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Khadka S, Kinney EL, Ryan BE, Mike LA. Mechanisms governing bacterial capsular polysaccharide attachment and chain length. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2025. [PMID: 40369709 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2025]
Abstract
Capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are high-molecular weight glycopolymers that form a capsule layer on the surface of many bacterial species. This layer serves as a crucial barrier between bacteria and their environment, protecting them from host immune responses and environmental stressors while facilitating adaptation to host niches. The capsule also affects other critical virulence factors of plant and human pathogens such as biofilm production and exchange of antimicrobial-resistance genes. Bacterial pathogens modulate several CPS properties including abundance, chain length, and cell surface retainment to optimize niche-specific fitness. CPS composition varies greatly among bacterial species due to differences in sugar units comprising the polymer. Despite the diversity in composition, three conserved CPS biosynthetic systems are common across bacterial species. Although less explored than CPS polymerization and export, the processes of chain length control and attachment are also broadly conserved among bacterial species. Here, we discuss the common strategies that bacteria use to retain CPS to their cell surface and the mechanisms by which bacteria define and control CPS chain length. Additionally, we highlight the outstanding questions related to these processes, identifying areas where future research is needed to gain better insights into these crucial CPS systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Khadka
- Department of Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Emily L Kinney
- Department of Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brooke E Ryan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Laura A Mike
- Department of Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Chen X, Wang M, Zhao Z, Ling X, Peng G, Cui B, Wang Q, Gu B, Deng Y. A cell-cell communication signal from Enterobacter cloacae interfering with the signaling systems and virulence in Shigella sonnei. Appl Environ Microbiol 2025:e0051025. [PMID: 40353654 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00510-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2025] [Accepted: 04/18/2025] [Indexed: 05/14/2025] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is widely utilized by both bacteria and fungi to mediate cell-cell communication. Previous studies have demonstrated that the indole derivative indole-3-ethanol (also known as tryptophol) controls morphogenesis as a QS molecule in fungi. However, whether this QS signal is involved in the modulation of biological functions in bacteria remains unknown. Here, we report that indole-3-ethanol controls the biological functions and pathogenicity of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae ATCC 13047. The biosynthesis of indole-3-ethanol is performed by YjgB (ECL_RS22935), an alcohol dehydrogenase. Deletion of yjgB results in impaired biological functions and virulence. Furthermore, we revealed that indole-3-ethanol from E. cloacae reduces the competitive fitness of Shigella sonnei by inhibiting its biofilm formation, extracellular polysaccharide synthesis, and virulence. Given that both E. cloacae and S. sonnei are common human intestinal microbes, our results highlight the critical roles of indole-3-ethanol in both intraspecies signaling and interspecies communication in bacteria. IMPORTANCE Quorum sensing is a cell-cell communication mechanism widely employed by bacteria to control various biological functions and pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrated that Enterobacter cloacae employs indole-3-ethanol as a quorum-sensing signal to control biological functions and virulence. We also revealed that indole-3-ethanol from E. cloacae effectively inhibits biofilm formation and virulence in Shigella sonnei. Our findings not only suggest the important role of indole-3-ethanol in the regulation of the pathogenicity of E. cloacae but also provide new insights into the development of indole-3-ethanol as an anti-virulence agent against S. sonnei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiayu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingfang Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhuoxian Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiwen Ling
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ganjin Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
| | - Binbin Cui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
- Pharmacy Department, The Affiliated LiHuiLi Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qiaoping Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bing Gu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinyue Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University - Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen, China
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Kim JO, Nothaft H, Moon Y, Jeong S, Vortherms AR, Song M, Szymanski CM, White J, Walker R. Shigella Mutant with Truncated O-Antigen as an Enteric Multi-Pathogen Vaccine Platform. Vaccines (Basel) 2025; 13:506. [PMID: 40432116 PMCID: PMC12115902 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines13050506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2025] [Revised: 05/02/2025] [Accepted: 05/03/2025] [Indexed: 05/29/2025] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Rising antibiotic resistance underscores the urgent need for effective vaccines against shigellosis. Our previous research identified the Shigella flexneri 2a truncated mutant (STM), a wzy gene knock-out strain cultivated in shake-flasks, as a promising broadly protective Shigella vaccine candidate. Expanding on this finding, our current study explores the feasibility of transitioning to a fermentor-grown STM as a vaccine candidate for further clinical development. Methods: The STM and STM-Cj, engineered to express the conserved Campylobacter jejuni N-glycan antigen, were grown in animal-free media, inactivated with formalin, and evaluated for key antigen retention and immunogenicity in mice. Results: The fermentor-grown STM exhibited significantly increased production yields and retained key antigens after inactivation. Immunization with the STM, particularly along with the double-mutant labile toxin (dmLT) adjuvant, induced robust immune responses to the conserved proteins IpaB, IpaC, and PSSP-1. Additionally, it provided protection against homologous and heterologous Shigella challenges in a mouse pulmonary model. The STM-Cj vaccine elicited antibody responses specific to the N-glycan while maintaining protective immune responses against Shigella. These findings underscore the potential of the fermentor-grown STM as a safe and immunogenic vaccine platform for combating shigellosis and possibly other gastrointestinal bacterial infections. Conclusions: Further process development to optimize growth and key antigen expression as well as expanded testing in additional animal models for the assessment of protection against Shigella and Campylobacter are needed to build on these encouraging initial results. Ultimately, clinical trials are essential to evaluate the efficacy and safety of STM-based vaccines in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Ouk Kim
- Science Unit, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea (S.J.); (M.S.)
| | - Harald Nothaft
- VaxAlta Inc., Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada; (H.N.); (C.M.S.)
| | - Younghye Moon
- Science Unit, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea (S.J.); (M.S.)
| | - Seonghun Jeong
- Science Unit, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea (S.J.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Manki Song
- Science Unit, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea (S.J.); (M.S.)
| | - Christine M. Szymanski
- VaxAlta Inc., Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada; (H.N.); (C.M.S.)
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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4
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Scott TA, Baker KS, Trotter C, Jenkins C, Mostowy S, Hawkey J, Schmidt H, Holt KE, Thomson NR, Baker S. Shigella sonnei: epidemiology, evolution, pathogenesis, resistance and host interactions. Nat Rev Microbiol 2025; 23:303-317. [PMID: 39604656 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01126-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024]
Abstract
Shigella sonnei is a major cause of diarrhoea globally and is increasing in prevalence relative to other Shigella because of multiple demographic and environmental influences. This single-serotype species has traditionally received less attention in comparison to Shigella flexneri and Shigella dysenteriae, which were more common in low-income countries and more tractable in the laboratory. In recent years, we have learned that Shigella are highly complex and highly susceptible to environmental change, as exemplified by epidemiological trends and increasing relevance of S. sonnei. Ultimately, methods, tools and data generated from decades of detailed research into S. flexneri have been used to gain new insights into the epidemiology, microbiology and pathogenesis of S. sonnei. In parallel, widespread adoption of genomic surveillance has yielded insights into antimicrobial resistance, evolution and organism transmission. In this Review, we provide an overview of current knowledge of S. sonnei, highlighting recent insights into this globally disseminated antimicrobial-resistant pathogen and assessing how novel data may impact future vaccine development and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Scott
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Kate S Baker
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Caroline Trotter
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Serge Mostowy
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jane Hawkey
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hayden Schmidt
- Neutralizing Antibody Center, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn E Holt
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicholas R Thomson
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen Baker
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, London, UK.
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5
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Chen JY, Deng Y, Liu J, Wen X, Cao YQ, Mu Y, Sun M, Miao C, Peng Z, Lu K, Wang YL, Chen X, Pang S, Wang D, Zhou J, Li M, Wen Y, Wu R, Zhao S, Lang YF, Yan QG, Huang X, Du S, Wang Y, Han X, Cao SJ, Zhao Q. Development and Characterization of a Recombinant galT-galU Protein for Broad-Spectrum Immunoprotection Against Porcine Contagious Pleuropneumonia. Int J Mol Sci 2025; 26:3634. [PMID: 40332240 PMCID: PMC12027175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms26083634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2025] [Revised: 04/05/2025] [Accepted: 04/09/2025] [Indexed: 05/08/2025] Open
Abstract
Porcine contagious pleuropneumonia (PCP), caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), is a highly contagious disease that leads to significant economic losses in the swine industry. Current vaccines are ineffective due to the presence of multiple serotypes and the absence of a predominant seasonal serotype, underscoring the need for vaccines with broad-spectrum protection. Previous studies identified galT and galU as promising antigen candidates. In this study, we expressed and characterized a soluble recombinant galT-galU protein (rgalT-galU) from the pET-28a-galT-galU plasmid. The protein, with a molecular weight of 73 kDa, exhibited pronounced immunogenicity in murine models, as indicated by a significant elevation in IgG titers determined through an indirect ELISA. This immune response was further corroborated by substantial antigen-specific splenic lymphocyte proliferation, with a stimulation index of 51.5%. Immunization also resulted in elevated serum cytokines levels of IL-4, IL-12, and IFN-γ, as detected by cytokine assays. Vaccination with rgalT-galU provided immunoprotection against three predominant APP strains (APP1, APP5b, and APP7), achieving protection rates of 71.4%, 71.4%, and 85.7%, respectively. It also effectively mitigated pulmonary lesions and neutrophil infiltration, as verified by histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. These results indicate that rgalT-galU is a promising candidate for developing cross-protective subunit vaccines against APP infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Yong Chen
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yi Deng
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Jiale Liu
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Xin Wen
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yu-Qin Cao
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yu Mu
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Mengke Sun
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Chang Miao
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Zhiling Peng
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Kun Lu
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yu-Luo Wang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Xizhu Chen
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Siyu Pang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Dan Wang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Jiayu Zhou
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Miaohan Li
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yiping Wen
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Rui Wu
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Shan Zhao
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yi-Fei Lang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Qi-Gui Yan
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xiaobo Huang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Senyan Du
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yiping Wang
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xinfeng Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - San-Jie Cao
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Qin Zhao
- Research Center for Swine Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.-Y.C.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (X.W.); (Y.-Q.C.); (Y.M.); (M.S.); (Z.P.); (K.L.); (Y.-L.W.); (X.C.); (S.P.); (D.W.); (J.Z.); (M.L.); (Y.W.); (R.W.); (S.Z.); (Y.-F.L.); (Q.-G.Y.); (X.H.); (S.D.); (Y.W.)
