Development of Mouse Hybridomas for Production of Monoclonal Antibodies Specific toBurkholderia malleiandBurkholderia pseudomallei

Developing Peptide Mimotopes of Capsular Polysaccharides and Lipopolysaccharides Protective Antigens of Pathogenic Burkholderia Bacteria

Burkholderia pseudomallei (BP) and Burkholderia mallei (BM) are two species of pathogenic Burkholderia bacteria. Our laboratory previously identified four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that reacted against Burkholderia capsular polysaccharides (PS) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and effectively protected against a lethal dose of BP/BM infections in mice. In this study, we used phage display panning against three different phage peptide libraries to select phage clones specifically recognized by each of the four protective MAbs. After sequencing a total of 179 candidate phage clones, we examined in detail six selected phage clones carrying different peptide inserts for the specificity of binding by the respective target MAbs. Chemically synthesized peptides corresponding to those displayed by the six phage clones were conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin carrier protein and tested for their binding specificity to the respective protective MAbs. The study revealed that four of the six peptides, all derived from the library displaying dodecapeptides, functioned well as "mimotopes" of Burkholderia PS and LPS as demonstrated by a high degree of specific competition against the binding of three protective MAbs to BP and BM. Our results suggest that the four selected peptide mimics corresponding to PS/LPS protective antigens of BP and BM could potentially be developed into peptide vaccines against pathogenic Burkholderia bacteria.

Rapid identification of Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei by intact cell Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation mass spectrometric typing

Background

Burkholderia (B.) pseudomallei and B. mallei are genetically closely related species. B. pseudomallei causes melioidosis in humans and animals, whereas B. mallei is the causative agent of glanders in equines and rarely also in humans. Both agents have been classified by the CDC as priority category B biological agents. Rapid identification is crucial, because both agents are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has the potential of rapid and reliable identification of pathogens, but is limited by the availability of a database containing validated reference spectra. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of MALDI-TOF MS for the rapid and reliable identification and differentiation of B. pseudomallei and B. mallei and to build up a reliable reference database for both organisms.

Results

A collection of ten B. pseudomallei and seventeen B. mallei strains was used to generate a library of reference spectra. Samples of both species could be identified by MALDI-TOF MS, if a dedicated subset of the reference spectra library was used. In comparison with samples representing B. mallei, higher genetic diversity among B. pseudomallei was reflected in the higher average Eucledian distances between the mass spectra and a broader range of identification score values obtained with commercial software for the identification of microorganisms. The type strain of B. pseudomallei (ATCC 23343) was isolated decades ago and is outstanding in the spectrum-based dendrograms probably due to massive methylations as indicated by two intensive series of mass increments of 14 Da specifically and reproducibly found in the spectra of this strain.

Conclusions

Handling of pathogens under BSL 3 conditions is dangerous and cumbersome but can be minimized by inactivation of bacteria with ethanol, subsequent protein extraction under BSL 1 conditions and MALDI-TOF MS analysis being faster than nucleic amplification methods. Our spectra demonstrated a higher homogeneity in B. mallei than in B. pseudomallei isolates. As expected for closely related species, the identification process with MALDI Biotyper software (Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Bremen, Germany) requires the careful selection of spectra from reference strains. When a dedicated reference set is used and spectra of high quality are acquired, it is possible to distinguish both species unambiguously. The need for a careful curation of reference spectra databases is stressed.

Production and characterization of chimeric monoclonal antibodies against Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei using the DHFR expression system

