Both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria sicca Induce Cytokine Secretion by Infected Human Cells, but Only Neisseria gonorrhoeae Upregulates the Expression of Long Non-Coding RNAs

Bacteria of the genus are Gram-negative diplococci including both pathogenic and commensal species. We focused on pathogenic and commensal . We have demonstrated that not only , but also induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and chemokines CXCL8 and CCL20 by infected epithelial cells. However, triggers a lesser effect than does . Furthermore, and invoke distinct effects on the expression of genes (JUNB, FOSB, NFKB1, NFKBIA) encoding protein components of AP-1 and NF-κB transcription factors. We have also shown that the infection of epithelial cells by leads to significant overexpression of the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including MALAT1, ERICD, and RP11-510N19.5. This effect was not identified for In conclusion, data on the expression of lncRNAs and cytokine secretion in response to spp. exposure indicate new directions for research on -host interactions and can provide further insights into virulence of not only pathogenic, but also commensal spp.