- Sichuan Science-Observation Experimental Station of Veterinary Drugs and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China;
- International Joint Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
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6
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Wong BC, Ling FY, Ayub Q, Tan HS. Transposon mutagenesis identifies acid resistance and biofilm genes as Shigella sonnei virulence factors in Caenorhabditis elegans infection. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2025; 754:151546. [PMID: 40023989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.151546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2025] [Accepted: 02/24/2025] [Indexed: 03/04/2025]
Abstract
Identifying essential genes in bacterial pathogens during infection can enhance knowledge and provide novel targets for antimicrobial agents' development. Currently, only Shigella flexneri essential genes during in vitro growth have been experimentally identified. This study used transposon insertion sequencing (TIS) to identify Shigella sonnei essential genes during Caenorhabditis elegans infection. 498 genes were predicted to be essential in S. sonnei during growth on nutrient-rich media. Some genes previously predicted to be essential in Shigella were found non-essential in S. sonnei, such as acetyl metabolism genes (aceEF, lpdA) and sulphate transport genes (cysA, cyst, cysW). Finally, 217 genes were predicted as S. sonnei virulence genes during infection, including acid resistance and biofilm formation genes which was not linked to S. sonnei virulence previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Chi Wong
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Fong Yoke Ling
- Monash University Malaysia Genomics Platform, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Qasim Ayub
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Monash University Malaysia Genomics Platform, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Hock Siew Tan
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
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7
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Walker RI. Conserved antigens for enteric vaccines. Vaccine 2025; 50:126828. [PMID: 39914256 PMCID: PMC11878282 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.126828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2024] [Revised: 01/23/2025] [Accepted: 01/28/2025] [Indexed: 02/25/2025]
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Shigella, and Campylobacter have been identified as major causes of diarrheal diseases worldwide. In addition to overt disease and death, they are responsible for stunting in children with the risk of lifelong consequences on health and economic opportunities. All three of these bacterial pathogens, which collectively account for approximately 30 % of the cases of diarrheal diseases, are recognized as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats. In spite of the dangers these pathogens represent for both children and adults, there is as yet no licensed vaccine available for any of them. Fortunately, much has been accomplished to identify conserved antigens against each of these pathogens so that now relatively simple vaccines have the potential to be developed into multi-pathogen vaccines which could have a major impact on reduction of diarrheal diseases. Conserved antigens may be used even more efficiently if consolidated and expressed on a cellular vector or as part of a conjugate vaccine. A new mucosal adjuvant, double mutant heat-labile toxin (dmLT), has been shown to not only be among the conserved antigens against ETEC, but to also have properties which drive robust mucosal and systemic immune responses for antigens given orally or intramuscularly. Conserved antigens and the strategies for their use such as co-administration with dmLT will be presented in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard I Walker
- PATH, 455 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001-2621, USA.
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8
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Debande L, Sabbah A, Kuhn L, Ngondo RP, Maucotel J, Valente-Barroso M, André AC, Roche B, Laborde M, Cantalapiedra-Mateo MV, Thahouly T, Milinski A, Bianchetti L, Allmang C, Frugier M, Marteyn BS. SPATEs promote the survival of Shigella to the plasma complement system upon local hemorrhage and bacteremia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2319951121. [PMID: 39475654 PMCID: PMC11551430 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319951121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 11/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. are the causative agents of shigellosis, which remains a leading cause of death in children under the age of 5. Symptoms of shigellosis include bloody diarrhea, associated to colon hemorrhage; in more severe cases, Shigella bacteremia is induced. These clinical features indicate that Shigella are exposed and survive exposure to plasma, locally and systemically, although this has not yet been studied at a molecular level. In this report, we confirmed in a guinea pig model of shigellosis that both S. flexneri 5a and S. sonnei induced local hemorrhages and we demonstrated that Shigella reached CD31+/CD34+ blood vessels located in the mucosa during the late stages of infection, and further disseminated in the bloodstream. These results confirmed the exposure of Shigella to plasma components during its virulence cycle. We demonstrated that all the tested Shigella strains survived plasma exposure in vitro, and we showed that Serine Protease Autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs) contribute to Shigella dissemination within the colonic mucosa and in the bloodstream. We have confirmed that SPATEs are expressed and secreted in poorly oxygenated environments encountered by Shigella during late infection stages. We further demonstrated that SPATEs promoted Shigella survival in plasma, by cleaving complement component 3 (C3), thereby impairing the complement system activation. We have shown here that the ability of Shigella to survive plasma exposure is a key factor in its virulence, both within primary foci and systemically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorine Debande
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Ahmad Sabbah
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Lauriane Kuhn
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg Esplanade FRC1589 du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Richard Patryk Ngondo
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Julie Maucotel
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Marina Valente-Barroso
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Antonin C. André
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Béatrice Roche
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Matthieu Laborde
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Maria-Victoria Cantalapiedra-Mateo
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Tamou Thahouly
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Ana Milinski
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch67404, France
| | - Laurent Bianchetti
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch67404, France
| | - Christine Allmang
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Magali Frugier
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
| | - Benoit S Marteyn
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Strasbourg67000, France
- Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1225, Unité de Pathogenèse des Infections Vasculaires, Paris Cedex75724, France
- University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), Strasbourg67000, France
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Huang S, Su G, Yang L, Yue L, Chen L, Huang J, Yang F. Single-Molecule-Level Quantification Based on Atomic Force Microscopy Data Reveals the Interaction between Melittin and Lipopolysaccharide in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10508. [PMID: 39408837 PMCID: PMC11477153 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2024] [Revised: 09/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/27/2024] [Indexed: 10/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction forces and mechanical properties of the interaction between melittin (Mel) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are considered to be crucial driving forces for Mel when killing Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). However, how their interaction forces perform at the single-molecule level and the dissociation kinetic characteristics of the Mel/LPS complex remain poorly understood. In this study, the single-molecule-level interaction forces between Mel and LPSs from E. coli K-12, O55:B5, O111:B4, and O128:B12 were explored using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). AFM-based dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) and an advanced analytical model were employed to investigate the kinetic characteristics of the Mel/LPS complex dissociation. The results indicated that Mel could interact with both rough (R)-form LPS (E. coli K-12) and smooth (S)-form LPSs (E. coli O55:B5, O111:B4, and O128:B12). The S-form LPS showed a more robust interaction with Mel than the R-form LPS, and a slight difference existed in the interaction forces between Mel and the diverse S-form LPS. Mel interactions with the S-form LPSs showed greater specific and non-specific interaction forces than the R-form LPS (p < 0.05), as determined by AFM-based SMFS. However, there was no significant difference in the specific and non-specific interaction forces among the three samples of S-form LPSs (p > 0.05), indicating that the variability in the O-antigen did not affect the interaction between Mel and LPSs. The DFS result showed that the Mel/S-form LPS complexes had a lower dissociation rate constant, a shorter energy barrier width, a longer bond lifetime, and a higher energy barrier height, demonstrating that Mel interacted with S-form LPS to form more stable complexes. This research enhances the existing knowledge of the interaction micromechanics and kinetic characteristics of Mel and LPS at the single-molecule level. Our research may help with the design and evaluation of new anti-GNB drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Huang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China; (S.H.); (G.S.); (L.C.)
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Guoqi Su
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China; (S.H.); (G.S.); (L.C.)
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Li Yang
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Liangguang Yue
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Li Chen
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China; (S.H.); (G.S.); (L.C.)
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Jinxiu Huang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China; (S.H.); (G.S.); (L.C.)
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
| | - Feiyun Yang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China; (S.H.); (G.S.); (L.C.)
- Institute of Nutrition and Feed, National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China; (L.Y.); (L.Y.)
