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Associate Professor

Research Area:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis and Respiratory Infection Biology

Research Synopsis:

Our research focuses on bacterial infections in muco-obstructive lung diseases, a collection of genetic and acquired illnesses including cystic fibrosis (CF), non-CF bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Individuals with muco-obstructive lung diseases experience progressive respiratory function decline due to recurrent and chronic bacterial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen and the leading cause of recalcitrant chronic infection in individuals with muco-obstructive lung disease. Our lab seeks to cultivate a more thorough understanding of chronic Pa lung infection pathogenesis using state-of-the-art model systems, including in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo approaches. Current projects focus on host-microbial and polymicrobial interaction in the context of the lung environment, the impact of antibiotic usage on microbial pathogenesis and population dynamics, and changes in host innate immune metabolism and signaling that contribute to disease progression.

Antibiotic Tolerance

Antibiotic treatment failure is widespread with Pseudomonas infections in patients with muco-obstructive lung disease. Antibiotic tolerance is a poorly understood phenomenon that significantly contributes to persistent infections in patients with muco-obstructive lung diseases. Our long-term goal is to determine how Pa genotype/phenotype and host environment factors such as hyper-concentrated mucus contribute to antibiotic tolerance. Furthermore, we are currently investigating the phenotypic changes that occur within the population following antibiotic treatment using ex vivo clinical specimens and in vitro models.

Evolution of Pa in cystic fibrosis

The evolution of Pa populations in the lung contributes to antibiotic treatment failure, persistence, and respiratory decline. We aim to identify factors in the host environment that contribute to the evolution and genotypic/phenotypic diversification of Pa.

Loss of quorum sensing (QS) is a common phenotype observed in Pa during chronic infection. QS regulates an extensive network of genes in Pa important for pathogenesis, such as virulence factor production and biofilm formation. Moreover, QS in Pa is required for the establishment of infection in model systems. Nevertheless, loss of QS is correlated with chronic infection and declining lung function in CF. We aim to investigate how the loss of QS provides a fitness advantage and contributes to worsening disease.

Coordinated Regulation of Pa Virulence

The ability of Pa to cause this wide variety of diseases depends on the expression of an array of virulence factors. We have discovered that synthesis of the second-messenger signaling molecule adenosine 3′, 5’-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP or cAMP) is required for Pa virulence. Specifically, cAMP generates a transcriptional response by binding to and activating the transcription factor Vfr (Virulence factor regulator). We have demonstrated that cAMP is specifically required for Vfr DNA binding activity and that vfr expression is autoregulated and cAMP-dependent. Transcriptional analyses indicate that the cAMP-Vfr complex controls the expression of nearly 200 genes, the majority of which encode acute or invasive virulence factors required for host colonization, surface motility, and the secretion and delivery of exotoxins. Based on these results, we propose that the cAMP-signaling pathway plays a central role in detecting the host environment and initiating a coordinated pathogenic response.

Work in the lab has focused on understanding the three main mechanisms that control intracellular levels of cAMP in bacteria: synthesis, degradation, and transport. We are specifically interested in understanding how each of these processes are regulated and the role they play in controlling Pa virulence gene expression in vivo.

In addition to studying the mechanisms that control intracellular cAMP levels, we have discovered that expression of vfr is subject to inhibition by the alginate extracellular polysaccharide regulatory pathway. The production of an alginate capsule is an important Pa adaptation that occurs during (and potentially facilitates) the chronic phase of infection in muco-obstructive lung disease. While the molecular mechanism of vfr inhibition remains to be determined, our discovery provides direct evidence for the inverse regulation of acute and chronic virulence factors during chronic infection. Recent work in the lab implicates a post-transcriptional control mechanism mediated by two homologous RNA binding proteins, RsmA and RsmF. Ongoing research is aimed at understanding the molecular basis of post-transcriptional regulation in Pseudomonas.

Cell Culture Model of Muco-obstructive Lung Disease Infection

Primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cultures, grown at the air-liquid interface, are a well-established and dynamic model for studying the human airway mucosa. We have exploited this system to generate a biologically relevant mucus infection model. We are currently using a multi-omics approach to investigate host epithelial and bacterial changes that occur during infection of the mucus layer. Preliminary findings indicate that key aspects of human airway infection are recapitulated. In addition, we are utilizing this model system to study the impact of antimicrobial and host-directed therapeutics on infection and disease-related outcomes.

