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Kędzierska-Mieszkowska S, Kędzierska B, Potrykus K. LIC_12757 from the pathogenic spirochaete Leptospira interrogans encodes an autoregulated ECF σ E-type factor. Vet Microbiol 2024; 293:110092. [PMID: 38615476 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2024.110092] [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: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σ factors, members of the σ70-family, are the largest class of alternative σ factors which are stimulated in the presence of specific signals and direct RNA polymerase to transcribe a defined subset of genes. Thanks to them, bacterial pathogens can effectively reprogram their gene expression and, consequently, survive in the host and establish infection in a relatively short time. The number of ECF σ factors encoded within bacterial genomes is different depending on a given species and it reflects the likelihood that these bacteria will encounter harsh environmental conditions. The genome of L. interrogans, a zoonotic pathogen responsible for leptospirosis, is predicted to encode 11 ECF σE-type factors, but none of them have been characterized biochemically to date and their functions are still unknown. Here, we focused on one of the leptospiral ECF σ factors, namely LIC_12757, which was previously found to be up-regulated at elevated temperatures and may be related to the expression of clpB encoding an important L. interrogans virulence factor. We report cloning of the coding sequence of the LIC_12757 gene, its expression with the pET system and biochemical characterization of LIC_12757. By performing EMSA and in vitro transcription assays, we provide strong evidence that LIC_12757 indeed functions as a transcriptional factor that enables RNA polymerase to bind to the specific σE-type promoter and to initiate transcription. Interestingly, we demonstrate that LIC_12757 is autoregulated at the transcriptional level. Our study is a first step towards determining key aspects of LIC_12757 function in pathogenic Leptospira.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Kędzierska
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-308, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Potrykus
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-308, Poland
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2
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Hamond C, Adam EN, Stone NE, LeCount K, Anderson T, Putz EJ, Camp P, Hicks J, Stuber T, van der Linden H, Bayles DO, Sahl JW, Schlater LK, Wagner DM, Nally JE. Identification of equine mares as reservoir hosts for pathogenic species of Leptospira. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1346713. [PMID: 38784659 PMCID: PMC11112012 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1346713] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Equine leptospirosis can result in abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, placentitis, and uveitis. Horses can also act as subclinical reservoir hosts of infection, which are characterized as asymptomatic carriers that persistently excrete leptospires and transmit disease. In this study, PCR and culture were used to assess urinary shedding of pathogenic Leptospira from 37 asymptomatic mares. Three asymptomatic mares, designated as H2, H8, and H9, were PCR-positive for lipL32, a gene specific for pathogenic species of Leptospira. One asymptomatic mare, H9, was culture-positive, and the recovered isolate was classified as L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan. DNA capture and enrichment of Leptospira genomic DNA from PCR-positive, culture-negative samples determined that asymptomatic mare H8 was also shedding L. kirschneri serogroup Australis, whereas asymptomatic mare H2 was shedding L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. Sera from all asymptomatic mares were tested by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and 35 of 37 (94.6%) were seropositive with titers ranging from 1:100 to 1:3200. In contrast to asymptomatic mares, mare H44 presented with acute spontaneous abortion and a serum MAT titer of 1:102,400 to L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Pomona. Comparison of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis strain H9 with that of L. interrogans serogroup Pomona strain H44 in the hamster model of leptospirosis corroborated differences in virulence of strains. Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a protective antigen in bacterin vaccines, the LPS of strain H9 (associated with subclinical carriage) was compared with strain H44 (associated with spontaneous abortion). This revealed different LPS profiles and immunoreactivity with reference antisera. It is essential to know what species and serovars of Leptospira are circulating in equine populations to design efficacious vaccines and diagnostic tests. Our results demonstrate that horses in the US can act as reservoir hosts of leptospirosis and shed diverse pathogenic Leptospira species via urine. This report also details the detection of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan, a species and serotype of Leptospira, not previously reported in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Hamond
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Emma N. Adam
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Nathan E. Stone
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Karen LeCount
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Tammy Anderson
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Ellie J. Putz
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Patrick Camp
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jessica Hicks
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Tod Stuber
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Hans van der Linden
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Darrell O. Bayles
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jason W. Sahl
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Linda K. Schlater
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - David M. Wagner
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Jarlath E. Nally
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
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Chandrasekharan G, Unnikrishnan M. High throughput methods to study protein-protein interactions during host-pathogen interactions. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151393. [PMID: 38306772 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151393] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of a pathogen to survive and cause an infection is often determined by specific interactions between the host and pathogen proteins. Such interactions can be both intra- and extracellular and may define the outcome of an infection. There are a range of innovative biochemical, biophysical and bioinformatic techniques currently available to identify protein-protein interactions (PPI) between the host and the pathogen. However, the complexity and the diversity of host-pathogen PPIs has led to the development of several high throughput (HT) techniques that enable the study of multiple interactions at once and/or screen multiple samples at the same time, in an unbiased manner. We review here the major HT laboratory-based technologies employed for host-bacterial interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meera Unnikrishnan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
