Assembly of NADPH oxidase in human neutrophils is modulated by the opacity-associated protein expression state of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus, Gc) triggers a potent inflammatory response and recruitment of neutrophils to the site of infection. Gc survives exposure to neutrophils despite these cells' antimicrobial products, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS production in neutrophils is initiated by NADPH oxidase, which converts oxygen into superoxide. The subunits of NADPH oxidase are spatially separated between granules (gp91^phox/p22^phox) and the cytoplasm (p47^phox, p67^phox, and p40^phox). Activation of neutrophils promotes the coassembly of NADPH oxidase subunits at phagosome and/or plasma membranes. While Gc-expressing opacity-associated (Opa) proteins can induce neutrophils to produce ROS, Opa-negative (Opa^-) Gc does not stimulate neutrophil ROS production. Using constitutively Opa^- and OpaD-positive (OpaD⁺) Gc bacteria in strain FA1090, we now show that the difference in ROS production levels in primary human neutrophils between these backgrounds can be attributed to differential assembly of NADPH oxidase. Neutrophils infected with Opa^- Gc showed limited translocation of NADPH oxidase cytoplasmic subunits to cellular membranes, including the bacterial phagosome. In contrast, these subunits rapidly translocated to neutrophil membranes following infection with OpaD⁺ Gc. gp91^phox and p22^phox were recruited to Gc phagosomes regardless of bacterial Opa expression. These results suggest that Opa^- Gc interferes with the recruitment of neutrophil NADPH oxidase cytoplasmic subunits to membranes, in particular, the p47^phox "organizing" subunit, to prevent assembly of the holoenzyme, resulting in an absence of the oxidative burst.