Murine Model of Chronic Lung Infection

The generation of a robust and reproducible chronic pulmonary bacterial infection model in mice is a critical requirement for studying pathogenesis and therapy in muco-obstructive lung diseases. Collaboratively, we are working to develop a murine model of chronic bacterial infection. As part of this effort, we are systematically evaluating both bacterial and host phenotypic and genotypic characteristics that enable chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus lung infection. Using these murine model systems, we hope to better understand the impact of in vivo bacterial adaptation and host immune modulation during chronic infection. In addition, these studies will advance our understanding of the complex host-microbial interactions that drive patient outcomes and shape drug efficacy in muco-obstructive lung diseases.

Microbiome of Chronic Muco-Obstructive Lung Disease

Defective innate airway defense mechanisms, by definition, render individuals susceptible to colonization and infection by a spectrum of bacterial and viral pathogens. The presence of these organisms can precipitate further deterioration of existing defenses through continuous assault or punctuated events (acute exacerbations), resulting in a vicious cycle that drives disease progression.

To better understand the complex infection biology of chronic airway diseases, we use next-generation sequencing methods to detect, identify, and quantify bacterial and viral organisms in airway-derived specimens. Using this metagenomic approach, we have characterized the CF lung microbiome as a function of age, disease severity, exacerbation, and antibiotic therapy. Our studies have revealed that the earliest detectable infections in infants and young children involve anaerobic bacteria likely derived from oral aspiration. Subsequent infection by opportunistic pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pa, result in lung microbial communities that are highly refractive to antibiotic treatment. These observational clinical studies have created new areas of research in the lab aimed at understanding the role of polymicrobial interactions and community succession in muco-obstructive lung diseases. Ongoing collaborative studies include a detailed examination of the oral-lung microbiome axis in CF and the role of the nasal microbiome in acute exacerbation frequency in COPD.

SARS-CoV-2

In response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, our lab, in partnership with laboratories in the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and the UNC School of Medicine, launched the DELTA Translational Core to process, store and distribute COVID-19 clinical samples in support of research efforts across the globe. In addition to providing support for other studies, Dr. Wolfgang leads a multidisciplinary research team studying innate immune metabolism in the lungs of severely ill COVID-19 patients using a systems biology-based approach. This deep phenotyping effort has demonstrated that severe COVID-19 has a complex pathophysiology with multiple etiologies that require distinct therapeutic approaches. Current efforts are aimed at identifying targets for host-directed disease therapies and molecular and clinical biomarkers to differentiate disease trajectories.

Recent Publications:

  1. Zhang Y, Bharathi V, Dokoshi T, de Anda J, Ursery LT, Kulkarni NN, Nakamura Y, Chen J, Luo EWC, Wang L, Xu H, Coady A, Zurich R, Lee MW, Matsui T, Lee H, Chan LC, Schepmoes AA, Lipton MS, Zhao R, Adkins JN, Clair GC, Thurlow LR, Schisler JC, Wolfgang MC, Hagan RS, Yeaman MR, Weiss TM, Chen X, Li MMH, Nizet V, Antoniak S, Mackman N, Gallo RL, Wong GCL. Viral afterlife: SARS-CoV-2 as a reservoir of immunomimetic peptides that reassemble into proinflammatory supramolecular complexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Feb 6;121(6):e2300644120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2300644120. Epub 2024 Feb 2. PMID: 38306481; PMCID: PMC10861912.
  2. Einarsson GG, Sherrard LJ, Hatch JE, Zorn B, Johnston E, McGettigan C, O’Neill K, Gilpin DF, Downey DG, Murray M, Lavelle G, McElvaney G, Wolfgang MC, Boucher R, Muhlebach MS, Bradbury I, Elborn JS, Tunney MM. Longitudinal changes in the cystic fibrosis airway microbiota with time and treatment. J Cyst Fibros. 2023 Dec 28:S1569-1993(23)01681-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2023.11.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38158284.
  3. Genito CJ, Darwitz BP, Greenwald MA, Wolfgang MC, Thurlow LR. Hyperglycemia potentiates increased Staphylococcus aureus virulence and resistance to growth inhibition by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr. 2023 Dec 12;11(6):e0229923. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02299-23. PMID: 37933971. PMCID: PMC10715105.
  4. Cholon DM, Greenwald MA, Higgs MG, Quinney NL, Boyles SE, Meinig SL, Minges JT, Chaubal A, Tarran R, Ribeiro CMP, Wolfgang MC, Gentzsch M. A Novel Co-Culture Model Reveals Enhanced CFTR Rescue in Primary Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cultures with Persistent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection. Cells. 2023 Nov 13;12(22):2618. doi: 10.3390/cells12222618. PMID: 37998353; PMCID: PMC10670530.
  5. Ribeiro CMP, Higgs MG, Muhlebach MS, Wolfgang MC, Borgatti M, Lampronti I, Cabrini G. Revisiting Host-Pathogen Interactions in Cystic Fibrosis Lungs in the Era of CFTR Modulators. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 5;24(5):5010. doi: 10.3390/ijms24055010. PMID: 36902441; PMCID: PMC10003689.
  6. Batson B, Zorn B, Radicioni G, Livengood S, Kumagai T, Dang H, Ceppe A, Clapp P, Tunney M, Elborn S, McElvaney G, Muhlebach M, Boucher RC, Tiemeyer M, Wolfgang M, Kesimer M. Cystic Fibrosis Airway Mucus Hyperconcentration Produces a Vicious Cycle of Mucin, Pathogen, and Inflammatory Interactions that Promote Disease Persistence. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2022 Aug;67(2):253-265. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2021-0359OC. PMID: 35486871. PMCID: PMC9348562.
  7. Greenwald MA, Wolfgang MC. The changing landscape of the cystic fibrosis lung environment: From the perspective of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2022 Aug;65:102262. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102262. PMID: 35792519.
  8. Figueiredo JC, Hirsch FR, Kushi LH, Nembhard WN, Crawford JM, Mantis N, Finster L, Merin NM, Merchant A, Reckamp KL, Melmed GY, Braun J, McGovern D, Parekh S, Corley DA, Zohoori N, Amick BC, Du R, Gregersen PK, Diamond B, Taioli E, Sariol C, Espino A, Weiskopf D, Gifoni A, Brien J, Hanege W, Lipsitch M, Zidar DA, Scheck McAlearney A, Wajnberg A, LaBaer J, Yvonne Lewis E, Binder RA, Moormann AM, Forconi C, Forrester S, Batista J, Schieffelin J, Kim D, Biancon G, VanOudenhove J, Halene S, Fan R, Barouch DH, Alter G, Pinninti S, Boppana SB, Pati SK, Latting M, Karaba AH, Roback J, Sekaly R, Neish A, Brincks AM, Granger DA, Karger AB, Thyagarajan B, Thomas SN, Klein SL, Cox AL, Lucas T, Furr-Holden D, Key K, Jones N, Wrammerr J, Suthar M, Yu Wong S, Bowman NM, Simon V, Richardson LD, McBride R, Krammer F, Rana M, Kennedy J, Boehme K, Forrest C, Granger SW, Heaney CD, Knight Lapinski M, Wallet S, Baric RS, Schifanella L, Lopez M, Fernández S, Kenah E, Panchal AR, Britt WJ, Sanz I, Dhodapkar M, Ahmed R, Bartelt LA, Markmann AJ, Lin JT, Hagan RS, Wolfgang MC, Skarbinski J. Mission, Organization, and Future Direction of the Serological Sciences Network for COVID-19 (SeroNet) Epidemiologic Cohort Studies. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022 Apr 27;9(6):ofac171. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofac171. PMID: 35765315; PMCID: PMC9129196.