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Xu R, Prakoso D, Salvador LCM, Rajeev S. Leptospira transcriptome sequencing using long-read technology reveals unannotated transcripts and potential polyadenylation of RNA molecules. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0223423. [PMID: 37861327 PMCID: PMC10715090 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02234-23] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Leptospirosis, caused by the spirochete bacteria Leptospira, is a zoonotic disease of humans and animals, accounting for over 1 million annual human cases and over 60,000 deaths. We have characterized operon transcriptional units, identified novel RNA coding regions, and reported evidence of potential posttranscriptional polyadenylation in the Leptospira transcriptomes for the first time using Oxford Nanopore Technology RNA sequencing protocols. The newly identified RNA coding regions and operon transcriptional units were detected only in the pathogenic Leptospira transcriptomes, suggesting their significance in virulence-related functions. This article integrates bioinformatics, infectious diseases, microbiology, molecular biology, veterinary sciences, and public health. Given the current knowledge gap in the regulation of leptospiral pathogenicity, our findings offer valuable insights to researchers studying leptospiral pathogenicity and provide both a basis and a tool for researchers focusing on prokaryotic molecular studies for the understanding of RNA compositions and prokaryotic polyadenylation for their organisms of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Xu
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Dhani Prakoso
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Liliana C. M. Salvador
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Sreekumari Rajeev
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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Schuler EJ, Patel DT, Marconi RT. The leptospiral OmpA-like protein (Loa22) is a surface-exposed antigen that elicits bactericidal antibody against heterologous Leptospira. Vaccine X 2023; 15:100382. [PMID: 37727366 PMCID: PMC10506094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2023.100382] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis, affecting over 1 million humans each year, with more than 60,000 deaths worldwide. Leptospirosis poses a significant health threat to dogs, horses, cattle, and wildlife. The disease may be self-limiting or progress to a life-threatening multi-system disorder affecting the kidneys, liver, and lungs. Currently, bacterin vaccine formulations that consist of one or more laboratory-cultivated strains are used for prevention. However, the antibody response elicited by these vaccines is directed primarily at lipopolysaccharide and is generally serovar-specific. The development of broadly protective subunit vaccines for veterinary and human applications would be a significant step forward in efforts to combat this emerging and antigenically variable pathogen. This study assessed the properties and potential utility of the Leptospira Loa22 (Leptospira OmpA-like 22 kDa protein) protein as a vaccine antigen. Loa22 is a virulence factor that is predicted to transverse the outer membrane and present its N-terminal domain on the cell surface. This report demonstrates that diverse Leptospira strains express Loa22 in vitro and that the protein is antigenic during infection in dogs. Immunoblot and size exclusion chromatography revealed that Loa22 exists in monomeric and trimeric forms. Immunization of rats with recombinant Loa22 elicited bactericidal antibodies against diverse Leptospira strains. The immunodominant bactericidal epitopes were localized within the N-terminal domain using protein-blocking bactericidal assays. This study supports the utility of Loa22, or subfragments thereof, in developing a multivalent chimeric subunit vaccine to prevent leptospirosis and sheds new light on the cellular localization of Loa22.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward J.A. Schuler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 E Clay St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Dhara T. Patel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 E Clay St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Richard T. Marconi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 E Clay St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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Phukan H, Sarma A, Rex DAB, Christie SAD, Sabu SK, Hariharan S, Prasad TSK, Madanan MG. Physiological Temperature and Osmotic Changes Drive Dynamic Proteome Alterations in the Leptospiral Outer Membrane and Enhance Protein Export Systems. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3447-3463. [PMID: 37877620 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00295] [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] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis, a remerging zoonosis, has no effective vaccine or an unambiguous early diagnostic reagent. Proteins differentially expressed (DE) under pathogenic conditions will be useful candidates for antileptospiral measures. We employed a multipronged approach comprising high-resolution TMT-labeled LC-MS/MS-based proteome analysis coupled with bioinformatics on leptospiral proteins following Triton X-114 subcellular fractionation of leptospires treated under physiological temperature and osmolarity that mimic infection. Although there were significant changes in the DE proteins at the level of the entire cell, there were notable changes in proteins at the subcellular level, particularly on the outer membrane (OM), that show the significance of subcellular proteome analysis. The detergent-enriched proteins, representing outer membrane proteins (OMPs), exhibited a dynamic nature and upregulation under various physiological conditions. It was found that pathogenic proteins showed a higher proportion of upregulation compared to the nonpathogenic proteins in the OM. Further analysis identified 17 virulent proteins exclusively upregulated in the outer membrane during infection that could be useful for vaccine and diagnostic targets. The DE proteins may aid in metabolic adaptation and are enriched in pathways related to signal transduction and antibiotic biosynthesis. Many upregulated proteins belong to protein export systems such as SEC translocase, T2SSs, and T1SSs, indicating their sequential participation in protein transport to the outer leaflet of the OM. Further studies on OM-localized proteins may shed light on the pathogenesis of leptospirosis and serve as the basis for effective countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Homen Phukan
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Abhijit Sarma
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Devasahayam Arokia Balaya Rex
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore 575018, India
| | | | - Sarath Kizhakkemuriyil Sabu
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Suneetha Hariharan
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
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Kędzierska-Mieszkowska S. Sigma factors of RNA polymerase in the pathogenic spirochaete Leptospira interrogans, the causative agent of leptospirosis. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23163. [PMID: 37688587 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300252rrr] [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: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the role of σ factors in a highly invasive spirochaete Leptospira interrogans responsible for leptospirosis that affects many mammals, including humans. This disease has a significant impact on public health and the economy worldwide. In bacteria, σ factors are the key regulators of gene expression at the transcriptional level and therefore play an important role in bacterial adaptative response to different environmental stimuli. These factors form a holoenzyme with the RNA polymerase core enzyme and then direct it to specific promoters, which results in turning on selected genes. Most bacteria possess several different σ factors that enable them to maintain basal gene expression, as well as to regulate gene expression in response to specific environmental signals. Recent comparative genomics and in silico genome-wide analyses have revealed that the L. interrogans genome, consisting of two circular chromosomes, encodes a total of 14 σ factors. Among them, there is one putative housekeeping σ70 -like factor, and three types of alternative σ factors, i.e., one σ54 , one σ28 and 11 putative ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σE -type factors. Here, characteristics of these putative σ factors and their possible role in the L. interrogans gene regulation (especially in this pathogen's adaptive response to various environmental conditions, an important determinant of leptospiral virulence), are presented.