Burkholderia pseudomallei (BP) and B. mallei (BM) are closely related gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacteria which cause life-threatening melioidosis in human and glanders in horse, respectively. Our laboratory has previously generated and characterized more than 100 mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against BP and BM, according to in vitro and in vivo assay. In this study, 3 MAbs (BP7 10B11, BP7 2C6, and BP1 7F7) were selected to develop into chimeric mouse-human monoclonal antibodies (cMAbs) against BP and/or BM. For the stable production of cMAbs, we constructed 4 major different vector systems with a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) amplification marker, and optimized transfection/selection conditions in mammalian host cells with the single-gene and/or double-gene expression system. These 3 cMAbs were stably produced by the DHFR double mutant Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO)-DG44 cells. By ELISA and Western blot analysis using whole bacterial antigens treated by heat (65°C/90 min), sodium periodate, and proteinase K, the cMAb BP7 10B11 (cMAb CK1) reacted with glycoproteins (34, 38, 48 kDa in BP; 28, 38, 48 kDa in BM). The cMAb BP7 2C6 (cMAb CK2) recognized surface-capsule antigens with molecular sizes of 38 to 52 kDa, and 200 kDa in BM. The cMAb CK2 was weakly reactive to 14∼28, 200 kDa antigens in BP. The cMAb BP1 7F7 (cMAb CK3) reacted with lipopolysaccharides (38∼52 kDa in BP; 38∼60 kDa in B. thailandensis). Western blot results with the outer surface antigens of the 3 Burkholderia species were consistent with results with the whole Burkholderia cell antigens, suggesting that these immunodominant antigens reacting with the 3 cMAbs were primarily present on the outer surface of the Burkholderia species. These 3 cMAbs would be useful for analyzing the role of the major outer surface antigens in Burkholderia infection.

In Vitro and In Vivo studies of monoclonal antibodies with prominent bactericidal activity against Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei

Our laboratory has developed more than a hundred mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei. These antibodies have been categorized into different groups based on their specificities and the biochemical natures of their target antigens. The current study first examined the bactericidal activities of a number of these MAbs by an in vitro opsonic assay. Then, the in vivo protective efficacy of selected MAbs was evaluated using BALB/c mice challenged intranasally with a lethal dose of the bacteria. The opsonic assay using dimethyl sulfoxide-treated human HL-60 cells as phagocytes revealed that 19 out of 47 tested MAbs (40%) have prominent bactericidal activities against B. pseudomallei and/or B. mallei. Interestingly, all MAbs with strong opsonic activities are those with specificity against either the capsular polysaccharides (PS) or the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of the bacteria. On the other hand, none of the MAbs reacting to bacterial proteins or glycoproteins showed prominent bactericidal activity. Further study revealed that the antigenic epitopes on either the capsular PS or LPS molecules were readily available for binding in intact bacteria, while the epitopes on proteins/glycoproteins were less accessible to the MAbs. Our in vivo study showed that four MAbs reactive to either the capsular PS or LPS were highly effective in protecting mice against lethal bacterial challenge. The result is compatible with that of our in vitro study. The MAbs with the highest protective efficacy are those reactive to either the capsular PS or LPS of the Burkholderia bacteria.

Construction and molecular characterization of mouse single-chain variable fragment antibodies against Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei

We have selected two lipopolysaccharide (LPS) specific Burkholderia mallei mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and four anti-capsular B. pseudomallei-specific mAbs to generate mouse single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies. This selection was made through extensive in vitro and in vivo assay from our library of mAbs against B. mallei and B. pseudomallei. We initially generated the mouse immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (VH) and light chain (VL) regions from each of these six selected mAbs using a phage display scFv technology. We determined the coding sequences of the VH and VL regions and successfully constructed two B. mallei-specific scFv phage antibodies consisting of two different VH (VH1 and VH2) and one Vλ1 families. Four scFvs constructed against B. pseudomallei had two VH (VH1 and VH6) and two VL (Vκ4/5 and Vκ21) families. All of six scFv antibodies constructed demonstrated good binding activity without any rounds of biopanning against B. mallei (M5D and M18F were 0.425 and 0.480 at OD405nm) and B. pseudomallei (P1E7, P2I67, P7C6, and P7F4 were 0.523, 0.859, 0.775, and 0.449 at OD405nm) by ELISA, respectively. A comparison of the immunoglobulin gene segments revealed that the gene sequences in complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of three out of four B. pseudomallei-specific scFvs are highly conserved. We determined that the two B. mallei-specific scFvs have different CDRs in the VH, but the amino acid sequences of CDRs in the VL are conserved. This high sequence homology found in CDRs of VH or VL of these mAbs contributes to our better understanding and determination of binding to the specific antigenic epitope(s). The scFv phage display technology may be a valuable tool to develop and engineer mAbs with improved antigen-binding affinity.