  9. McElvaney OF, Asakura T, Meinig SL, Torres-Castillo JL, Hagan RS, Gabillard C, Murphy MP, Thorne LB, Borczuk A, Reeves EP, Zumwalt RE, Mikami Y, Carroll TP, Okuda K, Hogan G, McElvaney OJ, Clarke J, McEvoy NL, Mallon PW, McCarthy C, Curley G, Wolfgang MC, Boucher RC, McElvaney NG. Protease-anti-protease compartmentalization in SARS-CoV-2 ARDS: Therapeutic implications. EBioMedicine. 2022 Feb 22;77:103894. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103894. PMID: 35217407; PMCID: PMC8861575.
  10. Coggan KA, Higgs MG, Brutinel ED, Marden JN, Intile PJ, Winther-Larsen HC, Koomey M, Yahr TL, Wolfgang MC. Global Regulatory Pathways Converge To Control Expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type IV Pili. mBio. 2022 Jan 25;13(1):e0369621. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03696-21. PMID: 35073734; PMCID: PMC8787478.
  11. McDonald JT, Enguita FJ, Taylor D, Griffin RJ, Priebe W, Emmett MR, Sajadi MM, Harris AD, Clement J, Dybas JM, Aykin-Burns N, Guarnieri JW, Singh LN, Grabham P, Baylin SB, Yousey A, Pearson AN, Corry PM, Saravia-Butler A, Aunins TR, Sharma S, Nagpal P, Meydan C, Foox J, Mozsary C, Cerqueira B, Zaksas V, Singh U, Wurtele ES, Costes SV, Davanzo GG, Galeano D, Paccanaro A, Meinig SL, Hagan RS, Bowman NM; UNC COVID-19 Pathobiology Consortium, Wolfgang MC, Altinok S, Sapoval N, Treangen TJ, Moraes-Vieira PM, Vanderburg C, Wallace DC, Schisler JC, Mason CE, Chatterjee A, Meller R, Beheshti A. Role of miR-2392 in driving SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cell Rep. 2021 Oct 19;37(3):109839. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109839. PMID: 34624208; PMCID: PMC8481092.
  12. McMackin EAW, Corley JM, Karash S, Marden J, Wolfgang MC, Yahr TL. Cautionary Notes on the Use of Arabinose- and Rhamnose-Inducible Expression Vectors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 2021 Jul 22;203(16):e0022421. doi: 10.1128/JB.00224-21. PMID: 34096777; PMCID: PMC8297530.
  13. Huang N, Pérez P, Kato T, Mikami Y, Okuda K, Gilmore RC, Conde CD, Gasmi B, Stein S, Beach M, Pelayo E, Maldonado JO, Lafont BA, Jang SI, Nasir N, Padilla RJ, Murrah VA, Maile R, Lovell W, Wallet SM, Bowman NM, Meinig SL, Wolfgang MC, Choudhury SN, Novotny M, Aevermann BD, Scheuermann RH, Cannon G, Anderson CW, Lee RE, Marchesan JT, Bush M, Freire M, Kimple AJ, Herr DL, Rabin J, Grazioli A, Das S, French BN, Pranzatelli T, Chiorini JA, Kleiner DE, Pittaluga S, Hewitt SM, Burbelo PD, Chertow D; NIH COVID-19 Autopsy Consortium; HCA Oral and Craniofacial Biological Network, Frank K, Lee J, Boucher RC, Teichmann SA, Warner BM, Byrd KM. SARS-CoV-2 infection of the oral cavity and saliva. Nat Med. 2021 May;27(5):892-903. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01296-8. PMID: 33767405. PMCID: PMC8240394.
  14. McDonald JT, Enguita FJ, Taylor D, Griffin RJ, Priebe W, Emmett MR, McGrath M, Sajadi MM, Harris AD, Clement J, Dybas JM, Aykin-Burns N, Guarnieri JW, Singh LN, Grabham P, Baylin SB, Yousey A, Pearson AN, Corry PM, Saravia-Butler A, Aunins TR, Nagpal P, Meydan C, Foox J, Mozsary C, Cerqueira B, Zaksas V, Singh U, Wurtele ES, Costes SV, Galeano D, Paccanaro A, Meinig SL, Hagan RS, Bowman NM; UNC COVID-19 Pathobiology Consortium, Wolfgang MC, Altinok S, Sapoval N, Treangen TJ, Frieman M, Vanderburg C, Wallace DC, Schisler J, Mason CE, Chatterjee A, Meller R, Beheshti A. The Great Deceiver: miR-2392’s Hidden Role in Driving SARS-CoV-2 Infection. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Apr 27:2021.04.23.441024. doi: 10.1101/2021.04.23.441024. PMID: 33948587; PMCID: PMC8095194.
  15. Perault AI, Chandler CE, Rasko DA, Ernst RK, Wolfgang MC, Cotter PA. Host Adaptation Predisposes Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Type VI Secretion System-Mediated Predation by the Burkholderia cepacia Complex. Cell Host Microbe. 2020 Oct 7;28(4):534-547.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.06.019. PMID: 32755549; PMCID: PMC7554260.

A full list of publications can be found here.