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10
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Batani G, Vezzani G, Lashchuk S, Allaoui A, Cardamone D, Raso MM, Boero E, Roscioli E, Ridelfi M, Gasperini G, Pizza M, Rossi O, Berlanda Scorza F, Micoli F, Rappuoli R, Sala C. Development of a visual Adhesion/Invasion Inhibition Assay to assess the functionality of Shigella-specific antibodies. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1374293. [PMID: 38680489 PMCID: PMC11045934 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1374293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Shigella is the etiologic agent of a bacillary dysentery known as shigellosis, which causes millions of infections and thousands of deaths worldwide each year due to Shigella's unique lifestyle within intestinal epithelial cells. Cell adhesion/invasion assays have been extensively used not only to identify targets mediating host-pathogen interaction, but also to evaluate the ability of Shigella-specific antibodies to reduce virulence. However, these assays are time-consuming and labor-intensive and fail to assess differences at the single-cell level. Objectives and methods Here, we developed a simple, fast and high-content method named visual Adhesion/Invasion Inhibition Assay (vAIA) to measure the ability of anti-Shigellaantibodies to inhibit bacterial adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells by using the confocal microscope Opera Phenix. Results We showed that vAIA performed well with a pooled human serum from subjects challenged with S. sonnei and that a specific anti-IpaD monoclonal antibody effectively reduced bacterial virulence in a dose-dependent manner. Discussion vAIA can therefore inform on the functionality of polyclonal and monoclonal responses thereby supporting the discovery of pathogenicity mechanisms and the development of candidate vaccines and immunotherapies. Lastly, this assay is very versatile and may be easily applied to other Shigella species or serotypes and to different pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampiero Batani
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Giacomo Vezzani
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Sabrina Lashchuk
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Abdelmounaaim Allaoui
- The Microbiology Laboratory, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben, Guerir, Morocco
| | - Dario Cardamone
- Data Science for Health Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Elena Boero
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Emanuele Roscioli
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Matteo Ridelfi
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Gasperini
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Pizza
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Omar Rossi
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Micoli
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Sala
- Monoclonal Antibody Discovery Laboratory, Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
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11
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Lemos TJDS, Silva HGDS, Previato JO, Mendonça-Previato L, Freitas EOD, Barbosa AS, Franzolin MR, Santos LFD, Melo BDS, Anjos GFD, Gonçalves RHN, Domingos MDO. O26 Polysaccharides as Key Players in Enteropathogenic E. coli Immune Evasion and Vaccine Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2878. [PMID: 38474124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) produce a capsule of polysaccharides identical to those composing the O-antigen polysaccharide of its LPS (lipopolysaccharide) molecules. In light of this, the impact of O26 polysaccharides on the immune evasion mechanisms of capsulated O26 EPEC compared to non-capsulated enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) was investigated. Our findings reveal that there was no significant difference between the levels in EPEC and EHEC of rhamnose (2.8:2.5), a molecule considered to be a PAMP (Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns). However, the levels of glucose (10:1.69), heptose (3.6:0.89) and N-acetylglucosamine (4.5:2.10), were significantly higher in EPEC than EHEC, respectively. It was also observed that the presence of a capsule in EPEC inhibited the deposition of C3b on the bacterial surface and protected the pathogen against lysis by the complement system. In addition, the presence of a capsule also protected EPEC against phagocytosis by macrophages. However, the immune evasion provided by the capsule was overcome in the presence of anti-O26 polysaccharide antibodies, and additionally, these antibodies were able to inhibit O26 EPEC adhesion to human epithelial cells. Finally, the results indicate that O26 polysaccharides can generate an effective humoral immune response, making them promising antigens for the development of a vaccine against capsulated O26 E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José Osvaldo Previato
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lucia Mendonça-Previato
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elisangela Oliveira de Freitas
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Angela Silva Barbosa
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcia Regina Franzolin
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Fernando Dos Santos
- Centro de Bacteriologia, Núcleo de Doenças Entéricas, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 355, São Paulo 01246-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna de Sousa Melo
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Geovana Ferreira Dos Anjos
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Marta de Oliveira Domingos
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
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12
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Leung PB, Matanza XM, Roche B, Ha KP, Cheung HC, Appleyard S, Collins T, Flanagan O, Marteyn BS, Clements A. Shigella sonnei utilises colicins during inter-bacterial competition. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001434. [PMID: 38376387 PMCID: PMC10924462 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian colon is one of the most densely populated habitats currently recognised, with 1011-1013 commensal bacteria per gram of colonic contents. Enteric pathogens must compete with the resident intestinal microbiota to cause infection. Among these enteric pathogens are Shigella species which cause approximately 125 million infections annually, of which over 90 % are caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Shigella sonnei was previously reported to use a Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) to outcompete E. coli and S. flexneri in in vitro and in vivo experiments. S. sonnei strains have also been reported to harbour colicinogenic plasmids, which are an alternative anti-bacterial mechanism that could provide a competitive advantage against the intestinal microbiota. We sought to determine the contribution of both T6SS and colicins to the anti-bacterial killing activity of S. sonnei. We reveal that whilst the T6SS operon is present in S. sonnei, there is evidence of functional degradation of the system through SNPs, indels and IS within key components of the system. We created strains with synthetically inducible T6SS operons but were still unable to demonstrate anti-bacterial activity of the T6SS. We demonstrate that the anti-bacterial activity observed in our in vitro assays was due to colicin activity. We show that S. sonnei no longer displayed anti-bacterial activity against bacteria that were resistant to colicins, and removal of the colicin plasmid from S. sonnei abrogated anti-bacterial activity of S. sonnei. We propose that the anti-bacterial activity demonstrated by colicins may be sufficient for niche competition by S. sonnei within the gastrointestinal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. B. Leung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - X. M. Matanza
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. Roche
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - K. P. Ha
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - H. C. Cheung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - S. Appleyard
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - T. Collins
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - O. Flanagan
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. S. Marteyn
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Inserm U1225, Unité de Pathogenèse des Infections Vasculaires, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - A. Clements
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
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13
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Heggi MT, Nour El-Din HT, Morsy DI, Abdelaziz NI, Attia AS. Microbial evasion of the complement system: a continuous and evolving story. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1281096. [PMID: 38239357 PMCID: PMC10794618 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1281096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The complement system is a fundamental part of the innate immune system that plays a key role in the battle of the human body against invading pathogens. Through its three pathways, represented by the classical, alternative, and lectin pathways, the complement system forms a tightly regulated network of soluble proteins, membrane-expressed receptors, and regulators with versatile protective and killing mechanisms. However, ingenious pathogens have developed strategies over the years to protect themselves from this complex part of the immune system. This review briefly discusses the sequence of the complement activation pathways. Then, we present a comprehensive updated overview of how the major four pathogenic groups, namely, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, control, modulate, and block the complement attacks at different steps of the complement cascade. We shed more light on the ability of those pathogens to deploy more than one mechanism to tackle the complement system in their path to establish infection within the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam T. Heggi
- Clinical Pharmacy Undergraduate Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hanzada T. Nour El-Din
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | - Ahmed S. Attia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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14
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Clarkson KA, Porter CK, Talaat KR, Kapulu MC, Chen WH, Frenck RW, Bourgeois AL, Kaminski RW, Martin LB. Shigella-Controlled Human Infection Models: Current and Future Perspectives. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2024; 445:257-313. [PMID: 35616717 PMCID: PMC7616482 DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Shigella-controlled human infection models (CHIMs) are an invaluable tool utilized by the vaccine community to combat one of the leading global causes of infectious diarrhea, which affects infants, children and adults regardless of socioeconomic status. The impact of shigellosis disproportionately affects children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) resulting in cognitive and physical stunting, perpetuating a cycle that must be halted. Shigella-CHIMs not only facilitate the early evaluation of enteric countermeasures and up-selection of the most promising products but also provide insight into mechanisms of infection and immunity that are not possible utilizing animal models or in vitro systems. The greater understanding of shigellosis obtained in CHIMs builds and empowers the development of new generation solutions to global health issues which are unattainable in the conventional laboratory and clinical settings. Therefore, refining, mining and expansion of safe and reproducible infection models hold the potential to create effective means to end diarrheal disease and associated co-morbidities associated with Shigella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Clarkson
- Department of Diarrheal Disease Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Chad K Porter
- Enteric Disease Department, Naval Medical Research Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Kawsar R Talaat
- Center for Immunization Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway Street Hampton House, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Melissa C Kapulu
- Department of Biosciences, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi County Hospital, Off Bofa Road, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - Wilbur H Chen
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Robert W Frenck
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - A Louis Bourgeois
- PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, 455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Robert W Kaminski
- Department of Diarrheal Disease Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Laura B Martin
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy.
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15
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Wang M, Zeng J, Tan H, Guo Q, Li X, Ling X, Zhang J, Song S, Deng Y. Anti-virulence and bactericidal activities of Stattic against Shigella sonnei. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0107423. [PMID: 38032177 PMCID: PMC10734500 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01074-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Shigella sonnei is a major human enteric pathogen that causes bacillary dysentery. The increasing spread of drug-resistant S. sonnei strains has caused an emergent need for the development of new antimicrobial agents against this pathogenic bacterium. In this study, we demonstrate that Stattic employs two antibacterial mechanisms against S. sonnei. It exerted both anti-virulence activity and bactericidal activity against S. sonnei, suggesting that it shows advantages over traditional antibiotics. Moreover, Stattic showed excellent synergistic effects with kanamycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin against S. sonnei. Our findings suggest that Stattic has promising potential for development as a new antibiotic or as an adjuvant to antibiotics for infections caused by S. sonnei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfang Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jia Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huihui Tan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Quan Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xia Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiwen Ling
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinyue Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Shihao Song
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yinyue Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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16
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Matanza XM, Clements A. Pathogenicity and virulence of Shigella sonnei: A highly drug-resistant pathogen of increasing prevalence. Virulence 2023; 14:2280838. [PMID: 37994877 PMCID: PMC10732612 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2280838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. are the causative agent of shigellosis (or bacillary dysentery), a diarrhoeal disease characterized for the bacterial invasion of gut epithelial cells. Among the 4 species included in the genus, Shigella flexneri is principally responsible for the disease in the developing world while Shigella sonnei is the main causative agent in high-income countries. Remarkably, as more countries improve their socioeconomic conditions, we observe an increase in the relative prevalence of S. sonnei. To date, the reasons behind this change in aetiology depending on economic growth are not understood. S. flexneri has been widely used as a model to study the pathogenesis of the genus, but as more research data are collected, important discrepancies with S. sonnei have come to light. In comparison to S. flexneri, S. sonnei can be differentiated in numerous aspects; it presents a characteristic O-antigen identical to that of one serogroup of the environmental bacterium Plesiomonas shigelloides, a group 4 capsule, antibacterial mechanisms to outcompete and displace gut commensal bacteria, and a poorer adaptation to an intracellular lifestyle. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized the significant threat posed by antibiotic-resistant strains of S. sonnei, demanding new approaches. This review gathers knowledge on what is known about S. sonnei within the context of other Shigella spp. and aims to open the door for future research on understanding the increasing spread of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xosé M. Matanza
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Abigail Clements
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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17
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Stenhouse GE, Keddy KH, Bengtsson RJ, Hall N, Smith AM, Thomas J, Iturriza-Gómara M, Baker KS. The genomic epidemiology of shigellosis in South Africa. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7715. [PMID: 38001075 PMCID: PMC10673971 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43345-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis, a leading cause of diarrhoeal mortality and morbidity globally, predominantly affects children under five years of age living in low- and middle-income countries. While whole genome sequence analysis (WGSA) has been effectively used to further our understanding of shigellosis epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and transmission, it has been under-utilised in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we applied WGSA to large sub-sample of surveillance isolates from South Africa, collected from 2011 to 2015, focussing on Shigella flexneri 2a and Shigella sonnei. We find each serotype is epidemiologically distinct. The four identified S. flexneri 2a clusters having distinct geographical distributions, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence profiles, while the four sub-Clades of S. sonnei varied in virulence plasmid retention. Our results support serotype specific lifestyles as a driver for epidemiological differences, show AMR is not required for epidemiological success in S. flexneri, and that the HIV epidemic may have promoted Shigella population expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- George E Stenhouse
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | | | - Rebecca J Bengtsson
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Neil Hall
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UZ, Norwich, UK
| | - Anthony M Smith
- Centre for Enteric Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Division of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Juno Thomas
- Centre for Enteric Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Division of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Miren Iturriza-Gómara
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kate S Baker
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CB23EH, Cambridge, UK.
