Schulte-Hubbert BMedical Clinic und Policlinic I Pneumology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Molinaro ADepartment of Chemical Sciences, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
Holst OResearch Center Borstel, Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany.
Hammermann JDepartment of Pediatrics, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Schniederjans MHelmholtz-Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
Meyer KCUniversity of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, USA.
Damkiaer SDepartment of Systems Biology and Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
Häußler SResearch Center Borstel, Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany.
LiPuma JJDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Seelig JBiophysical Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland.
Worlitzsch DInstitute of Hygiene, University of Halle, Germany. Electronic address: dieter.worlitzsch@uk-halle.de.
Döring GInstitute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, German Center for Infection Research, University Clinic Tübingen, Germany.
English
BACKGROUND How elevated temperature is generated during airway infections represents a hitherto unresolved physiological question. We hypothesized that innate immune defence mechanisms would increase luminal airway temperature during pulmonary infection.
METHODS We determined the temperature in the exhaled air of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. To further test our hypothesis, a pouch inflammatory model using neutrophil elastase-deficient mice was employed. Next, the impact of temperature changes on the dominant CF pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth was tested by plating method and RNAseq.
RESULTS Here we show a temperature of ~38°C in neutrophil-dominated mucus plugs of chronically infected CF patients and implicate neutrophil elastase:α1-proteinase inhibitor complex formation as a relevant mechanism for the local temperature rise. Gene expression of the main pathogen in CF, P. aeruginosa, under anaerobic conditions at 38°C vs 30°C revealed increased virulence traits and characteristic cell wall changes.
CONCLUSION Neutrophil elastase mediates increase in airway temperature, which may contribute to P. aeruginosa selection during the course of chronic infection in CF.