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Douradinha B. Computational strategies in Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine design: navigating the landscape of in silico insights. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 76:108437. [PMID: 39216613 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108437] [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: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a grave threat to global public health, necessitating urgent strategies for vaccine development. In this context, computational tools have emerged as indispensable assets, offering unprecedented insights into klebsiellal biology and facilitating the design of effective vaccines. Here, a review of the application of computational methods in the development of K. pneumoniae vaccines is presented, elucidating the transformative impact of in silico approaches. Through a systematic exploration of bioinformatics, structural biology, and immunoinformatics techniques, the complex landscape of K. pneumoniae pathogenesis and antigenicity was unravelled. Key insights into virulence factors, antigen discovery, and immune response mechanisms are discussed, highlighting the pivotal role of computational tools in accelerating vaccine development efforts. Advancements in epitope prediction, antigen selection, and vaccine design optimisation are examined, highlighting the potential of in silico approaches to update vaccine development pipelines. Furthermore, challenges and future directions in leveraging computational tools to combat K. pneumoniae are discussed, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and data integration. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of computational contributions to K. pneumoniae vaccine development, offering insights into innovative strategies for addressing this urgent global health challenge.
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Douradinha B. Exploring the journey: A comprehensive review of vaccine development against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Microbiol Res 2024; 287:127837. [PMID: 39059097 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127837] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae, a prominent nosocomial pathogen, poses a critical global health threat due to its multidrug-resistant (MDR) and hypervirulent strains. This comprehensive review focuses into the complex approaches undertaken in the development of vaccines against K. pneumoniae. Traditional methods, such as whole-cell and ribosomal-based vaccines, are compared with modern strategies, including DNA and mRNA vaccines, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), among others. Each method presents unique advantages and challenges, emphasising the complexity of developing an effective vaccine against this pathogen. Significant advancements in computational tools and artificial intelligence (AI) have revolutionised antigen identification and vaccine design, enhancing the precision and efficiency of developing multiepitope-based vaccines. The review also highlights the potential of glycomics and immunoinformatics in identifying key antigenic components and elucidating immune evasion mechanisms employed by K. pneumoniae. Despite progress, challenges remain in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and manufacturability of these vaccines. Notably, EVs demonstrate promise due to their intrinsic adjuvant properties and ability to elicit robust immune responses, although concerns regarding inflammation and antigen variability persist. This review provides a critical overview of the current landscape of K. pneumoniae vaccine development, stressing the need for continued innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to address this pressing public health issue. The integration of advanced computational methods and AI holds the potential to accelerate the development of effective immunotherapies, paving the way for novel vaccines against MDR K. pneumoniae.
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Sabala RF, Fukuda A, Nakajima C, Suzuki Y, Usui M, Elhadidy M. Carbapenem and colistin-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae: An emerging threat transcending the egyptian food chain. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:1037-1046. [PMID: 38663100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.04.010] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a great public health problem and is associated with many disease outbreaks and high mortality rates. Alarmingly, K. pneumoniae has been isolated from food in several recent studies. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of CRKP in food samples from Egypt. METHODS A total of 311 food samples (including 116 minced meat, 92 chicken meat, 75 diced meat, and 28 mutton) were collected from local markets in Egypt and were screened for CRKP with the determination of their antimicrobial resistance profiles. The whole genome sequence was done for 23 CRKP isolates to clarify the relationship between CRKP from food and human cases in Egypt using the SNP core genome. The conjugation probability of the blaNDM-5 harboring plasmid was identified using oriTfinder RESULTS: CRKP was isolated from 11% (35/311) of the samples, with 45.71% (16/35) of them showing resistance to colistin, one of the last-resort options for treating CRKP-mediated infections. In addition to the carbapenem and colistin resistance, the CRKP isolates frequently exhibited resistance to multiple antimicrobials including β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and chloramphenicol. In addition, most of the CRKP were potentially hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (HvKP) identified as phylogroup Kp1 and of high-risk groups as detected in STs reported in many human outbreaks globally, such as ST383 and ST147. The core-genome phylogeny showed similarities between the isolates from this study and those previously isolated from clinical human samples in Egypt. In addition, analysis of the plasmid on which blaNDM is encoded revealed that several antimicrobial resistance genes such as blaOXA-9, blaCTX-M-15, aac(6')-Ib, qnrS1, and several virulence genes are encoded on the same plasmid. CONCLUSIONS This study is significant for food safety and public health and is important to further identify the change in the epidemiology of CRKP infections, especially the consumption of contaminated food products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Fahmi Sabala
- Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Safety, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Japan
| | - Akira Fukuda
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Safety, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Japan
| | - Chie Nakajima
- Division of Bioresources, Hokkaido University International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, Hokkaido University International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan; Division of Research Support, Hokkaido University Institute for Vaccine Research and Development, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Suzuki
- Division of Bioresources, Hokkaido University International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, Hokkaido University International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo, Japan; Division of Research Support, Hokkaido University Institute for Vaccine Research and Development, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masaru Usui
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Safety, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Japan.