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18
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Di Benedetto R, Mancini F, Caradonna V, Aruta MG, Giannelli C, Rossi O, Micoli F. Comparison of Shigella GMMA and glycoconjugate four-component formulations in animals. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1284515. [PMID: 38046812 PMCID: PMC10690372 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1284515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis is leading bacterial cause of diarrhea with high prevalence in children younger than 5 years in low- and middle-income countries, and increasing number of reports of Shigella cases associated to anti-microbial resistance. No vaccines against Shigella are still licensed, but different candidates based on the O-antigen portion of lipopolysaccharides are in clinic. Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) have been proposed as an alternative delivery system for the O-antigen, and a 4-component vaccine candidate (altSonflex1-2-3), containing GMMA from S. sonnei and S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a is being tested in a phase 1/2 clinical trial, with the aim to elicit broad protection against the most prevalent Shigella serotypes. Here, the 4-component GMMA vaccine candidate has been compared to a more traditional glycoconjugate formulation for the ability to induce functional antibodies in mice and rabbits. In mice, in the absence of Alhydrogel, GMMA induce higher IgG antibodies than glycoconjugates and stronger bactericidal titers against all Shigella serotypes. In the presence of Alhydrogel, GMMA induce O-antigen specific IgG levels similar to traditional glycoconjugates, but with a broader range of IgG subclasses, resulting in stronger bactericidal activity. In rabbits, GMMA elicit higher functional antibodies than glycoconjugates against S. sonnei, and similar responses to S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a, independently from the presence of Alhydrogel. Different O-antigen based vaccines against Shigella are now in clinical stage and it will be of particular interest to understand how the preclinical findings in the different animal models translate in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Di Benedetto
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Carlo Giannelli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Omar Rossi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Siena, Italy
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19
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Wang J, Qin C, Xu Y, Yin J, Hu J, Guo X. Structural and Genetic Identification of the O-Antigen from an Escherichia coli Isolate, SD2019180, Representing a Novel Serogroup. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15040. [PMID: 37894721 PMCID: PMC10606467 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The O-antigen is one of the outermost surface components of Gram-negative bacteria. Its large structural variation provides the molecular basis for bacterial serological diversity. Here, we established the structure of the O-antigen from an Escherichia coli strain, SD2019180, which appeared to be completely different from the known E. coli serogroups. The O-antigen tetrasaccharide biological repeating unit was identified as → 2)-[β-d-GlcpA-(1 → 4)]-[α-d-Galp-(1 → 3)]-α-l-Fucp-(1 → 3)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1 →. Furthermore, we analyzed the O-antigen gene cluster of SD2019180 and confirmed its role in O-antigen synthesis by using deletion and complementation experiments. Our findings indicate that SD2019180 is a novel serogroup of Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Chunjun Qin
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Lihu Ave. 1800, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yujuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Lihu Ave. 1800, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jian Yin
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Lihu Ave. 1800, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Lihu Ave. 1800, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xi Guo
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
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20
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Jones NK, Thu TNH, de Alwis R, Thompson C, Tuyen HT, Nhu TDH, Phat VV, Trung PD, Lam PK, Tien BTT, Tuyet HTD, Vi LL, Van Vinh Chau N, Le Thi Quynh N, Baker S. The seroincidence of childhood Shigella sonnei infection in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011728. [PMID: 37903147 PMCID: PMC10635567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shigella sonnei is a pathogen of growing global importance as a cause of diarrhoeal illness in childhood, particularly in transitional low-middle income countries (LMICs). Here, we sought to determine the incidence of childhood exposure to S. sonnei infection in a contemporary transitional LMIC population, where it represents the dominant Shigella species. METHODS Participants were enrolled between the age of 12-36 months between June and December 2014. Baseline characteristics were obtained through standardized electronic questionnaires, and serum samples were collected at 6-month intervals over two years of follow-up. IgG antibody against S. sonnei O-antigen (anti-O) was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A four-fold increase in ELISA units (EU) with convalescent IgG titre >10.3 EU was taken as evidence of seroconversion between timepoints. RESULTS A total of 3,498 serum samples were collected from 748 participants; 3,170 from the 634 participants that completed follow-up. Measures of anti-O IgG varied significantly by calendar month (p = 0.03). Estimated S. sonnei seroincidence was 21,451 infections per 100,000 population per year (95% CI 19,307-23,834), with peak incidence occurring at 12-18 months of age. Three baseline factors were independently associated with the likelihood of seroconversion; ever having breastfed (aOR 2.54, CI 1.22-5.26), history of prior hospital admission (aOR 0.57, CI 0.34-0.95), and use of a toilet spray-wash in the household (aOR 0.42, CI 0.20-0.89). CONCLUSIONS Incidence of S. sonnei exposure in Ho Chi Minh City is substantial, with significant reduction in the likelihood of exposure as age increases beyond 2 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick K. Jones
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ruklanthi de Alwis
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Corinne Thompson
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Ha Thanh Tuyen
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Voong Vinh Phat
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Pham Duc Trung
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Phung Khanh Lam
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Lu Lan Vi
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Vo Van Kiet, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Nhi Le Thi Quynh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Stephen Baker
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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21
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Rossi O, Citiulo F, Giannelli C, Cappelletti E, Gasperini G, Mancini F, Acquaviva A, Raso MM, Sollai L, Alfini R, Aruta MG, Vitali CG, Pizza M, Necchi F, Rappuoli R, Martin LB, Berlanda Scorza F, Colucci AM, Micoli F. A next-generation GMMA-based vaccine candidate to fight shigellosis. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:130. [PMID: 37670042 PMCID: PMC10480147 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis is a leading cause of diarrheal disease in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Effective vaccines will help to reduce the disease burden, exacerbated by increasing antibiotic resistance, in the most susceptible population represented by young children. A challenge for a broadly protective vaccine against shigellosis is to cover the most epidemiologically relevant serotypes among >50 Shigella serotypes circulating worldwide. The GMMA platform has been proposed as an innovative delivery system for Shigella O-antigens, and we have developed a 4-component vaccine against S. sonnei, S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a identified among the most prevalent Shigella serotypes in LMICs. Driven by the immunogenicity results obtained in clinic with a first-generation mono-component vaccine, a new S. sonnei GMMA construct was generated and combined with three S. flexneri GMMA in a 4-component Alhydrogel formulation (altSonflex1-2-3). This formulation was highly immunogenic, with no evidence of negative antigenic interference in mice and rabbits. The vaccine induced bactericidal antibodies also against heterologous Shigella strains carrying O-antigens different from those included in the vaccine. The Monocyte Activation Test used to evaluate the potential reactogenicity of the vaccine formulation revealed no differences compared to the S. sonnei mono-component vaccine, shown to be safe in several clinical trials in adults. A GLP toxicology study in rabbits confirmed that the vaccine was well tolerated. The preclinical study results support the clinical evaluation of altSonflex1-2-3 in healthy populations, and a phase 1-2 clinical trial is currently ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Rossi
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Gianmarco Gasperini
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- GSK Vaccines Srl, Siena, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Luigi Sollai
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Renzo Alfini
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | | | - Mariagrazia Pizza
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- GSK Vaccines Srl, Siena, Italy
- Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rino Rappuoli
- GSK Vaccines Srl, Siena, Italy
- Fondazione Biotecnopolo, Siena, Italy
| | - Laura B Martin
- GSK Global Health Vaccines R&D (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- US Pharmacopoeia, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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22
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Juthani R, Das A, Doss K, Mandal J. Exploring the use of Congo red agar in improving the serotyping of non-serotypeable Shigella with In-silico evidence. Indian J Med Microbiol 2023; 44:100381. [PMID: 37356833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2023.100381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess if congo red could make non-serotypeable Shigella strains serotypeable and to employ molecular docking to determine the basis of the same phenomenon. METHODS We used 42 bacterial strains of non-serotypeable Shigella collected from 2012 to 2019 for this study. Each bacterial strain was freshly inoculated onto congo red agar and incubated at 37° C for 18-24 h. Bacterial colonies obtained were re-subjected to biochemical tests followed by serotyping and serogrouping. In-silico studies to investigate the interaction between MxiC protein of T3SS and O-antigen LPS with congo red were performed. RESULTS Of the total 42 non-serotypeable Shigella studied, (26/42)62% were capable of being serotyped following the use of congo red agar, 65% were Shigella flexneri, 19% were Shigella dysenteriae, while 2 strains (7%) each of Shigella boydii and Shigella sonnei were detected. We observed no change in their biochemical properties. The in-silico molecular docking studies revealed high binding affinity between congo red and the B-Chain of Mxi C. Out of the 5 chains of the O-Antigen, congo red showed robust binding with the B-chain with the involvement of a cluster of hydrophobic interactions between them. This may have a crucial role in the conversion of non-serotypeable strains to serotypeable strains on exposure to congo red as observed in our study. CONCLUSION Congo red agar as a medium converts a sizeable percentage of non-serotypeable Shigella strains to serotypeable Shigella strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Juthani
- Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Institute and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Ankita Das
- Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Kamali Doss
- Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Jharna Mandal
- Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Institute and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
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23
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Boero E, Vezzani G, Micoli F, Pizza M, Rossi O. Functional assays to evaluate antibody-mediated responses against Shigella: a review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1171213. [PMID: 37260708 PMCID: PMC10227456 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1171213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigella is a major global pathogen and the etiological agent of shigellosis, a diarrheal disease that primarily affects low- and middle-income countries. Shigellosis is characterized by a complex, multistep pathogenesis during which bacteria use multiple invasion proteins to manipulate and invade the intestinal epithelium. Antibodies, especially against the O-antigen and some invasion proteins, play a protective role as titres against specific antigens inversely correlate with disease severity; however, the context of antibody action during pathogenesis remains to be elucidated, especially with Shigella being mostly an intracellular pathogen. In the absence of a correlate of protection, functional assays rebuilding salient moments of Shigella pathogenesis can improve our understanding of the role of protective antibodies in blocking infection and disease. In vitro assays are important tools to build correlates of protection. Only recently animal models to recapitulate human pathogenesis, often not in full, have been established. This review aims to discuss in vitro assays to evaluate the functionality of anti-Shigella antibodies in polyclonal sera in light of the multistep and multifaced Shigella infection process. Indeed, measurement of antibody level alone may limit the evaluation of full vaccine potential. Serum bactericidal assay (SBA), and other functional assays such as opsonophagocytic killing assays (OPKA), and adhesion/invasion inhibition assays (AIA), are instead physiologically relevant and may provide important information regarding the role played by these effector mechanisms in protective immunity. Ultimately, the review aims at providing scientists in the field with new points of view regarding the significance of functional assays of choice which may be more representative of immune-mediated protection mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Boero
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., Siena, Italy
| | - Giacomo Vezzani
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., Siena, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Pizza
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., Siena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Omar Rossi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., Siena, Italy
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Kurzylewska M, Bomba A, Dworaczek K, Pękala-Safińska A, Turska-Szewczuk A. Structure and gene cluster annotation of the O-antigen of Aeromonas sobria strain K928 isolated from common carp and classified into the new Aeromonas PGO1 serogroup. Carbohydr Res 2023; 528:108809. [PMID: 37086562 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2023.108809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Aeromonas sobria strain K928 was isolated from a common carp during a Motile Aeromonas Infection/Motile Aeromonas Septicaemia disease outbreak on a Polish fish farm and classified into the new provisional PGO1 serogroup. The lipopolysaccharide of A. sobria K928 was subjected to mild acid hydrolysis, and the O-specific polysaccharide, which was isolated by gel-permeation chromatography, was studied using sugar and methylation analyses and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the branched O-specific polysaccharide repeating unit of A. sobria K928 was established. →2)[α-D-Fucp3NRHb-(1→3)]-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-β-L-Rhap-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-β-D-FucpNAc-(1→ The O-antigen gene cluster was identified and characterized in the genome of the A. sobria K928 strain after comparison with sequences in the available databases. The composition of the O-antigen genetic region was found to be consistent with the O-polysaccharide structure, and its organization was proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kurzylewska
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Bomba
- Department of Omics Analyses, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Dworaczek
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Pękala-Safińska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Turska-Szewczuk
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.
