Natural phosphoryl and acyl variants of lipid A from Neisseria meningitidis strain 89I differentially induce tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human monocytes.

The native lipooligosaccharide (LOS) from Neisseria meningitidis strain 89I was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry and the spectrum compared with that of the LOS after O-deacylation and hydrogen fluoride treatment. The data are consistent with the presence of natural variations in the LOS, which include a triphosphorylated lipid A (LA) with and without a phosphoethanolamine group, and both hexa- and pentaacylated LA molecules. Thin-layer chromatography was performed on 89I LA produced by hydrolysis of the LOS, and the purified LA molecules were analyzed by MALDI-TOF and tested for their relative ability to induce the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by human monocytic THP-1 cells and primary human monocytes. The potency of tumor necrosis factor-alpha induction varied by approximately 2-10-fold, depending on the state of acylation and phosphorylation. The results highlight the significance of phosphorylation along with acylation of the LA component of LOS in stimulation of inflammatory signaling, and suggest that natural strain variation in these moieties may be a feature of meningococcal bacteria, which is of critical importance to the progression of the infection.