Engulfment and Cell Motility Protein 1 (ELMO1) Has an Essential Role in the Internalization of Typhimurium Into Enteric Macrophages That Impact Disease Outcome

BACKGROUND & AIMS: After invading intestinal epithelial cells, enteric bacteria encounter phagocytes, but little is known about how phagocytes internalize the bacteria to generate host responses. BAI1 (brain angiogenesis inhibitor 1) binds and internalizes Gram-negative bacteria through an engulfment and cell motility protein 1 (ELMO1)/Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1)-dependent mechanism. We delineate the role of ELMO1 in host inflammatory responses after enteric infection. METHODS: ELMO1-depleted murine macrophage cell lines, intestinal macrophages, and ELMO1-deficient mice (total or myeloid-cell specific) were infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The bacterial load, inflammatory cytokines, and histopathology were evaluated in the ileum, cecum, and spleen. The ELMO1-dependent host cytokines were detected by a cytokine array. ELMO1-mediated Rac1 activity was measured by pull-down assay. RESULTS: The cytokine array showed a reduced release of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), by ELMO1-depleted macrophages. Inhibition of ELMO1 expression in macrophages decreased Rac1 activation (∼6-fold) and reduced internalization of Salmonella. ELMO1-dependent internalization was indispensable for TNF-α and MCP-1. Simultaneous inhibition of ELMO1 and Rac function virtually abrogated TNF-α responses to infection. Activation of nuclear factor κB, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases were impaired in ELMO1-depleted cells. Bacterial internalization by intestinal macrophages completely depended on ELMO1. Salmonella infection of ELMO1-deficient mice resulted in a 90% reduction in bacterial burden and attenuated inflammatory responses in the ileum, spleen, and cecum. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a novel role for ELMO1 in facilitating intracellular bacterial sensing and the induction of inflammatory responses after infection with Salmonella.