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Toward a Shigella Vaccine: Opportunities and Challenges to Fight an Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogen. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054649. [PMID: 36902092 PMCID: PMC10003550 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis causes more than 200,000 deaths worldwide and most of this burden falls on Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), with a particular incidence in children under 5 years of age. In the last decades, Shigella has become even more worrisome because of the onset of antimicrobial-resistant strains (AMR). Indeed, the WHO has listed Shigella as one of the priority pathogens for the development of new interventions. To date, there are no broadly available vaccines against shigellosis, but several candidates are being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies, bringing to light very important data and information. With the aim to facilitate the understanding of the state-of-the-art of Shigella vaccine development, here we report what is known about Shigella epidemiology and pathogenesis with a focus on virulence factors and potential antigens for vaccine development. We discuss immunity after natural infection and immunization. In addition, we highlight the main characteristics of the different technologies that have been applied for the development of a vaccine with broad protection against Shigella.
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Li Y, Li P, Zhang W, Zheng X, Gu Q. New Wine in Old Bottle: Caenorhabditis Elegans in Food Science. FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2023.2172429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yonglu Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weixi Zhang
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-food Processing; Fuli Institute of Food Science; National Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Zheng
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-food Processing; Fuli Institute of Food Science; National Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing Gu
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Irulappan M, Mutreja A, Veeraraghavan B. Genomic surveillance for comprehensive Shigella management. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 23:645-647. [PMID: 36731479 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Madhumathi Irulappan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, India
| | - Ankur Mutreja
- Department of Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Balaji Veeraraghavan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, India.
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Giacometti SI, MacRae MR, Dancel-Manning K, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC. Lipid Transport Across Bacterial Membranes. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2022; 38:125-153. [PMID: 35850151 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120420-022914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The movement of lipids within and between membranes in bacteria is essential for building and maintaining the bacterial cell envelope. Moving lipids to their final destination is often energetically unfavorable and does not readily occur spontaneously. Bacteria have evolved several protein-mediated transport systems that bind specific lipid substrates and catalyze the transport of lipids across membranes and from one membrane to another. Specific protein flippases act in translocating lipids across the plasma membrane, overcoming the obstacle of moving relatively large and chemically diverse lipids between leaflets of the bilayer. Active transporters found in double-membraned bacteria have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to traffic lipids between the two membranes, including assembling to form large, multiprotein complexes that resemble bridges, shuttles, and tunnels, shielding lipids from the hydrophilic environment of the periplasm during transport. In this review, we explore our current understanding of the mechanisms thought to drive bacterial lipid transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina I Giacometti
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Mark R MacRae
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Kristen Dancel-Manning
- Office of Science and Research, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA;
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Mphande I, Kataba A, Muzandu K, Gono-Bwalya A. An Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of Pterocarpus tinctorius Bark Extract against Enteric Bacteria That Cause Gastroenteritis. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2022; 2022:7973942. [PMID: 36204123 PMCID: PMC9532075 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7973942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Enteric bacteria are the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. The bark decoction of Pterocarpus tinctorius (Fabaceae) has traditionally been used to treat bacterial gastroenteritis. However, studies reporting the antibacterial activity of Pterocarpus tinctorius are rare. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of stem bark extract of Pterocarpus tinctorius against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Shigella dysenteriae. The powdered bark extract was successively extracted with methanol using the cold continuous maceration method, followed by partitioning the crude methanolic extract to obtain methanolic, hexane, and chloroform subextracts. Three fractions were isolated from the methanolic subextract using ordinary normal phase column chromatography. The antibacterial activity of the extracts and fractions was performed using the agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the agar well diffusion method. While, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was obtained by the subculturing method. The methanolic subextract was the only extract that showed antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria, and its activity was highest on Shigella dysenteriae followed by Salmonella typhi and was least active on Escherichia coli, with mean inhibition zones of 14.3 ± 0.2, 13.7 ± 0.3, and 12.2 ± 0.1 at 200 mg/mL, respectively. Chloroform subextract showed antibacterial activity only on Shigella dysenteriae, while hexane subextract did not show antibacterial activity against all bacteria tested at 100 mg/mL and 200 mg/mL. Among the three subfractions of methanolic subextract, only one subfraction was active and had both mean minimum inhibitory concentration and a minimum bactericidal concentration against Escherichia coli at 1.25 mg/mL, Salmonella typhi at 1.25 mg/mL, and Shigella dysenteriae at 0.6 mg/mL. The findings of this study support the use of Pterocarpus tinctorius in traditional medicine. Therefore, purification and structural elucidation studies are highly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Mphande
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Andrew Kataba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Kaampwe Muzandu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Angela Gono-Bwalya
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
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Molecular basis for polysaccharide recognition and modulated ATP hydrolysis by the O antigen ABC transporter. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5226. [PMID: 36064941 PMCID: PMC9445017 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32597-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
O antigens are ubiquitous protective extensions of lipopolysaccharides in the extracellular leaflet of the Gram-negative outer membrane. Following biosynthesis in the cytosol, the lipid-linked polysaccharide is transported to the periplasm by the WzmWzt ABC transporter. Often, O antigen secretion requires the chemical modification of its elongating terminus, which the transporter recognizes via a carbohydrate-binding domain (CBD). Here, using components from A. aeolicus, we identify the O antigen structure with methylated mannose or rhamnose as its cap. Crystal and cryo electron microscopy structures reveal how WzmWzt recognizes this cap between its carbohydrate and nucleotide-binding domains in a nucleotide-free state. ATP binding induces drastic conformational changes of its CBD, terminating interactions with the O antigen. ATPase assays and site directed mutagenesis reveal reduced hydrolytic activity upon O antigen binding, likely to facilitate polymer loading into the ABC transporter. Our results elucidate critical steps in the recognition and translocation of polysaccharides by ABC transporters.
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31
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MacLennan CA, Grow S, Ma LF, Steele AD. The Shigella Vaccines Pipeline. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091376. [PMID: 36146457 PMCID: PMC9504713 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Shigella is the leading cause of global diarrheal deaths that currently lacks a licensed vaccine. Shigellosis drives antimicrobial resistance and leads to economic impact through linear growth faltering. Today, there is a robust pipeline of vaccines in clinical development which are broadly divided into parenteral glycoconjugate vaccines, consisting of O-antigen conjugated to carrier proteins, and oral live attenuated vaccines, which incorporate targeted genetic mutations seeking to optimize the balance between reactogenicity, immunogenicity and ultimately protection. Proof of efficacy has previously been shown with both approaches but for various reasons no vaccine has been licensed to date. In this report, we outline the requirements for a Shigella vaccine and describe the current pipeline in the context of the many candidates that have previously failed or been abandoned. The report refers to papers from individual vaccine developers in this special supplement of Vaccines which is focused on Shigella vaccines. Once readouts of safety and immunogenicity from current trials of lead candidate vaccines among the target population of young children in low- and middle-income countries are available, the likely time to licensure of a first Shigella vaccine will become clearer.
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32
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Krzyżewska-Dudek E, Kotimaa J, Kapczyńska K, Rybka J, Meri S. Lipopolysaccharides and outer membrane proteins as main structures involved in complement evasion strategies of non-typhoidal Salmonella strains. Mol Immunol 2022; 150:67-77. [PMID: 35998438 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections pose a serious public health problem. In addition to the typical course of salmonellosis, an infection with Salmonella bacteria can often lead to parenteral infections and sepsis, which are particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and immunocompromised. Bacterial resistance to serum is a key virulence factor for the development of systemic infections. Salmonella, as an enterobacterial pathogen, has developed several mechanisms to escape and block the antibacterial effects of the complement system. In this review, we discuss the relevance of outer membrane polysaccharides to the complement evasion mechanisms of NTS strains. These include the influence of the overall length and density of the lipopolysaccharide molecules, modifications of the O-antigen lipopolysaccharide composition and the role of capsular polysaccharides in opsonization and protection of the outer membrane from the lytic action of complement. Additionally, we discuss specific outer membrane protein complement evasion mechanisms, such as recruitment of complement regulatory proteins, blocking assembly of late complement components to form the membrane attack complex and the proteolytic cleavage of complement proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Krzyżewska-Dudek
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Translational Immunology Research Program, University of Helsinki, and Diagnostic Center (HUSLAB), Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - J Kotimaa
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Translational Immunology Research Program, University of Helsinki, and Diagnostic Center (HUSLAB), Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - K Kapczyńska
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - J Rybka
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - S Meri
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Translational Immunology Research Program, University of Helsinki, and Diagnostic Center (HUSLAB), Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
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33
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Alphonse N, Wanford JJ, Voak AA, Gay J, Venkhaya S, Burroughs O, Mathew S, Lee T, Evans SL, Zhao W, Frowde K, Alrehaili A, Dickenson RE, Munk M, Panina S, Mahmood IF, Llorian M, Stanifer ML, Boulant S, Berchtold MW, Bergeron JRC, Wack A, Lesser CF, Odendall C. A family of conserved bacterial virulence factors dampens interferon responses by blocking calcium signaling. Cell 2022; 185:2354-2369.e17. [PMID: 35568036 PMCID: PMC9596379 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) induce an antimicrobial state, protecting tissues from infection. Many viruses inhibit IFN signaling, but whether bacterial pathogens evade IFN responses remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the Shigella OspC family of type-III-secreted effectors blocks IFN signaling independently of its cell death inhibitory activity. Rather, IFN inhibition was mediated by the binding of OspC1 and OspC3 to the Ca2+ sensor calmodulin (CaM), blocking CaM kinase II and downstream JAK/STAT signaling. The growth of Shigella lacking OspC1 and OspC3 was attenuated in epithelial cells and in a murine model of infection. This phenotype was rescued in both models by the depletion of IFN receptors. OspC homologs conserved in additional pathogens not only bound CaM but also inhibited IFN, suggesting a widespread virulence strategy. These findings reveal a conserved but previously undescribed molecular mechanism of IFN inhibition and demonstrate the critical role of Ca2+ and IFN targeting in bacterial pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Alphonse
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; Immunoregulation Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Joseph J Wanford
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew A Voak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jack Gay
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shayla Venkhaya
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Owen Burroughs
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sanjana Mathew
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Truelian Lee
- Center for Bacterial Pathogenesis, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sasha L Evans
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Weiting Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kyle Frowde
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Abrar Alrehaili
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ruth E Dickenson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mads Munk
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Svetlana Panina
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ishraque F Mahmood
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Miriam Llorian
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Megan L Stanifer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Steeve Boulant
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Julien R C Bergeron
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andreas Wack
- Immunoregulation Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Cammie F Lesser
- Center for Bacterial Pathogenesis, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte Odendall
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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Kazempour A, Kazempoor R. The effect of Lacticaseibacillus casei on inflammatory cytokine (IL-8) gene expression induced by exposure to Shigella sonnei in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-12513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the protective function of probiotics against Shigella sonnei pathogenicity. For this purpose, 400 zebrafish were divided into four groups with two replications: (T1): receiving Lacticaseibacillus casei for 27 days, (T2): receiving L. casei for 27 days followed by 72 hr exposure to S. sonnei, (T3): receiving basal diet for 27 days followed by 72 hr exposure to S. sonnei, and control group (C): receiving basal diet without exposure to the pathogen. According to the results, feeding with L. casei for 27 days reduced the interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression significantly (P<0.05). The results showed a decrease in IL-8 expression in the group exposed to the pathogen and fed with the probiotic compared to the group only fed with the basal diet (P<0.05). Considering the role of IL-8 as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, our results indicated that feeding with L. casei could modulate inflammatory responses.