| | - Mohamed Elhadidy
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt; Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt; Department of Bacteriology, Mycology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
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Douradinha B. Biographical Feature: In memoriam Reinhard Glück (1950-2021)-Swiss by birth, Sicilian by choice. J Virol 2023; 97:e0149523. [PMID: 37877720 PMCID: PMC10688360 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01495-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
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Del Rio A, Fox V, Muresu N, Sechi I, Cossu A, Palmieri A, Scutari R, Alteri C, Sotgiu G, Castiglia P, Piana A. A Whole-Genome Sequencing-Based Approach for the Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae Co-Producing KPC and OXA-48-like Carbapenemases Circulating in Sardinia, Italy. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2354. [PMID: 37764198 PMCID: PMC10535212 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092354] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides important information for the characterization, surveillance, and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, particularly in cases of multi- and extensively drug-resistant microorganisms. We reported the results of a WGS analysis carried out on carbapenemases-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, which causes hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and is characterized by a marked resistance profile. METHODS Clinical, phenotypic, and genotypic data were collected for the AMR surveillance screening program of the University Hospital of Sassari (Italy) during 2020-2021. Genomic DNA was sequenced using the Illumina Nova Seq 6000 platform. Final assemblies were manually curated and carefully verified for the detection of antimicrobial resistance genes, porin mutations, and virulence factors. A phylogenetic analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method. RESULTS All 17 strains analyzed belonged to ST512, and most of them carried the blaKPC-31 variant blaOXA-48-like, an OmpK35 truncation, and an OmpK36 mutation. Phenotypic analysis showed a marked resistance profile to all antibiotic classes, including β-lactams, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolone, sulphonamides, and novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (BL/BLI). CONCLUSION WGS characterization revealed the presence of several antibiotic resistance determinants and porin mutations in highly resistant K. pneumoniae strains responsible for HAIs. The detection of blaKPC-31 in our hospital wards highlights the importance of genomic surveillance in hospital settings to monitor the emergence of new clones and the need to improve control and preventive strategies to efficiently contrast AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arcadia Del Rio
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Valeria Fox
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (V.F.); (R.S.); (C.A.)
| | - Narcisa Muresu
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Illari Sechi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.S.); (A.C.); (A.P.); (P.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Andrea Cossu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.S.); (A.C.); (A.P.); (P.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Alessandra Palmieri
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.S.); (A.C.); (A.P.); (P.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Rossana Scutari
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (V.F.); (R.S.); (C.A.)
| | - Claudia Alteri
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (V.F.); (R.S.); (C.A.)
| | - Giovanni Sotgiu
- Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Paolo Castiglia
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.S.); (A.C.); (A.P.); (P.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Andrea Piana
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (I.S.); (A.C.); (A.P.); (P.C.); (A.P.)
