduced monocytic expression of legumain was also found in critically ill patients supporting the suitability of endotoxin tolerance as an experimental model of clinical postinflammatory immunodeficiency.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge Anke Bonke, Ulrike Mönnig, and Ingrid Jäckel for kind technical assistance regarding the routine samples. Thanks is also due to Elizabeth Wallace for accurately proofreading the manuscript. This work was partially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 421).

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  1. Institute of Medical Immunology, University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany

    K Wolk, G Grütz, K Witte, H-D Volk & R Sabat

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  1. K Wolk
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Correspondence to R Sabat.

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Wolk, K., Grütz, G., Witte, K. et al. The expression of legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase that controls antigen processing, is reduced in endotoxin-tolerant monocytes. Genes Immun 6, 452–456 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364224

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