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35
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Bank NC, Singh V, Rodriguez-Palacios A. Classification of Parabacteroides distasonis and other Bacteroidetes using O- antigen virulence gene: RfbA-Typing and hypothesis for pathogenic vs. probiotic strain differentiation. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:1997293. [PMID: 35090379 PMCID: PMC8803095 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1997293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Parabacteroides distasonis (Pdis) is the type species for the new Parabacteroides genus, and a gut commensal of the Bacteroidetes phylum. Emerging reports (primarily based on reference strain/ATCC-8503) concerningly propose that long-known opportunistic pathogen Pdis is a probiotic. We posit there is an urgent need to characterize the pathogenicity of Pdis strain-strain variability. Unfortunately, no methods/insights exist to classify Bacteroidetes for this purpose. Herein, we developed a virulence gene-based classification system for Pdis and Bacteroidetes to facilitate pathogenic-vs-probiotic characterization. We used DNA in silico methods to develop a system based on the virulence (lipopolysaccharide/bacterial wall) 'rfbA O-antigen-synthesis gene'. We then performed phylogenetic analysis of rfbA from fourteen Pdis complete genomes (21 genes), other Parabacteroides, Bacteroidetes, and Enterobacteriaceae; and proposed a PCR-based Restriction-Fragment Length Polymorphism method. Cluster analysis revealed that Pdis can be classified into four lineages (based on gene gaps/insertions) which we designated rfbA-Types I, II, III, and IV. In context, we found 14 additional rfbA-types (I-XVIII) interspersed with numerous Bacteroidetes and pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae forming three major "rfbA-superclusters." For laboratory rfbA-Typing implementation, we developed a PCR-primer strategy to amplify Pdis rfbA genes (100%-specificity) to conduct MboII-RFLP and sub-classify Pdis. In-silico primers for other Bacteroidetes are proposed/discussed. Comparative analysis of lipopolysaccharide/lipid-A gene lpxK confirmed rfbA as highly discriminant. In conclusion, rfbA-Typing classifies Bacteroidetes/Pdis into unique clusters/superclusters given rfbA copy/sequence variability. Analysis revealed that most pathogenic Pdis strains are single-copy rfbA-Type I . The relevance of the rfbA strain variability in disease might depend on their hypothetical modulatory interactions with other O-antigens/lipopolysaccharides and TLR4 lipopolysaccharide-receptors in human/animal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C. Bank
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, United States
| | - Vaidhvi Singh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, United States
| | - Alex Rodriguez-Palacios
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, United States,School of Medicine, Digestive Health Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States,University Hospitals Research and Education Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, United States,CONTACT Alex Rodriguez-Palacios Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, United States; School of Medicine, Digestive Health Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, United States; University Hospitals Research and Education Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, United States
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Micoli F, Nakakana UN, Berlanda Scorza F. Towards a Four-Component GMMA-Based Vaccine against Shigella. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:328. [PMID: 35214786 PMCID: PMC8880054 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigellosis remains a major public health problem around the world; it is one of the leading causes of diarrhoeal disease in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in young children. The increasing reports of Shigella cases associated with anti-microbial resistance are an additional element of concern. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines widely available against Shigella, but several vaccine candidates are in development. It has been demonstrated that the incidence of disease decreases following a prior Shigella infection and that serum and mucosal antibody responses are predominantly directed against the serotype-specific Shigella O-antigen portion of lipopolysaccharide membrane molecules. Many Shigella vaccine candidates are indeed O-antigen-based. Here we present the journey towards the development of a potential low-cost four-component Shigella vaccine, eliciting broad protection against the most prevalent Shigella serotypes, that makes use of the GMMA (Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens) technology, a novel platform based on bacterial outer membranes for delivery of the O-antigen to the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) S.r.l., 53100 Siena, Italy; (U.N.N.); (F.B.S.)
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37
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Maintenance of the Shigella sonnei virulence plasmid is dependent on its repertoire and amino acid sequence of toxin:antitoxin systems. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0051921. [PMID: 34978459 PMCID: PMC8923223 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00519-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Shigella sonnei is a major cause of bacillary dysentery and an increasing concern due to the spread of multidrug resistance. S. sonnei harbors pINV, an ∼210 kb plasmid that encodes a type III secretion system (T3SS), which is essential for virulence. During growth in the laboratory, avirulence arises spontaneously in S. sonnei at high frequency, hampering studies on and vaccine development against this important pathogen. Here, we investigated the molecular basis for the emergence of avirulence in S. sonnei and showed that avirulence mainly results from pINV loss, which is consistent with previous findings. Ancestral deletions have led to the loss from S. sonnei pINV of two toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems involved in plasmid maintenance, CcdAB and GmvAT, which are found on pINV in Shigella flexneri. We showed that the introduction of these TA systems into S. sonnei pINV reduced but did not eliminate pINV loss, while the single amino acid polymorphisms found in the S. sonnei VapBC TA system compared with S. flexneri VapBC also contributed to pINV loss. Avirulence also resulted from deletions of T3SS-associated genes in pINV through recombination between insertion sequences (ISs) on the plasmid. These events differed from those observed in S. flexneri due to the different distribution and repertoire of ISs. Our findings demonstrated that TA systems and ISs influenced plasmid dynamics and loss in S. sonnei and could be exploited for the design and evaluation of vaccines. IMPORTANCEShigella sonnei is the major cause of shigellosis in high-income and industrializing countries and is an emerging, multidrug-resistant pathogen. A significant challenge when studying this bacterium is that it spontaneously becomes avirulent during growth in the laboratory through loss of its virulence plasmid (pINV). Here, we deciphered the mechanisms leading to avirulence in S. sonnei and how the limited repertoire and amino acid sequences of plasmid-encoded toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems make the maintenance of pINV in this bacterium less efficient compared with Shigella flexneri. Our findings highlighted how subtle differences in plasmids in closely related species have marked effects and could be exploited to reduce plasmid loss in S. sonnei. This should facilitate research on this bacterium and vaccine development.