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Khalid K, Poh CL. The Promising Potential of Reverse Vaccinology-Based Next-Generation Vaccine Development over Conventional Vaccines against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1264. [PMID: 37515079 PMCID: PMC10385262 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, leading to the current antibiotic resistance crisis. To address this issue, next-generation vaccines are being developed to prevent antimicrobial resistance caused by MDR bacteria. Traditional vaccine platforms, such as inactivated vaccines (IVs) and live attenuated vaccines (LAVs), were effective in preventing bacterial infections. However, they have shown reduced efficacy against emerging antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including MDR M. tuberculosis. Additionally, the large-scale production of LAVs and IVs requires the growth of live pathogenic microorganisms. A more promising approach for the accelerated development of vaccines against antibiotic-resistant bacteria involves the use of in silico immunoinformatics techniques and reverse vaccinology. The bioinformatics approach can identify highly conserved antigenic targets capable of providing broader protection against emerging drug-resistant bacteria. Multi-epitope vaccines, such as recombinant protein-, DNA-, or mRNA-based vaccines, which incorporate several antigenic targets, offer the potential for accelerated development timelines. This review evaluates the potential of next-generation vaccine development based on the reverse vaccinology approach and highlights the development of safe and immunogenic vaccines through relevant examples from successful preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Khalid
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
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Peng Z, Wan P, Deng Y, Shen W, Liu R. Lipopolysaccharide exacerbates to the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of esophageal cancer cells by TLR4/NF-κB axis. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2023; 38:1090-1099. [PMID: 36722465 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown the role of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in promoting tumor progression. Our previous study found that the community richness of LPS-producing bacteria was significantly increased in the fresh stool samples of esophageal cancer (EC) patients, but the relative LPS levels and underlying mechanism in EC progression remain unknown. In this study, an case-control study found that the content of LPS was higher in serum of EC patients. Functional experiments of CCK8 assay and transwell assay showed that LPS contributed to the proliferation, migration, invasion of EC109 cells. Meanwhile, LPS induced EC109 to secrete IL-6 and TGF-β1. Western blot analysis revealed the level of TLR4 and NF-κB increased significantly after LPS treatment. Epithelial marker E-cadherin was significantly down-regulated and interstitial marker N-cadherin and Vimentin were up-regulated after LPS treatment. However, TAK242 (TLR4 inhibitor) or PDTC (NF-κB inhibitor) could eliminate the inflammatory and EMT-promoting effects of LPS. In total, our results suggested that LPS exacerbated to the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of EC109 cells by TLR4/NF-κB axis. High level LPS may have a critical effect on the occurrence and development of EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyan Peng
- Key Laboratory of Environment Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ping Wan
- Key Laboratory of Environment Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yali Deng
- Key Laboratory of Environment Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weitao Shen
- Key Laboratory of Environment Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Graney PL, Zhong Z, Post S, Brito I, Singh A. Engineering early memory B-cell-like phenotype in hydrogel-based immune organoids. J Biomed Mater Res A 2022; 110:1435-1447. [PMID: 35388946 PMCID: PMC9214626 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.37388] [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: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Memory B cells originate in response to antigenic stimulation in B-cell follicles of secondary lymphoid organs where naive B cells undergo maturation within a subanatomical microenvironment, the germinal centers. The understanding of memory B-cell immunology and its regulation is based primarily on sophisticated experiments that involve mouse models. To date, limited evidence exists on whether memory B cells can be successfully engineered ex vivo, specifically using biomaterials-based platforms that support the growth and differentiation of B cells. Here, we report the characterization of a recently reported maleimide-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels as immune organoids towards the development of early memory B-cell phenotype and germinal center-like B cells. We demonstrate that the use of interleukin 9 (IL9), IL21, and bacterial antigen presentation as outer membrane-bound fragments drives the conversion of naive, primary murine B cells to early memory phenotype in ex vivo immune organoids. These findings describe the induction of early memory B-cell-like phenotype in immune organoids and highlight the potential of synthetic organoids as a platform for the future development of antigen-specific bona fide memory B cells for the study of the immune system and generation of therapeutic antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela L Graney
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Zhe Zhong
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah Post