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Huete SG, Benaroudj N. The Arsenal of Leptospira Species against Oxidants. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1273. [PMID: 37372003 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061273] [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: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are byproducts of oxygen metabolism produced by virtually all organisms living in an oxic environment. ROS are also produced by phagocytic cells in response to microorganism invasion. These highly reactive molecules can damage cellular constituents (proteins, DNA, and lipids) and exhibit antimicrobial activities when present in sufficient amount. Consequently, microorganisms have evolved defense mechanisms to counteract ROS-induced oxidative damage. Leptospira are diderm bacteria form the Spirochaetes phylum. This genus is diverse, encompassing both free-living non-pathogenic bacteria as well as pathogenic species responsible for leptospirosis, a widespread zoonotic disease. All leptospires are exposed to ROS in the environment, but only pathogenic species are well-equipped to sustain the oxidative stress encountered inside their hosts during infection. Importantly, this ability plays a pivotal role in Leptospira virulence. In this review, we describe the ROS encountered by Leptospira in their different ecological niches and outline the repertoire of defense mechanisms identified so far in these bacteria to scavenge deadly ROS. We also review the mechanisms controlling the expression of these antioxidants systems and recent advances in understanding the contribution of Peroxide Stress Regulators in Leptospira adaptation to oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel G Huete
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biologie des Spirochètes, CNRS UMR 6047, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Nadia Benaroudj
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Biologie des Spirochètes, CNRS UMR 6047, F-75015 Paris, France
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Kędzierska-Mieszkowska S, Arent Z. Immunoreactivity of a Putative ECF σ Factor, LIC_10559, from Leptospira interrogans with Sera from Leptospira-Infected Animals. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040512. [PMID: 37111398 PMCID: PMC10144590 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
L. interrogans belongs to highly invasive spirochaetes causing leptospirosis in mammals, including humans. During infection, this pathogen is exposed to various stressors, and therefore, it must reprogram its gene expression to survive in the host and establish infection in a short duration of time. Host adaptation is possible thanks to molecular responses where appropriate regulators and signal transduction systems participate. Among the bacterial regulators, there are σ factors, including ECF (extracytoplasmic function) σ factors. The L. interrogans genome encodes 11 putative ECF σE-type factors. Currently, none of them has been characterized biochemically, and their functions are still unknown. One of them, LIC_10559, is the most likely to be active during infection because it is only found in the highly pathogenic Leptospira. The aim of this study was to achieve LIC_10559 overexpression to answer the question whether it may be a target of the humoral immune response during leptospiral infections. The immunoreactivity of the recombinant LIC_10559 was evaluated by SDS-PAGE, ECL Western blotting and ELISA assay using sera collected from Leptospira-infected animals and uninfected healthy controls. We found that LIC_10559 was recognized by IgG antibodies from the sera of infected animals and is, therefore, able to induce the host’s immune response to pathogenic Leptospira. This result suggests the involvement of LIC_10559 in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Kędzierska-Mieszkowska
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-523-6064
| | - Zbigniew Arent
- University Centre of Veterinary Medicine UAK, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland;
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Phukan H, Sarma A, Rex DA, Rai AB, Prasad TS, Madanan MG. Unique Posttranslational Modification Sites of Acetylation, Citrullination, Glutarylation, and Phosphorylation Are Found to Be Specific to the Proteins Partitioned in the Triton X-114 Fractions of Leptospira. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:18569-18576. [PMID: 35694507 PMCID: PMC9178745 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are decisive factors in the structure, function, and localization of proteins in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. However, prokaryotic organisms lack subcellular organelles, and protein localization based on subcellular locations like cytoplasm, inner membrane, periplasm, and outer membrane can be accounted for functional characterization. We have identified 131 acetylated, 1182 citrullinated, 72 glutarylated, 5 palmitoylated, and 139 phosphorylated proteins from Triton X-114 fractionated proteins of Leptospira, the pathogen of re-emerging zoonotic disease leptospirosis. In total, 74.7% of proteins were found exclusively in different Triton X-114 fractions. Additionally, 21.9% of proteins in multiple fractions had one or more PTM specific to different Triton X-114 fractions. Altogether, 96.6% of proteins showed exclusiveness to different Triton X-114 fractions either due to the presence of the entire protein or with a specific PTM type or position. Further, the PTM distribution within Triton X-114 fractions showed higher acetylation in aqueous, glutarylation in detergent, phosphorylation in pellet, and citrullination in wash fractions representing cytoplasmic, outer membrane, inner membrane, and extracellular locations, respectively. Identification of PTMs in proteins with respect to the subcellular localization will help to characterize candidate proteins before developing novel drugs and vaccines rationally to combat leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Homen Phukan
- ICMR-Regional
Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, India
| | - Abhijit Sarma
- ICMR-Regional
Medical Research Centre, Port Blair 744103, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, India
| | - Devasahayam Arokia
Balaya Rex
- Center
for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru 575018, Karnataka, India
| | - Akhila Balakrishna Rai
- Center
for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru 575018, Karnataka, India
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11