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Sande C, Whitfield C. Capsules and Extracellular Polysaccharides in Escherichia coli and Salmonella. EcoSal Plus 2021; 9:eESP00332020. [PMID: 34910576 PMCID: PMC11163842 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0033-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates produce a range of different polysaccharide structures that play important roles in their biology. E. coli isolates often possess capsular polysaccharides (K antigens), which form a surface structural layer. These possess a wide range of repeat-unit structures. In contrast, only one capsular polymer (Vi antigen) is found in Salmonella, and it is confined to typhoidal serovars. In both genera, capsules are vital virulence determinants and are associated with the avoidance of host immune defenses. Some isolates of these species also produce a largely secreted exopolysaccharide called colanic acid as part of their complex Rcs-regulated phenotypes, but the precise function of this polysaccharide in microbial cell biology is not fully understood. E. coli isolates produce two additional secreted polysaccharides, bacterial cellulose and poly-N-acetylglucosamine, which play important roles in biofilm formation. Cellulose is also produced by Salmonella isolates, but the genes for poly-N-acetylglucosamine synthesis appear to have been lost during its evolution toward enhanced virulence. Here, we discuss the structures, functions, relationships, and sophisticated assembly mechanisms for these important biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Sande
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris Whitfield
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Liu B, Guo X, Wang J, Wu P, Li S, Feng L, Liu B, Wang L. Development of a Molecular Serotyping Scheme for Morganella morganii. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:791165. [PMID: 34887844 PMCID: PMC8649690 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.791165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Morganella morganii, which is often regarded as a human commensal organism, can be an opportunistic pathogen, causing a variety of clinical infections with serious morbidity and mortality. An efficient and convenient method for subtyping and identifying M. morganii strains in epidemiological surveillance and control is urgently needed. Serotyping based on bacterial surface polysaccharide antigens (O-antigen or K-antigens) is a standard subtyping method for many gram-negative bacteria. Here, through whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics analysis of 27 strains, we developed a molecular serotyping scheme based on the genetic variation of O-antigen gene clusters (O-AGC) in M. morganii, and 11 distinct O-AGC types were identified. A conventional serotyping scheme was also developed by the production of antisera and agglutination experiments, which was shown to be perfectly consistent with the molecular serotyping scheme, confirming that the variation in M. morganii O-AGC correlated with phenotypic O-antigen diversification. Furthermore, a microsphere-based suspension array (MSA) with high specificity was developed based on the specific genes within each O-AGC type. The sensitivity of MSA was determined to be 0.1 ng of genomic DNA and 103 CFU of pure culture. We further analyzed 104 M. morganii genomes available in GenBank, and an additional six novel O-AGC types were identified, indicating that the extension of this molecular serotyping scheme is convenient. Our work provides an important tool for the detection and epidemiological surveillance of M. morganii, and this method has the potential to be widely utilized, especially for bacterial genera/species without an efficient typing approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Xi Guo
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Pan Wu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shujie Li
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Feng
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, The Institute of Translational Medicine Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Nankai University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
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Larson MR, Biddle K, Gorman A, Boutom S, Rosenshine I, Saper MA. Escherichia coli O127 group 4 capsule proteins assemble at the outer membrane. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259900. [PMID: 34780538 PMCID: PMC8592465 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O127 is encapsulated by a protective layer of polysaccharide made of the same strain specific O-antigen as the serotype lipopolysaccharide. Seven genes encoding capsule export functions comprise the group 4 capsule (gfc) operon. Genes gfcE, etk and etp encode homologs of the group 1 capsule secretion system but the upstream gfcABCD genes encode unknown functions specific to group 4 capsule export. We have developed an expression system for the large-scale production of the outer membrane protein GfcD. Contrary to annotations, we find that GfcD is a non-acylated integral membrane protein. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, light-scattering data, and the HHomp server suggested that GfcD is a monomeric β-barrel with 26 β-strands and an internal globular domain. We identified a set of novel protein-protein interactions between GfcB, GfcC, and GfcD, both in vivo and in vitro, and quantified the binding properties with isothermal calorimetry and biolayer interferometry. GfcC and GfcB form a high-affinity heterodimer with a KD near 100 nM. This heterodimer binds to GfcD (KD = 28 μM) significantly better than either GfcB or GfcC alone. These gfc proteins may form a complex at the outer membrane for group 4 capsule secretion or for a yet unknown function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Larson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Kassia Biddle
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Adam Gorman
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sarah Boutom
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ilan Rosenshine
- Dept of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mark A. Saper
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Citiulo F, Necchi F, Mancini F, Rossi O, Aruta MG, Gasperini G, Alfini R, Rondini S, Micoli F, Rappuoli R, Saul A, Martin LB. Rationalizing the design of a broad coverage Shigella vaccine based on evaluation of immunological cross-reactivity among S. flexneri serotypes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009826. [PMID: 34644291 PMCID: PMC8589205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
No vaccine to protect against an estimated 238,000 shigellosis deaths per year is widely available. S. sonnei is the most prevalent Shigella, and multiple serotypes of S. flexneri, which change regionally and globally, also cause significant disease. The leading Shigella vaccine strategies are based on the delivery of serotype specific O-antigens. A strategy to minimize the complexity of a broadly-protective Shigella vaccine is to combine components from S. sonnei with S. flexneri serotypes that induce antibodies with maximum cross-reactivity between different serotypes. We used the GMMA-technology to immunize animal models and generate antisera against 14 S. flexneri subtypes from 8 different serotypes that were tested for binding to and bactericidal activity against a panel of 11 S. flexneri bacteria lines. Some immunogens induced broadly cross-reactive antibodies that interacted with most of the S. flexneri in the panel, while others induced antibodies with narrower specificity. Most cross-reactivity could not be assigned to modifications of the O-antigen, by glucose, acetate or phosphoethanolamine, common to several of the S. flexneri serotypes. This allowed us to revisit the current dogma of cross-reactivity among S. flexneri serotypes suggesting that a broadly protective vaccine is feasible with limited number of appropriately selected components. Thus, we rationally designed a 4-component vaccine selecting GMMA from S. sonnei and S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a. The resulting formulation was broadly cross-reactive in mice and rabbits, inducing antibodies that killed all S. flexneri serotypes tested. This study provides the framework for a broadly-protective Shigella vaccine which needs to be verified in human trials. A strategy to optimize the composition for a broadly-protective Shigella vaccine is to combine components directed against S. sonnei with S. flexneri serotypes to induce antibody responses with the maximum cross-reactivity between different serotypes. Based on mouse and rabbit immunogenicity, we selected 4 GMMA-immunogens, derived from S. sonnei and S. flexneri 1b, 2a and 3a, able to induce antibodies that were broadly bactericidal against most epidemiologically significant S. flexneri strains in mice and rabbits. This was not predicted on the basis of O-antigen modifications conferring serotype or group specificities and allowed revisiting the dogma of cross-protection among S. flexneri serotypes. Overall, this study provides a framework for the rational design of a broadly-protective vaccine that will be evaluated in upcoming human vaccine trials. It also tackles a key issue regarding Shigella vaccine development that is balancing a sufficient number of antigenic components in the vaccine to provide adequate coverage of serotype diversity while minimizing complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Citiulo
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Francesca Necchi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Mancini
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Omar Rossi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | | | - Renzo Alfini
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | | | - Allan Saul
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
| | - Laura B. Martin
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (GVGH), Siena, Italy
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Wang J, Jiao H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Sun N, Yang Y, Wei Y, Hu B, Guo X. Two Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strains Representing Novel Serotypes and Investigation of Their Roles in Adhesion. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 31:1191-1199. [PMID: 34261855 PMCID: PMC9705854 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2105.05016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), which belongs to the attaching and effacing diarrheagenic E. coli strains, is a major causative agent of life-threatening diarrhea in infants in developing countries. Most EPEC isolates correspond to certain O serotypes; however, many strains are nontypeable. Two EPEC strains, EPEC001 and EPEC080, which could not be serotyped during routine detection, were isolated. In this study, we conducted an in-depth characterization of their putative O-antigen gene clusters (O-AGCs) and also performed constructed mutagenesis of the O-AGCs for functional analysis of O-antigen (OAg) synthesis. Sequence analysis revealed that the occurrence of O-AGCs in EPEC001 and E. coli O132 may be mediated by recombination between them, and EPEC080 and E. coli O2/O50 might acquire each O-AGC from uncommon ancestors. We also indicated that OAgknockout bacteria were highly adhesive in vitro, except for the EPEC001 wzy derivative, whose adherent capability was less than that of its wild-type strain, providing direct evidence that OAg plays a key role in EPEC pathogenesis. Together, we identified two EPEC O serotypes in silico and experimentally, and we also studied the adherent capabilities of their OAgs, which highlighted the fundamental and pathogenic role of OAg in EPEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China,The Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - HongBo Jiao
- LanLing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 City Huibao Road, Lanling 276000, Lanling Shandong, P.R. China
| | - XinFeng Zhang
- Taian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 33 Changcheng Road, Taian 271000, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - YuanQing Zhang
- Jinan KeJia Medical Laboratory, Inc., 800 Minghu West Road, Jinan 250001, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Na Sun
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16992 City Ten Road, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Ying Yang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16992 City Ten Road, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Yi Wei
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China,The Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - Bin Hu
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16992 City Ten Road, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China,Corresponding authors B. Hu Phone: +86-0531-82679738 Fax: +86-531-82679750 E-mail:
| | - Xi Guo
- TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China,The Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, 23 Hongda Street, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, P.R. China,
X. Guo Phone: +86-22-66229574 Fax: +86-22-66229584 E-mail:
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Potential for Phages in the Treatment of Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10091030. [PMID: 34572612 PMCID: PMC8466579 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial sexually transmitted infections (BSTIs) are becoming increasingly significant with the approach of a post-antibiotic era. While treatment options dwindle, the transmission of many notable BSTIs, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum, continues to increase. Bacteriophage therapy has been utilized in Poland, Russia and Georgia in the treatment of bacterial illnesses, but not in the treatment of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. With the ever-increasing likelihood of antibiotic resistance prevailing and the continuous transmission of BSTIs, alternative treatments must be explored. This paper discusses the potentiality and practicality of phage therapy to treat BSTIs, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, Streptococcus agalactiae, Haemophilus ducreyi, Calymmatobacterium granulomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. The challenges associated with the potential for phage in treatments vary for each bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Phage availability, bacterial structure and bacterial growth may impact the potential success of future phage treatments. Additional research is needed before BSTIs can be successfully clinically treated with phage therapy or phage-derived enzymes.
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Shigella-Specific Immune Profiles Induced after Parenteral Immunization or Oral Challenge with Either Shigella flexneri 2a or Shigella sonnei. mSphere 2021; 6:e0012221. [PMID: 34259559 PMCID: PMC8386581 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00122-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. are a leading cause of diarrhea-associated global morbidity and mortality. Development and widespread implementation of an efficacious vaccine remain the best option to reduce Shigella-specific morbidity. Unfortunately, the lack of a well-defined correlate of protection for shigellosis continues to hinder vaccine development efforts. Shigella controlled human infection models (CHIM) are often used in the early stages of vaccine development to provide preliminary estimates of vaccine efficacy; however, CHIMs also provide the opportunity to conduct in-depth immune response characterizations pre- and postvaccination or pre- and postinfection. In the current study, principal-component analyses were used to examine immune response data from two recent Shigella CHIMs in order to characterize immune response profiles associated with parenteral immunization, oral challenge with Shigella flexneri 2a, or oral challenge with Shigella sonnei. Although parenteral immunization induced an immune profile characterized by robust systemic antibody responses, it also included mucosal responses. Interestingly, oral challenge with S. flexneri 2a induced a distinctively different profile compared to S. sonnei, characterized by a relatively balanced systemic and mucosal response. In contrast, S. sonnei induced robust increases in mucosal antibodies with no differences in systemic responses across shigellosis outcomes postchallenge. Furthermore, S. flexneri 2a challenge induced significantly higher levels of intestinal inflammation compared to S. sonnei, suggesting that both serotypes may also differ in how they trigger induction and activation of innate immunity. These findings could have important implications for Shigella vaccine development as protective immune mechanisms may differ across Shigella serotypes. IMPORTANCE Although immune correlates of protection have yet to be defined for shigellosis, prior studies have demonstrated that Shigella infection provides protection against reinfection in a serotype-specific manner. Therefore, it is likely that subjects with moderate to severe disease post-oral challenge would be protected from a homologous rechallenge, and investigating immune responses in these subjects may help identify immune markers associated with the development of protective immunity. This is the first study to describe distinct innate and adaptive immune profiles post-oral challenge with two different Shigella serotypes. Analyses conducted here provide essential insights into the potential of different immune mechanisms required to elicit protective immunity, depending on the Shigella serotype. Such differences could have significant impacts on vaccine design and development within the Shigella field and should be further investigated across multiple Shigella serotypes.
