Altered IFN-γ–Mediated Immunity and Transcriptional Expression Patterns in N-Ethyl-N-Nitrosourea–Induced STAT4 Mutants Confer Susceptibility to Acute Typhoid-like Disease

Salmonella enterica is a ubiquitous Gram-negative intracellular bacterium that continues to pose a global challenge to human health. The etiology of Salmonella pathogenesis is complex and controlled by pathogen, environmental, and host genetic factors. In fact, patients immunodeficient in genes in the IL-12, IL-23/IFN-γ pathway are predisposed to invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella infection. Using a forward genomics approach by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) germline mutagenesis in mice, we identified the Ity14 (Immunity to Typhimurium locus 14) pedigree exhibiting increased susceptibility following in vivo Salmonella challenge. A DNA-binding domain mutation (p.G418_E445) in Stat4 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Factor 4) was the causative mutation. STAT4 signals downstream of IL-12 to mediate transcriptional regulation of inflammatory immune responses. In mutant Ity14 mice, the increased splenic and hepatic bacterial load resulted from an intrinsic defect in innate cell function, IFN-γ–mediated immunity, and disorganized granuloma formation. We further show that NK and NKT cells play an important role in mediating control of Salmonella in Stat4Ity14/Ity14 mice. Stat4Ity14/Ity14 mice had increased expression of genes involved in cell–cell interactions and communication, as well as increased CD11b expression on a subset of splenic myeloid dendritic cells, resulting in compromised recruitment of inflammatory cells to the spleen during Salmonella infection. Stat4Ity14/Ity14 presented upregulated compensatory mechanisms, although inefficient and ultimately Stat4Ity14/Ity14 mice develop fatal bacteremia. The following study further elucidates the pathophysiological impact of STAT4 during Salmonella infection.