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Some like it hot, some like it cold; proteome comparison of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo strains propagated at different temperatures. J Proteomics 2022; 262:104602. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Phoka T, Fule L, Da Fonseca JP, Cokelaer T, Picardeau M, Patarakul K. Investigating the role of the carbon storage regulator A (CsrA) in Leptospira spp. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260981. [PMID: 34898610 PMCID: PMC8668096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon Storage Regulator A (CsrA) is a well-characterized post-transcriptional global regulator that plays a critical role in response to environmental changes in many bacteria. CsrA has been reported to regulate several metabolic pathways, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence-associated genes. The role of csrA in Leptospira spp., which are able to survive in different environmental niches and infect a wide variety of reservoir hosts, has not been characterized. To investigate the role of csrA as a gene regulator in Leptospira, we generated a L. biflexa csrA deletion mutant (ΔcsrA) and csrA overexpressing Leptospira strains. The ΔcsrA L. biflexa displayed poor growth under starvation conditions. RNA sequencing revealed that in rich medium only a few genes, including the gene encoding the flagellar filament protein FlaB3, were differentially expressed in the ΔcsrA mutant. In contrast, 575 transcripts were differentially expressed when csrA was overexpressed in L. biflexa. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed the RNA-seq data in the ΔcsrA mutant, showing direct binding of recombinant CsrA to flaB3 mRNA. In the pathogen L. interrogans, we were not able to generate a csrA mutant. We therefore decided to overexpress csrA in L. interrogans. In contrast to the overexpressing strain of L. biflexa, the overexpressing L. interrogans strain had poor motility on soft agar. The overexpressing strain of L. interrogans also showed significant upregulation of the flagellin flaB1, flaB2, and flaB4. The interaction of L. interrogans rCsrA and flaB4 was confirmed by EMSA. Our results demonstrated that CsrA may function as a global regulator in Leptospira spp. under certain conditions that cause csrA overexpression. Interestingly, the mechanisms of action and gene targets of CsrA may be different between non-pathogenic and pathogenic Leptospira strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theerapat Phoka
- Medical Microbiology, Interdisciplinary and International Program, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lenka Fule
- Institut Pasteur, Biology of Spirochetes Unit, French National Reference Centre for Leptospirosis, Paris, France
| | - Juliana Pipoli Da Fonseca
- Plate-forme Technologique Biomics, Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Cokelaer
- Plate-forme Technologique Biomics, Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique – Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Picardeau
- Institut Pasteur, Biology of Spirochetes Unit, French National Reference Centre for Leptospirosis, Paris, France
| | - Kanitha Patarakul
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
- Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC), Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- * E-mail: ,
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Grassmann AA, Zavala-Alvarado C, Bettin EB, Picardeau M, Benaroudj N, Caimano MJ. The FUR-like regulators PerRA and PerRB integrate a complex regulatory network that promotes mammalian host-adaptation and virulence of Leptospira interrogans. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009078. [PMID: 34855918 PMCID: PMC8638967 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira interrogans, the causative agent of most cases of human leptospirosis, must respond to myriad environmental signals during its free-living and pathogenic lifestyles. Previously, we compared L. interrogans cultivated in vitro and in vivo using a dialysis membrane chamber (DMC) peritoneal implant model. From these studies emerged the importance of genes encoding the Peroxide responsive regulators PerRA and PerRB. First described in in Bacillus subtilis, PerRs are widespread in Gram-negative and -positive bacteria, where regulate the expression of gene products involved in detoxification of reactive oxygen species and virulence. Using perRA and perRB single and double mutants, we establish that L. interrogans requires at least one functional PerR for infectivity and renal colonization in a reservoir host. Our finding that the perRA/B double mutant survives at wild-type levels in DMCs is noteworthy as it demonstrates that the loss of virulence is not due to a metabolic lesion (i.e., metal starvation) but instead reflects dysregulation of virulence-related gene products. Comparative RNA-Seq analyses of perRA, perRB and perRA/B mutants cultivated within DMCs identified 106 genes that are dysregulated in the double mutant, including ligA, ligB and lvrA/B sensory histidine kinases. Decreased expression of LigA and LigB in the perRA/B mutant was not due to loss of LvrAB signaling. The majority of genes in the perRA and perRB single and double mutant DMC regulons were differentially expressed only in vivo, highlighting the importance of host signals for regulating gene expression in L. interrogans. Importantly, the PerRA, PerRB and PerRA/B DMC regulons each contain multiple genes related to environmental sensing and/or transcriptional regulation. Collectively, our data suggest that PerRA and PerRB are part of a complex regulatory network that promotes host adaptation by L. interrogans within mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- André A. Grassmann
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Crispin Zavala-Alvarado
- Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Communauté d’universités et d’établissements (COMUE), Bio Sorbonne Paris Cité (BioSPC), Paris, France
| | - Everton B. Bettin
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sol, Brazil
| | - Mathieu Picardeau
- Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Benaroudj
- Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Melissa J. Caimano
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
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Antigen-Specific Urinary Immunoglobulin in Reservoir Hosts of Leptospirosis. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8090178. [PMID: 34564572 PMCID: PMC8473202 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8090178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic and wildlife animal species act as reservoir hosts of leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease affecting more than 1 million people annually and causing significant morbidity and mortality in domestic animals. In contrast to incidental hosts which present with an array of clinical manifestations, reservoir hosts are typically asymptomatic and can shed leptospires from chronically infected kidneys via urine for extended periods of time. Renal excretion of leptospires occurs despite evidence of a humoral and cellular immune response and is reflective of the unique biological equilibrium that exists between certain animal species and specific serovars of Leptospira. Here, we demonstrate that urinary excretion of leptospires is accompanied by the presence of antigen-specific urinary immunoglobulin. In rats experimentally infected with L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni using the intraperitoneal or conjunctival route of inoculation, urinary immunoglobulin (Ig) G specific for protein antigens was detectable within 1 week. Rat urinary IgG was not bound to urinary-derived leptospires. In cattle that were naturally exposed to, and infected with, L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo, urinary IgA specific for protein antigens was detected. Collectively, these results demonstrate that urinary excretion of immunoglobulin specific for leptospires is a hallmark of reservoir hosts of infection.
