Physicochemical characterization and biological activity of lipooligosaccharides and lipid A from Neisseria meningitidis

Meningococcal endotoxin is the major contributor to the pathogenesis of fulminant sepsis and meningitis of meningococcal disease and is a potent activator of the MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent pathways via the MD-2/TLR4 receptor. To understand better the biological properties of meningococcal endotoxin that initiates these events, the physicochemical structure of Neisseria meningitidis lipopoly(oligo)saccharide (LOS) of the serogroup B wild-type strain NMB (NeuNAc-Gal beta-GlcNAc-Gal beta-Glc beta-Hep2(GlcNAc,Glc alpha)PEA-Kdo2-lipid A, 1,4'-bisphosphorylated +/- PEA, PEtN) and the genetically-defined mutants (gmhB, Kdo2 -lipid A; kdtA, meningococcal lipid A; gmhB-lpxL1, Kdo2penta-acylated lipid A and NMB-lpx1, penta-acylated meningococcal LOS) were assessed in relation to bioactivity. Confirming previous work, Kdo2lipid A was the minimal structure required for optimal activation of the MD-2/TLR4 pathway of human macrophages. Meningococcal lipid A alone was a very weak agonist in stimulating human macrophages, even at high doses. Penta-acylated LOS structures demonstrated a moderate reduction in TLR4/MyD88-dependent signaling and a dramatic decrease in TLR4-TRIF-dependent signaling. For a better understanding of these results, we have performed an analysis of physicochemical parameters of the LOS structures such as the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition of the acyl chains, the inclination angle of the diglucosamine backbone with respect to the membrane surface, and the aggregate structure, and have found a very significant correlation of these parameters with biological activities extending our concept of endotoxicity.