Ceramide and Toll-Like Receptor 4 Are Mobilized into Membrane Rafts in Response to Helicobacter pylori Infection in Gastric Epithelial Cells
ABSTRACTHelicobacter pyloriinfection is thought to be involved in the development of several gastric diseases. TwoH. pylorivirulence factors (vacuolating cytotoxin A and cytotoxin-associated gene A) reportedly interact with lipid rafts in gastric epithelial cells. The role of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated signaling in response toH. pyloriinfection has been investigated extensively in host cells. However, the receptor molecules in lipid rafts that are involved inH. pylori-induced innate sensing have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether lipid rafts play a role inH. pylori-induced ceramide secretion and TLR4 expression and thereby contribute to inflammation in gastric epithelial cells. We observed that both TLR4 and MD-2 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher inH. pylori-infected AGS cells than in mock-infected cells. Moreover, significantly more TLR4 protein was detected in detergent-resistant membranes extracted fromH. pylori-infected AGS cells than in those extracted from mock-infected cells. However, this effect was attenuated by the treatment of cells with cholesterol-usurping agents, suggesting thatH. pylori-induced TLR4 signaling is dependent on cholesterol-rich microdomains. Similarly, the level of cellular ceramide was elevated and ceramide was translocated into lipid rafts afterH. pyloriinfection, leading to interleukin-8 (IL-8) production. Using the sphingomyelinase inhibitor imipramine, we observed thatH. pylori-induced TLR4 expression was ceramide dependent. These results indicate the mobilization of ceramide and TLR4 into lipid rafts byH. pyloriinfection in response to inflammation in gastric epithelial cells.