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Ilana Brito
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Ankur Singh
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.,George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Wyres K, Holt K. Regional differences in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 22:309-310. [PMID: 34767752 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(21)00425-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Wyres
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Kathryn Holt
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Lam MMC, Wick RR, Judd LM, Holt KE, Wyres KL. Kaptive 2.0: updated capsule and lipopolysaccharide locus typing for the Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex. Microb Genom 2022; 8:000800. [PMID: 35311639 PMCID: PMC9176290 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The outer polysaccharide capsule and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigens are key targets for novel control strategies targeting Klebsiella pneumoniae and related taxa from the K. pneumoniae species complex (KpSC), including vaccines, phage and monoclonal antibody therapies. Given the importance and growing interest in these highly diverse surface antigens, we had previously developed Kaptive, a tool for rapidly identifying and typing capsule (K) and outer LPS (O) loci from whole genome sequence data. Here, we report two significant updates, now freely available in Kaptive 2.0 (https://github.com/katholt/kaptive): (i) the addition of 16 novel K locus sequences to the K locus reference database following an extensive search of >17 000 KpSC genomes; and (ii) enhanced O locus typing to enable prediction of the clinically relevant O2 antigen (sub)types, for which the genetic determinants have been recently described. We applied Kaptive 2.0 to a curated dataset of >12 000 public KpSC genomes to explore for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the distribution of predicted O (sub)types across species, sampling niches and clones, which highlighted key differences in the distributions that warrant further investigation. As the uptake of genomic surveillance approaches continues to expand globally, the application of Kaptive 2.0 will generate novel insights essential for the design of effective KpSC control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M. C. Lam
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Ryan R. Wick
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Louise M. Judd
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Kathryn E. Holt
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Kelly L. Wyres
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
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Pampalone M, Vitale G, Gruttadauria S, Amico G, Iannolo G, Douradinha B, Mularoni A, Conaldi PG, Pietrosi G. Human Amnion-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: A New Potential Treatment for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales in Decompensated Cirrhosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020857. [PMID: 35055040 PMCID: PMC8775978 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe and often fatal infection in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites. The only cure for SBP is antibiotic therapy, but the emerging problem of bacterial resistance requires novel therapeutic strategies. Human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hA-MSCs) possess immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that can be harnessed as a therapy in such a context. METHODS An in vitro applications of hA-MSCs in ascitic fluid (AF) of cirrhotic patients, subsequently infected with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, was performed. We evaluated the effects of hA-MSCs on bacterial load, innate immunity factors, and macrophage phenotypic expression. RESULTS hA-MSCs added to AF significantly reduce the proliferation of both bacterial strains at 24 h and diversely affect M1 and M2 polarization, C3a complement protein, and ficolin 3 concentrations during the course of infection, in a bacterial strain-dependent fashion. CONCLUSION This study shows the potential usefulness of hA-MSC in treating ascites infected with carbapenem-resistant bacteria and lays the foundation to further investigate antibacterial and anti-inflammatory roles of hA-MSC in in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Pampalone
- Ri.MED Foundation, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (G.V.); (G.A.); (B.D.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Giampiero Vitale
- Ri.MED Foundation, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (G.V.); (G.A.); (B.D.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
| | - Salvatore Gruttadauria
- Department for the Treatment and Study of Abdominal Disease and Abdominal Transplantation, IRCCS-ISMETT, UPMC, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (S.G.); (G.P.)
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Giandomenico Amico
- Ri.MED Foundation, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (G.V.); (G.A.); (B.D.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
| | - Gioacchin Iannolo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
| | - Bruno Douradinha
- Ri.MED Foundation, 90133 Palermo, Italy; (G.V.); (G.A.); (B.D.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
| | | | - Pier Giulio Conaldi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.I.); (P.G.C.)
| | - Giada Pietrosi
- Department for the Treatment and Study of Abdominal Disease and Abdominal Transplantation, IRCCS-ISMETT, UPMC, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (S.G.); (G.P.)
