Bacterial and human cells produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) in response to diverse stimuli, e.g., toxins, oxidative stress, nutrient depletion, or high cell density. Here, we describe a cocultivation platform that allows recovery of mixed extracellular vesicles (mix-EVs) produced simultaneously by both cell types. We investigated interactions between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Neisseria meningitidis) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The production of the mix-EVs population decreased with higher bacterial concentrations. Exposing PBMCs to mix-EVs repressed the general transcriptomic signature, in contrast with a significant upregulation generated by single bacterial-EVs. However, mix-EVs-derived IL-1β upregulation was confirmed at the protein level. Inhibition experiments showed that IL-1β production involved TLR2 and TLR4 signaling, acting through IRAK-1 and TRAF6 related pathways. This approach provides a new platform for the study of EVs at the pathogen–host interface and presents mechanistic insights into the effect of EVs on an infected host.

Static at rest—dynamic on demand: Although supramolecular polymers are known for their dynamic nature, this study investigates the dynamics of amphiphilic assemblies based on polymer-modified benzene...

npj Systems Biology and Applications - Complex-mediated evasion: modeling defense against antimicrobial peptides with application to human-pathogenic fungus Candida albicans

The ability of pathogens to evade phagosomal killing is critical for their pathogenicity. Previously, we had identified the HscA effector protein in the clinically important fungal pathogen Aspergillu...

The lung microbiome has recently gained attention for potentially affecting respiratory viral infections, including influenza A virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2. We will discuss...