MicroRNA-155 Is Required for Clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the Nasopharynx
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ABSTRACT
Pneumonia caused by
Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a major cause of death and an economic burden worldwide.
S. pneumoniae
is an intermittent colonizer of the human upper respiratory tract, and the ability to control asymptomatic colonization determines the likelihood of developing invasive disease. Recognition of
S. pneumoniae
by resident macrophages via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) and the macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) and the presence of interleukin-17 (IL-17)-secreting CD4
+
T cells are required for macrophage recruitment and bacterial clearance. Despite the fact that the primary cellular effectors needed for bacterial clearance have been identified, much of the underlying regulatory mechanisms are unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that the small, noncoding RNA microRNA-155 (mir-155) is critical for the effective clearance of
S. pneumoniae
. Our studies show that mir-155-deficient mice maintain the ability to prevent acute invasive pneumococcal infection but have significantly higher bacterial burdens following colonization, independently of macrophage recognition by TLR-2, MARCO expression, or bactericidal capacity. The observed defects in bacterial clearance parallel reduced IL-17A and gamma interferon CD4
+
T-cell responses
in vivo
, lower IL-17A mRNA levels in the nasopharynx, and a reduced capacity to induce Th17 cell polarization. Given that knockout mice are also limited in the capacity to generate high-titer
S. pneumoniae
-specific antibodies, we conclude that mir-155 is a critical mediator of the cellular effectors needed to clear primary and secondary
S. pneumoniae
colonizations.