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Cuscino N, Fatima A, Di Pilato V, Bulati M, Alfano C, Monaca E, Di Mento G, Di Carlo D, Cardinale F, Monaco F, Rossolini GM, Khan AM, Conaldi PG, Douradinha B. Computational design and characterization of a multiepitope vaccine against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, derived from antigens identified through reverse vaccinology. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:4446-4463. [PMID: 36051872 PMCID: PMC9418682 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative pathogen of clinical relevance, which can provoke serious urinary and blood infections and pneumonia. This bacterium is a major public health threat due to its resistance to several antibiotic classes. Using a reverse vaccinology approach, 7 potential antigens were identified, of which 4 were present in most of the sequences of Italian carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. Bioinformatics tools demonstrated the antigenic potential of these bacterial proteins and allowed for the identification of T and B cell epitopes. This led to a rational design and in silico characterization of a multiepitope vaccine against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains. As adjuvant, the mycobacterial heparin-binding hemagglutinin adhesin (HBHA), which is a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) agonist, was included, to increase the immunogenicity of the construct. The multiepitope vaccine candidate was analyzed by bioinformatics tools to assess its antigenicity, solubility, allergenicity, toxicity, physical and chemical parameters, and secondary and tertiary structures. Molecular docking binding energies to TLR-2 and TLR-4, two important innate immunity receptors involved in the immune response against K. pneumoniae infections, and molecular dynamics simulations of such complexes supported active interactions. A codon optimized multiepitope sequence cloning strategy is proposed, for production of recombinant vaccine in classical bacterial vectors. Finally, a 3 dose-immunization simulation with the multiepitope construct induced both cellular and humoral immune responses. These results suggest that this multiepitope construct has potential as a vaccination strategy against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and deserves further validation.
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Di Mento G, Gona F, Russelli G, Cuscino N, Barbera F, Carreca AP, Di Carlo D, Cardinale F, Monaco F, Campanella M, Mularoni A, Grossi P, Conaldi PG, Douradinha B. A retrospective molecular epidemiological scenario of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates in a Sicilian transplantation hospital shows a swift polyclonal divergence among sequence types, resistome and virulome. Microbiol Res 2021; 256:126959. [PMID: 34995971 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we assessed and characterized the epidemiological scenario of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (CR-Kp) at IRCCS-ISMETT, a transplantation hospital in Palermo, Italy, from 2008 to 2017. A total of 288 K. pneumoniae clinical isolates were selected based on their resistance to carbapenems. Molecular characterization was also done in terms of the presence of virulence and resistance genes. All patients were inpatients from our facility and clinical isolates were collected from several sources, either from infection or colonization cases. We observed that, in agreement with the Italian epidemiological scenario, initially only ST258 and ST512 clade II (but not from clade I) were identified from 2008 to 2011. From 2012 onwards, other STs have been observed, including the clinically relevant ST101 and ST307, but also others not previously observed in other Italian health settings, such as ST220 and ST753. The presence of genes involved in resistance and virulence was confirmed, and a heterogeneous genetic resistance profile throughout the years was observed. Our work highlights that resistance genes are rapidly disseminating between different and novel K. pneumoniae clones which, combined with resistance to multiple antibiotics, can derive into more aggressive and pathogenic multidrug-resistant strains of clinical importance. Our results stress the importance of continuous surveillance of CR Enterobacterales in health facilities so that novel STs carrying resistance and virulence genes that may become increasingly pathogenic can be identified and adequate therapies to adopted to avoid their dissemination and derived pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Di Mento
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Floriana Gona
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Russelli
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Nicola Cuscino
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Floriana Barbera
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Paola Carreca
- Unità di Medicina Rigenerativa ed Immunologia, Fondazione Ri.MED, Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Carlo
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Cardinale
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Monaco
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Campanella
- Dipartimento per la Cura e lo Studio delle Patologie Addominali e dei Trapianti Addominali, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Mularoni
- Dipartimento per la Cura e lo Studio delle Patologie Addominali e dei Trapianti Addominali, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Grossi
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive e Tropicali, Università di Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy
| | - Pier Giulio Conaldi
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy
| | - Bruno Douradinha
- Dipartimento di Ricerca, IRCCS-ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione), Palermo, Italy; Unità di Medicina Rigenerativa ed Immunologia, Fondazione Ri.MED, Palermo, Italy.
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