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15
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Anti-Leptospira immunoglobulin profiling in mice reveals strain specific IgG and persistent IgM responses associated with virulence and renal colonization. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0008970. [PMID: 33705392 PMCID: PMC8007020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008970] [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] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira interrogans is a pathogenic spirochete responsible for leptospirosis, a neglected, zoonotic reemerging disease. Humans are sensitive hosts and may develop severe disease. Some animal species, such as rats and mice can become asymptomatic renal carriers. More than 350 leptospiral serovars have been identified, classified on the basis of the antibody response directed against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Similarly to whole inactivated bacteria used as human vaccines, this response is believed to confer only short-term, serogroup-specific protection. The immune response of hosts against leptospires has not been thoroughly studied, which complicates the testing of vaccine candidates. In this work, we studied the immunoglobulin (Ig) profiles in mice infected with L. interrogans over time to determine whether this humoral response confers long-term protection after homologous challenge six months post-infection. Groups of mice were injected intraperitoneally with 2×107 leptospires of one of three pathogenic serovars (Manilae, Copenhageni or Icterohaemorrhagiae), attenuated mutants or heat-killed bacteria. Leptospira-specific immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM, IgG and 4 subclasses) produced in the first weeks up to 6 months post-infection were measured by ELISA. Strikingly, we found sustained high levels of IgM in mice infected with the pathogenic Manilae and Copenhageni strains, both colonizing the kidney. In contrast, the Icterohaemorrhagiae strain did not lead to kidney colonization, even at high dose, and triggered a classical IgM response that peaked at day 8 post-infection and disappeared. The virulent Manilae and Copenhageni serovars elicited high levels and similar profiles of IgG subclasses in contrast to Icterohaemorrhagiae strains that stimulated weaker antibody responses. Inactivated heat-killed Manilae strains elicited very low responses. However, all mice pre-injected with leptospires challenged with high doses of homologous bacteria did not develop acute leptospirosis, and all antibody responses were boosted after challenge. Furthermore, we showed that 2 months post-challenge, mice pre-infected with the attenuated M895 Manilae LPS mutant or heat-killed bacterin were completely protected against renal colonization. In conclusion, we observed a sustained IgM response potentially associated with chronic leptospiral renal infection. We also demonstrated in mice different profiles of protective and cross-reactive antibodies after L. interrogans infection, depending on the serovar and virulence of strains. Leptospira interrogans is a pathogenic spirochete responsible for leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic reemerging disease. The immune response of hosts against these bacteria has not been thoroughly studied. Here, we studied over 6 months the antibody profiles in mice infected with L. interrogans and determined whether this humoral response confers long-term protection after homologous challenge six months after primary infection. Groups of mice were infected intraperitoneally with 2×107 bacteria of one of three different pathogenic serovars (Manilae, Copenhageni and Icterohaemorrhagiae) and some corresponding attenuated avirulent mutants. We measured by ELISA each type of Leptospira-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) (IgA, IgM, IgG and 4 subclasses) produced in the first weeks up to 6 months post-infection and studied their cross-reactivities among serovars. We showed different profiles of antibody response after L. interrogans challenge in mice, depending on the serovar and virulence of strains. However, all infected mice, including the ones harboring low antibody levels, like mice vaccinated with an inactivated, heat-killed strain, were protected against leptospirosis after challenge. Notably, we also showed an unusual sustained IgM response associated with chronic leptospiral colonization. Altogether, this long-term immune protection is different from what is known in humans and warrants further investigation.
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Grassmann AA, Caimano MJ. Cultivation of Leptospira interrogans Within Rat Peritoneal Dialysis Membrane Chambers. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2134:229-242. [PMID: 32632874 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0459-5_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
In order to sustain its zoonotic lifecycle, leptospires must adapt to growth within the host milieu. Signals encountered within the mammal also trigger regulatory programs required by Leptospira for the expression of virulence-related gene products. The complex transcriptional, antigenic, and physiological changes leptospires undergo within the mammal are collectively referred to as "host adaptation." In this chapter, we describe the procedures for the generation of host-adapted Leptospira spp. by cultivation within dialysis membrane chambers (DMCs) implanted in rat peritoneal cavities. In this model, Leptospira spp. diluted in EMJH medium are sequestered within sterile dialysis membrane tubing closed at both ends. The chamber then is surgically implanted within the peritoneal cavity of a rat and incubated for 7-10 days. During this period, leptospires are exposed to many, if not all, of the physiological and nutritional cues required for host adaptation while at the same time protected from clearance by host innate and adaptive immune defenses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa J Caimano
- Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
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17
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Forrest S, Welch M. Arming the troops: Post-translational modification of extracellular bacterial proteins. Sci Prog 2020; 103:36850420964317. [PMID: 33148128 PMCID: PMC10450907 DOI: 10.1177/0036850420964317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Protein secretion is almost universally employed by bacteria. Some proteins are retained on the cell surface, whereas others are released into the extracellular milieu, often playing a key role in virulence. In this review, we discuss the diverse types and potential functions of post-translational modifications (PTMs) occurring to extracellular bacterial proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Forrest
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin Welch
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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18
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Putz EJ, Nally JE. Investigating the Immunological and Biological Equilibrium of Reservoir Hosts and Pathogenic Leptospira: Balancing the Solution to an Acute Problem? Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2005. [PMID: 32922382 PMCID: PMC7456838 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a devastating zoonotic disease affecting people and animals across the globe. Pathogenic leptospires are excreted in urine of reservoir hosts which directly or indirectly leads to continued disease transmission, via contact with mucous membranes or a breach of the skin barrier of another host. Human fatalities approach 60,000 deaths per annum; though most vertebrates are susceptible to leptospirosis, complex interactions between host species and serovars of Leptospira can yield disease phenotypes that vary from asymptomatic shedding in reservoir hosts, to multi-organ failure in incidental hosts. Clinical symptoms of acute leptospirosis reflect the diverse range of pathogenic species and serovars that cause infection, the level of exposure, and the relationship of the pathogen with the given host. However, in all cases, pathogenic Leptospira are excreted into the environment via urine from reservoir hosts which are uniformly recognized as asymptomatic carriers. Therefore, the reservoir host serves as the cornerstone of persistent disease transmission. Although bacterin vaccines can be used to abate renal carriage and excretion in domestic animal species, there is an urgent need to advance our understanding of immune-mediated host–pathogen interactions that facilitate persistent asymptomatic carriage. This review summarizes the current understanding of host–pathogen interactions in the reservoir host and prioritizes research to unravel mechanisms that allow for colonization but not destruction of the host. This information is required to understand, and ultimately control, the transmission of pathogenic Leptospira.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie J Putz
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jarlath E Nally
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA, United States
