PapRIV, a BV-2 microglial cell activating quorum sensing peptide

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 10723
• Main Authors: Janssens, Yorick, Debunne, Nathan, De Spiegeleer, Anton, Wynendaele, Evelien, Planas, Marta, Feliu, Lidia, Quarta, Alessandra, Claes, Christel, Van Dam, Debby, De Deyn, Peter Paul, Ponsaerts, Peter, Blurton-Jones, Matthew, De Spiegeleer, Bart
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 21.05.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/250/371; 692/617/375/365; Bacteria; Blood-brain barrier; Cell density; Chemical communication; Digestive system; Gastrointestinal tract; Gram-positive bacteria; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interleukin 6; Intestinal microflora; Intestine; Metabolites; Microbiota; Microglia; multidisciplinary; NF-κB protein; Peptides; Quorum sensing; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Tumor necrosis factor-α
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90030-y

Quorum sensing peptides (QSPs) are bacterial peptides produced by Gram-positive bacteria to communicate with their peers in a cell-density dependent manner. These peptides do not only act as interbacterial communication signals, but can also have effects on the host. Compelling evidence demonstrates the presence of a gut-brain axis and more specifically, the role of the gut microbiota in microglial functioning. The aim of this study is to investigate microglial activating properties of a selected QSP (PapRIV) which is produced by Bacillus cereus species. PapRIV showed in vitro activating properties of BV-2 microglia cells and was able to cross the in vitro Caco-2 cell model and reach the brain. In vivo peptide presence was also demonstrated in mouse plasma. The peptide caused induction of IL-6, TNFα and ROS expression and increased the fraction of ameboid BV-2 microglia cells in an NF-κB dependent manner. Different metabolites were identified in serum, of which the main metabolite still remained active. PapRIV is thus able to cross the gastro-intestinal tract and the blood–brain barrier and shows in vitro activating properties in BV-2 microglia cells, hereby indicating a potential role of this quorum sensing peptide in gut-brain interaction.