Spatial distribution of trace metals and associated transport proteins during bacterial infection

Innate immune systems alter the concentrations of trace elements in host niches in response to invading pathogens during infection. This work reports the interplay between d-block metal ions and their associated biomolecules using hyphenated elemental techniques to spatially quantify both elemental distributions and the abundance of specific transport proteins. Here, lung tissues were collected for analyses from na & iuml;ve and Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected mice fed on a zinc-restricted or zinc-supplemented diet. Spatiotemporal distributions of manganese (Mn-55), iron (Fe-56), copper (Cu-63), and zinc (Zn-66) were determined by quantitative laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The murine transport proteins ZIP8 and ZIP14, which are associated with zinc transport, were also imaged by incorporation of immunohistochemistry techniques into the analytical workflow. Collectively, this work demonstrates the potential of a single instrumental platform suitable for multiplex analyses of tissues and labelled antibodies to investigate complex elemental interactions at the host-pathogen interface. Further, these methods have the potential for broad application to investigations of biological pathways where concomitant measurement of elements and biomolecules is crucial to understand the basis of disease and aid in development of new therapeutic approaches.

Automated summary

This study investigates the interplay between d-block metal ions and their associated biomolecules in response to invading pathogens. By using elemental techniques, the researchers were able to quantify both the distribution of trace elements and the abundance of specific transport proteins. The findings demonstrate the potential of a single instrumental platform for multiplex analyses, which can be applied to investigate complex elemental interactions and aid in the development of new therapeutic approaches.