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19
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Hornsby RL, Alt DP, Nally JE. Isolation and propagation of leptospires at 37 °C directly from the mammalian host. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9620. [PMID: 32541841 PMCID: PMC7296004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66526-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The causative agent of leptospirosis includes multiple serovars and species of pathogenic leptospires that are excreted via urine from reservoir hosts of infection. Primary isolation takes weeks to months, and is limited to semi-solid media at 28-30 °C. Here we present an alternative media formulation, HAN, compared to commercially available EMJH and the more specialized T80/40/LH media formulations, in semi-solid and liquid compositions, for the primary isolation of two diverse species and serovars of pathogenic leptospires directly from host kidney tissue. All three media types supported the isolation and propagation of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain IC:20:001 in semi-solid media at 29 °C. However, only HAN and T80/40/LH supported the growth of L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo strain HB15B203 at 29 °C. In addition, HAN supported primary isolation at 37 °C. Both T80/40/LH and HAN supported primary isolation of strain IC:20:001 in liquid media at 29 °C but only HAN supported growth of strain HB15B203 in liquid media, at both 29 and 37 °C. HAN media supports the primary isolation of fastidious pathogenic leptospires directly from infected host tissue at either 29 or 37 °C: this formulation represents a more defined media for the continued optimization of growth factors required to support the primary isolation of the large and diverse range of species and serovars within the genus Leptospira circulating within domestic and wild animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Hornsby
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - David P Alt
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jarlath E Nally
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA.
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20
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Felix CR, Siedler BS, Barbosa LN, Timm GR, McFadden J, McBride AJA. An overview of human leptospirosis vaccine design and future perspectives. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 15:179-188. [PMID: 31777290 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1694508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: It's been 20 years since the first report of a recombinant vaccine that protected against leptospirosis. Since then, numerous recombinant vaccines have been evaluated; however, no recombinant vaccine candidate has advanced to clinical trials. With the ever-increasing burden of leptospirosis, there is an urgent need for a universal vaccine against leptospirosis.Areas covered: This review covers the most promising vaccine candidates that induced significant, reproducible, protection and how advances in the field of bioinformatics has led to the discovery of hundreds of novel protein targets. The authors also discuss the most recent findings regarding the innate immune response and host-pathogen interactions and their impact on the discovery of novel vaccine candidates. In addition, the authors have identified what they believe are the most challenging problems for the discovery and development of a universal vaccine and their potential solutions.Expert opinion: A universal vaccine for leptospirosis will likely only be achieved using a recombinant vaccine as the bacterins are of limited use due to the lack of a cross-protective immune response. Although there are hundreds of novel targets, due to the lack of immune correlates and the need for more research into the basic microbiology of Leptospira spp., a universal vaccine is 10-15 years away.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina R Felix
- Biotechnology Department, Centre for Technological Development, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Bianca S Siedler
- Biotechnology Department, Centre for Technological Development, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.,School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Liana N Barbosa
- Biotechnology Department, Centre for Technological Development, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Gabriana R Timm
- Biotechnology Department, Centre for Technological Development, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Johnjoe McFadden
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Alan J A McBride
- Biotechnology Department, Centre for Technological Development, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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21
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Orihuel A, Terán L, Renaut J, Planchon S, Valacco MP, Masias E, Minahk C, Vignolo G, Moreno S, De Almeida AM, Saavedra L, Fadda S. Physiological and proteomic response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to a bioprotective lactic acid bacterium in a meat environment. Food Res Int 2019; 125:108622. [PMID: 31554055 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The enterohemorrhagic Escherichia (E.) coli (EHEC) is a pathogen of great concern for public health and the meat industry all over the world. The high economic losses in meat industry and the high costs of the illness highlight the necessity of additional efforts to control this pathogen. Previous studies have demonstrated the inhibitory activity of Enterococcus mundtii CRL35 towards EHEC, showing a specific proteomic response during the co-culture. In the present work, additional studies of the EHEC-Ent. mundtii interaction were carried out: i) differential protein expression of E. coli O157:H7 NCTC12900 growing in co-culture with Ent. mundtii in a meat environment, ii) the reciprocal influence between these two microorganisms in the adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and iii) the possible induction of the phage W933, coding for Shiga toxin (Stx1), by Ent. mundtii CRL35. Proteomic analysis showed a significant repression of a number of E. coli NCTC12900 proteins in co-culture respect to its single culture, these mostly related to the metabolism and transport of amino acids and nucleotides. On the other hand, statistically significant overexpression of EHEC proteins involved in stress, energy production, amino acid metabolism and transcription was observed at 30 h respect to 6 h when EHEC grew in co-culture. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD014588. Besides, EHEC showed a decreased adhesion capacity to ECM proteins in the presence of the bioprotective strain. Finally, Ent. mundtii CRL35 did not induce the lytic cycle of W933 bacteriophage, thus indicating its potential safe use for eliminating this pathogen. Overall, this study expands the knowledge of EHEC- Ent. mundtii CRL35 interaction in a meat environment, which will certainly contribute to find out effective biological strategies to eliminate this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Orihuel
- Technology, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia Terán
- Genetics, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Jenny Renaut
- LIST - Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology "Environmental Research and Innovation" (ERIN) Department, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Sébastien Planchon
- LIST - Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology "Environmental Research and Innovation" (ERIN) Department, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - María Pía Valacco
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Emilse Masias
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI - San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Carlos Minahk
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT. Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI - San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Graciela Vignolo
- Technology, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Silvia Moreno
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - André M De Almeida
- LEAF - Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lucila Saavedra
- Genetics, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Silvina Fadda
- Technology, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
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22
