Investigating the Role of Bacterial Long-Chain Polyphosphates in Macrophages during <i>Legionella pneumophila</i>Infection

Abstract Up to 10% of community-acquired pneumonia cases are identified as Legionnaires’ Disease, caused by the pathogen Legionella pneumophila. L. pneumophila naturally resides in freshwater systems and becomes pathogenic when man-made plumbing grow biofilm amoeba if not maintained. Hosts accidentally infected pneumophilavia aerosol inhalation into respiratory system. primarily reside human alveolar macrophages, entering replicating via Legionella-containing vacuole. This vacuole will also release recruit hundreds effector molecules prevent itself from being phagocytosed disguise a host cellular component. Polyphosphates highly conserved found essentially every cell performing essential functions. Long-chain polyphosphates, containing phosphate units, produced bacteria perform functions critical their survival hosts. We have previously that long-chain polyphosphates E. coli interfere with innate response against infection. Here, we show infection synthetic bacterial inflammatory macrophages. utilized mouse model for vitro bone-marrow-derived showing modulated cytokine death. Additionally, addition S. cerevisiae derived exopolyphosphatase, which degrades decreases inflammation vitro.