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Ahn D, Bhushan G, McConville TH, Annavajhala MK, Soni RK, Wong Fok Lung T, Hofstaedter CE, Shah SS, Chong AM, Castano VG, Ernst RK, Uhlemann AC, Prince A. An acquired acyltransferase promotes Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 respiratory infection. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109196. [PMID: 34077733 PMCID: PMC8283688 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 is a human pathogen associated with poor outcomes worldwide. We identify a member of the acyltransferase superfamily 3 (atf3), enriched within the ST258 clade, that provides a major competitive advantage for the proliferation of these organisms in vivo. Comparison of a wild-type ST258 strain (KP35) and a Δatf3 isogenic mutant generated by CRISPR-Cas9 targeting reveals greater NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase transcription and ATP generation, fueled by increased glycolysis. The acquisition of atf3 induces changes in the bacterial acetylome, promoting lysine acetylation of multiple proteins involved in central metabolism, specifically Zwf (glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase). The atf3-mediated metabolic boost leads to greater consumption of glucose in the host airway and increased bacterial burden in the lung, independent of cytokine levels and immune cell recruitment. Acquisition of this acyltransferase enhances fitness of a K. pneumoniae ST258 isolate and may contribute to the success of this clonal complex as a healthcare-associated pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Gitanjali Bhushan
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Thomas H McConville
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Medini K Annavajhala
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rajesh Kumar Soni
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Tania Wong Fok Lung
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Casey E Hofstaedter
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Shivang S Shah
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander M Chong
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Victor G Castano
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Robert K Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Anne-Catrin Uhlemann
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alice Prince
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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46
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Bazhenova A, Gao F, Bolgiano B, Harding SE. Glycoconjugate vaccines against Salmonella enterica serovars and Shigella species: existing and emerging methods for their analysis. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:221-246. [PMID: 33868505 PMCID: PMC8035613 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00791-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The global spread of enteric disease, the increasingly limited options for antimicrobial treatment and the need for effective eradication programs have resulted in an increased demand for glycoconjugate enteric vaccines, made with carbohydrate-based membrane components of the pathogen, and their precise characterisation. A set of physico-chemical and immunological tests are employed for complete vaccine characterisation and to ensure their consistency, potency, safety and stability, following the relevant World Health Organization and Pharmacopoeia guidelines. Variable requirements for analytical methods are linked to conjugate structure, carrier protein nature and size and O-acetyl content of polysaccharide. We investigated a key stability-indicating method which measures the percent free saccharide of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi capsular polysaccharide, by detergent precipitation, depolymerisation and HPAEC-PAD quantitation. Together with modern computational approaches, a more precise design of glycoconjugates is possible, allowing for improvements in solubility, structural conformation and stability, and immunogenicity of antigens, which may be applicable to a broad spectrum of vaccines. More validation experiments are required to establish the most effective and suitable methods for glycoconjugate analysis to bring uniformity to the existing protocols, although the need for product-specific approaches will apply, especially for the more complex vaccines. An overview of current and emerging analytical approaches for the characterisation of vaccines against Salmonella Typhi and Shigella species is described in this paper. This study should aid the development and licensing of new glycoconjugate vaccines aimed at the prevention of enteric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Bazhenova
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK
| | - Fang Gao
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG UK
| | - Barbara Bolgiano
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG UK
| | - Stephen E. Harding
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK
- Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Postboks 6762 St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
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47
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Genetic and serological characterization of capsular antigen untypeable Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains reveal novel K serotypes and epidemiological characteristics in Shandong, China. Int J Food Microbiol 2021; 347:109188. [PMID: 33839439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which is commonly found in marine and estuarine environments worldwide and isolated from aquatic products, is one of the most important food-borne pathogens. Among the various typing methods, serotyping is widely accepted and utilized by infectious disease specialists and infection control agencies for the detection and epidemiological investigation of this pathogen. Thus far, 13 O serotypes and 71 K serotypes have been defined; however, untypeable strains are frequently isolated during routine detection, and some new O and/or K antigens have been identified and characterized. During a serotyping survey in Shandong province, China from 2016 to 2018, we collected 411 clinical V. parahaemolyticus strains and found that nine of them are untypeable K antigen strains. In this study, we identified three K serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus through in-depth genetic analysis of the K antigen gene cluster, serological tests, and the production of antisera. Among the nine strains, seven possess K untypeable 2 (KUT2) antigens, which have been reported recently by another group. However, two new O and K combinations (O3:KUT2 and O11:KUT2) were first characterized by us, with the remaining two each representing a novel K serotype. Moreover, through comparative genomic analysis, we showed that the Shandong KUT2 strains exhibit different virulence profiles compared to their identical K serotype partners from Zhejiang province, another Chinese coastal province; however, strains from these two regions are clustered into the same linage and may have evolved from a recent common ancestor. Additionally, one isolate, SD2016062, was phylogenetically similar to the strains associated with several local gastroenteritis outbreaks, with similar toxin patterns, suggesting its potential to cause sporadic occurrences of disease or even local pandemics. Finally, we developed a sero-specific PCR assay targeting the three novel K serotypes, which can monitor the V. parahaemolyticus spectrum for clinical and epidemiological purposes. Thus, we identified and characterized novel strains of V. parahaemolyticus and proposed a new technique for tracking the diversity of strains, which can help manage this food-borne pathogen.
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Dhara D, Mulard LA. Exploratory N-Protecting Group Manipulation for the Total Synthesis of Zwitterionic Shigella sonnei Oligosaccharides. Chemistry 2021; 27:5694-5711. [PMID: 33314456 PMCID: PMC8048667 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202003480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Shigella sonnei surface polysaccharides are well-established protective antigens against this major cause of diarrhoeal disease. They also qualify as unique zwitterionic polysaccharides (ZPSs) featuring a disaccharide repeating unit made of two 1,2-trans linked rare aminodeoxy sugars, a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-l-altruronic acid (l-AltpNAcA) and a 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-galactopyranose (AAT). Herein, the stereoselective synthesis of S. sonnei oligosaccharides comprising two, three and four repeating units is reported for the first time. Several sets of up to seven protecting groups were explored, shedding light on the singular conformational behavior of protected altrosamine and altruronic residues. A disaccharide building block equipped with three distinct N-protecting groups and featuring the uronate moiety already in place was designed to accomplish the iterative high yielding glycosylation at the axial 4-OH of the altruronate component and achieve the challenging full deprotection step. Key to the successful route was the use of a diacetyl strategy whereby the N-acetamido group of the l-AltpNAcA is masked in the form of an imide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debashis Dhara
- Unité de Chimie des BiomoléculesUMR 3523 CNRS, Institut Pasteur28 rue du Dr Roux75015ParisFrance
| | - Laurence A. Mulard
- Unité de Chimie des BiomoléculesUMR 3523 CNRS, Institut Pasteur28 rue du Dr Roux75015ParisFrance
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Chung The H, Bodhidatta L, Pham DT, Mason CJ, Ha Thanh T, Voong Vinh P, Turner P, Hem S, Dance DAB, Newton PN, Phetsouvanh R, Davong V, Thwaites GE, Thomson NR, Baker S, Rabaa MA. Evolutionary histories and antimicrobial resistance in Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei in Southeast Asia. Commun Biol 2021; 4:353. [PMID: 33742111 PMCID: PMC7979695 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01905-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional disease surveillance for shigellosis in developing country settings relies on serotyping and low-resolution molecular typing, which fails to contextualise the evolutionary history of the genus. Here, we interrogated a collection of 1,804 Shigella whole genome sequences from organisms isolated in four continental Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) over three decades to characterise the evolution of both S. flexneri and S. sonnei. We show that S. sonnei and each major S. flexneri serotype are comprised of genetically diverse populations, the majority of which were likely introduced into Southeast Asia in the 1970s-1990s. Intranational and regional dissemination allowed widespread propagation of both species across the region. Our data indicate that the epidemiology of S. sonnei and the major S. flexneri serotypes were characterised by frequent clonal replacement events, coinciding with changing susceptibility patterns against contemporaneous antimicrobials. We conclude that adaptation to antimicrobial pressure was pivotal to the recent evolutionary trajectory of Shigella in Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chung The
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Ladaporn Bodhidatta
- grid.413910.e0000 0004 0419 1772Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Duy Thanh Pham
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carl J. Mason
- grid.413910.e0000 0004 0419 1772Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tuyen Ha Thanh
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Phat Voong Vinh
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Paul Turner
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,grid.459332.a0000 0004 0418 5364Cambodia-Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia
| | - Sopheak Hem
- grid.418537.cMedical Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Institut Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - David A. B. Dance
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,grid.416302.20000 0004 0484 3312Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos ,grid.8991.90000 0004 0425 469XLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Paul N. Newton
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,grid.416302.20000 0004 0484 3312Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos ,grid.8991.90000 0004 0425 469XLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rattanaphone Phetsouvanh
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,grid.416302.20000 0004 0484 3312Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Viengmon Davong
- grid.416302.20000 0004 0484 3312Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Guy E. Thwaites
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas R. Thomson
- grid.8991.90000 0004 0425 469XLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK ,grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen Baker
- grid.5335.00000000121885934The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maia A. Rabaa
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Gasperini G, Raso MM, Arato V, Aruta MG, Cescutti P, Necchi F, Micoli F. Effect of O-Antigen Chain Length Regulation on the Immunogenicity of Shigella and Salmonella Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031309. [PMID: 33525644 PMCID: PMC7865430 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, generalized modules for membrane antigens (GMMA) technology has been proposed as an alternative approach to traditional glycoconjugate vaccines for O-antigen delivery. Saccharide length is a well-known parameter that can impact the immune response induced by glycoconjugates both in terms of magnitude and quality. However, the criticality of O-antigen length on the immune response induced by GMMA-based vaccines has not been fully elucidated. Here, Shigella and Salmonella GMMA-producing strains were further mutated in order to display homogeneous polysaccharide populations of different sizes on a GMMA surface. Resulting GMMA were compared in mice immunization studies. Athymic nude mice were also used to investigate the involvement of T-cells in the immune response elicited. In contrast with what has been reported for traditional glycoconjugate vaccines and independent of the pathogen and the sugar structural characteristics, O-antigen length did not result in being a critical parameter for GMMA immunogenicity. This work supports the identification of critical quality attributes to optimize GMMA vaccine design and improve vaccine efficacy and gives insights on the nature of the immune response induced by GMMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Gasperini
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
| | - Maria Michelina Raso
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, Bdg C11, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Vanessa Arato
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
| | - Maria Grazia Aruta
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
| | - Paola Cescutti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, Bdg C11, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Francesca Necchi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
| | - Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) s.r.l, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.G.); (M.M.R.); (V.A.); (M.G.A.); (F.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0577-539087
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