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Orihuel A, Terán L, Renaut J, Vignolo GM, De Almeida AM, Saavedra ML, Fadda S. Differential Proteomic Analysis of Lactic Acid Bacteria- Escherichia coli O157:H7 Interaction and Its Contribution to Bioprotection Strategies in Meat. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1083. [PMID: 29922248 PMCID: PMC5996242 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human infection by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia (E.) coli (EHEC) occurs through the ingestion of contaminated foods such as milk, vegetable products, water-based drinks, and particularly minced meats. Indeed EHEC is a pathogen that threatens public health and meat industry. The potential of different Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) strains to control EHEC in a meat-based medium was evaluated by using a simple and rapid method and by analyzing the growth kinetics of co-cultures (LAB-EHEC) in a meat-based medium. The activity of LAB toward EHEC in co-cultures showed variable inhibitory effect. Although, LAB were able to control EHEC, neither the produced acid nor bacteriocins were responsible of the inhibition. The bacteriocinogenic Enteroccus (Ent.) mundtii CRL35 presented one of the highest inhibition activities. A proteomic approach was used to evaluate bacterial interaction and antagonistic mechanisms between Ent. mundtii and EHEC. Physiological observations, such as growth kinetics, acidification ability and EHEC inhibitory potential were supported by the proteomic results, demonstrating significant differences in protein expression in LAB: (i) due to the presence of the pathogen and (ii) according to the growth phase analyzed. Most of the identified proteins belonged to carbohydrate/amino acid metabolism, energy production, transcription/translation, and cell division. These results contribute to the knowledge of competition strategies used by Ent. mundtii during its co-culture with EHEC setting new perspectives for the use of LAB to control this pathogen in meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Orihuel
- Technology Department, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia Terán
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Department, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Jenny Renaut
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology "Environmental Research and Innovation" Department, Belvaux, Luxemburg
| | - Graciela M Vignolo
- Technology Department, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - André M De Almeida
- LEAF - Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - María L Saavedra
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Department, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Silvina Fadda
- Technology Department, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CERELA CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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23
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Toma C, Koizumi N, Kakita T, Yamaguchi T, Hermawan I, Higa N, Yamashiro T. Leptospiral 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase as an early urinary biomarker of leptospirosis. Heliyon 2018; 4:e00616. [PMID: 29862373 PMCID: PMC5968168 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis, caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, is a globally widespread, neglected and emerging zoonotic disease. The currently used diagnostic tests are time-consuming, require technical expertise or require the use of sophisticated equipment. Clinicians have pointed out the urgent need to develop a rapid test for the diagnosis of acute leptospirosis with a non-invasive and easy sampling method. In this study, we have focused on a leptospiral enzyme, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (3-HADH), as a urinary biomarker of acute leptospirosis. A specific antiserum for pathogenic Leptospira spp. was produced, targeting a peptide corresponding to amino acids 410 to 424 of 3-HADH. The antiserum was used to investigate whether 3-HADH is excreted in the urine by Western blotting. Among 70 suspected leptospirosis patients, 40 were laboratory confirmed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using paired sera samples and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the acute phase of the laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis cases, sensitivity for 3-HADH, blood PCR and urine PCR were 52.5%, 57.5% and 12%, respectively. 3-HADH was detected from 2 days post-onset of illness (p.o) and could be detected at least until 9 days p.o. The combination of PCR and 3-HADH detection increased sensitivity of diagnosis to 100% in samples collected between 1 and 3 days p.o., and to 82% in samples collected between 4 and 9 days p.o. Our results suggested that the detection of 3-HADH can support a clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis, especially when serological methods are negative during the acute phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Toma
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
| | - Nobuo Koizumi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kakita
- Medical Microbiology and Zoology Section, Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, Okinawa 904-2214, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Yamaguchi
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
| | - Idam Hermawan
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
| | - Naomi Higa
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
| | - Tetsu Yamashiro
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
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Zhang JJ, Hu WL, Yang Y, Li H, Picardeau M, Yan J, Yang XF. The sigma factor σ 54 is required for the long-term survival of Leptospira biflexa in water. Mol Microbiol 2018; 109:10.1111/mmi.13967. [PMID: 29633391 PMCID: PMC6174002 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Leptospira spp. comprise both pathogenic and free-living saprophytic species. Little is known about the environmental adaptation and survival mechanisms of Leptospira. Alternative sigma factor, σ54 (RpoN) is known to play an important role in environmental and host adaptation in many bacteria. In this study, we constructed an rpoN mutant by allele exchange, and the complemented strain in saprophytic L. biflexa. Transcriptome analysis revealed that expression of several genes involved in nitrogen uptake and metabolism, including amtB1, glnB-amtB2, ntrX and narK, were controlled by σ54 . While wild-type L. biflexa could not grow under nitrogen-limiting conditions but was able to survive under such conditions and recover rapidly, the rpoN mutant was not. The rpoN mutant also had dramatically reduced ability to survive long-term in water. σ54 appears to regulate expression of amtB1, glnK-amtB2, ntrX and narK in an indirect manner. However, we identified a novel nitrogen-related gene, LEPBI_I1011, whose expression was directly under the control of σ54 (herein renamed as rcfA for RpoN-controlled factor A). Taken together, our data reveal that the σ54 regulatory network plays an important role in the long-term environmental survival of Leptospira spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Jie Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Wei-Lin Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Youyun Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hongxia Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Jie Yan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - X. Frank Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Nally JE, Hornsby RL, Alt DP, Bayles D, Wilson-Welder JH, Palmquist DE, Bauer NE. Isolation and characterization of pathogenic leptospires associated with cattle. Vet Microbiol 2018; 218:25-30. [PMID: 29685217 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic leptospires colonize the renal tubules of reservoir hosts of infection, including cattle, and are excreted via urine. In order to identify circulating serovars of pathogenic leptospires in beef cattle, and their associated rates of urinary excretion, a cross sectional study was performed. Fifty urine samples were collected one day each month over 12 consecutive months (N = 600), directly from the bladder of beef cattle at a single slaughter facility and assessed for the presence of leptospires by culture and the fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Where possible, a matched serum sample was also collected for the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Forty-three urine samples were either culture positive or FAT positive, indicating that 7.2% of sampled beef cattle were actively excreting leptospires in urine. Twenty-three urine samples were culture positive. Sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA and secY indicated that all isolates were Leptospira borgpetersenii. Typing by serology indicated that all isolates were serogroup Sejroe. An overall seroprevalence of 20% (MAT ≥ 1:25) was determined; positive bovine sera was most reactive to serogroup Sejroe (serovar Hardjo) (8.1%), and serogroup Australis (serovar Bratislava) (6.7%). There was poor correlation between seroprevalence and excretion of leptospires since 18/43 (41.9%) cattle, which were positive by culture or FAT, were seronegative. The virulence of two selected isolates of L. borgpetersenii was confirmed by experimental infection in small animal models of infection. Results confirm that L. borgpetesenii continues to circulate in beef cattle and that multiple diagnostic assays are required to detect active shedding. These findings also highlight beef cattle as a reservoir host for the potential zoonotic transmission of leptospires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarlath E Nally
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA.
| | - Richard L Hornsby
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - David P Alt
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Darrell Bayles
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jennifer H Wilson-Welder
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Debra E Palmquist
- USDA/ARS-Midwest Area Statistics Unit, 1815 N. Street, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Nathan E Bauer
- Office of Public Health Science, USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, College Station, TX, USA
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Nally JE, Wilson-Welder JH, Hornsby RL, Palmer MV, Alt DP. Inbred Rats as a Model to Study Persistent Renal Leptospirosis and Associated Cellular Immune Responsiveness. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:66. [PMID: 29594063 PMCID: PMC5861151 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease with a global distribution affecting over one million people annually. Rats are regarded as one of the most significant reservoir hosts of infection for human disease, and in the absence of clinical signs of infection, excrete large numbers of organisms in their urine. A unique biological equilibrium exists between pathogenic leptospires and reservoir hosts of infection, but surprisingly, little is known concerning the host's cellular immune response that facilitates persistent renal colonization. To address this deficiency, we established and applied an immunocompetent inbred rat model of persistent renal colonization; leptospires were detected in urine of experimentally infected rats by 3 weeks post-infection and remained positive until 8 weeks post-infection. However, there was little, if any, evidence of inflammation in colonized renal tubules. At 8 weeks post-infection, a robust antibody response was detected against lipopolysaccharide and protein outer membrane (OM) components. Purified B and T cells derived from the spleen of infected and non-infected rats proliferated in response to stimulation with 0.5 μg of OM fractions of Leptospira, including CD4+ T cells, which comprised 40% of proliferating cells, compared to 25% in non-infected controls. However, analysis of gene expression did not determine which immunoregulatory pathways were activated. Lymphocytes purified from the lymph node draining the site of colonization, the renal lymph node, also showed an increase in percentage of proliferating B and T cells. However, in contrast to a phenotype of 40% CD4+ T cells in the spleen, the phenotype of proliferating T cells in the renal lymph node comprised 65% CD4+ T cells. These results confirm that the renal lymph node, the local lymphoid organ, is a dominant site containing Leptospira reactive CD4+ T cells and highlight the need to consider the local, vs. systemic, immune responses during renal colonization infection. The use of inbred immunocompetent rats provides a novel tool to further elucidate those pathophysiological pathways that facilitate the unique biological equilibrium observed in reservoir hosts of leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarlath E Nally
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jennifer H Wilson-Welder
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Richard L Hornsby
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Mitchell V Palmer
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - David P Alt
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
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27
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Nascimento Filho EG, Vieira ML, Teixeira AF, Santos JC, Fernandes LGV, Passalia FJ, Daroz BB, Rossini A, Kochi LT, Cavenague MF, Pimenta DC, Nascimento ALTO. Proteomics as a tool to understand Leptospira physiology and virulence: Recent advances, challenges and clinical implications. J Proteomics 2018; 180:80-87. [PMID: 29501847 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Edson G Nascimento Filho
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Monica L Vieira
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F Teixeira
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jademilson C Santos
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe J Passalia
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pos-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Brenda B Daroz
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pos-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Rossini
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pos-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro T Kochi
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pos-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria F Cavenague
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pos-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel C Pimenta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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28
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Recent findings related to immune responses against leptospirosis and novel strategies to prevent infection. Microbes Infect 2018; 20:578-588. [PMID: 29452258 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
What are the new approaches and emerging ideas to prevent leptospirosis, a neglected bacterial re-emerging zoonotic disease? How do Leptospira interrogans escape the host defenses? We aim here to review and discuss the most recent literature that provides some answers to these questions, in particular data related to a better understanding of adaptive and innate immunity towards leptospires, and design of vaccines. This is an opinion paper, not a comprehensive review. We will try to highlight the new strategies and technologies boosting the search for drugs and vaccines. We will also address the bottlenecks and difficulties impairing the search for efficient vaccines and the many gaps in our knowledge of immunity against leptospirosis. Finally, we aim to delineate how Leptospira spp. escape the innate immune responses of Toll-Like receptors (TLR) and Nod-Like receptors (NLR). The rational use of TLR and NLR agonists as adjuvants could be key to design future vaccines against pathogenic leptospires.
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