1
|
Mertens-Scholz K, Moawad AA, Liebler-Tenorio EM, Helming A, Andrack J, Miethe P, Neubauer H, Pletz MW, Richter IG. Ultraviolet C inactivation of Coxiella burnetii for production of a structurally preserved whole cell vaccine antigen. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:118. [PMID: 38575865 PMCID: PMC10993581 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Q fever, a worldwide-occurring zoonotic disease, can cause economic losses for public and veterinary health systems. Vaccines are not yet available worldwide and currently under development. In this regard, it is important to produce a whole cell antigen, with preserved structural and antigenic properties and free of chemical modifications. Thus, inactivation of Coxiella burnetii with ultraviolet light C (UVC) was evaluated. C. burnetii Nine Mile phase I (NMI) and phase II (NMII) were exposed to decreasing intensities in a time-dependent manner and viability was tested by rescue cultivation in axenic medium or cell culture. Effects on the cell structure were visualized by transmission electron microscopy and antigenicity of UVC-treated NMI was studied by immunization of rabbits. NMI and NMII were inactivated at UVC intensities of 250 µW/cm2 for 5 min or 100 µW/cm2 for 20 min. Reactivation by DNA repair was considered to be unlikely. No morphological changes were observed directly after UVC inactivation by transmission electron microscopy, but severe swelling and membrane degradation of bacteria with increasing severity occurred after 24 and 48 h. Immunization of rabbits resulted in a pronounced antibody response. UVC inactivation of C. burnetii resulted in a structural preserved, safe whole cell antigen and might be useful as antigen for diagnostic purposes or as vaccine candidate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany.
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control and Center for Sepsis Care and Control (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
| | - Amira A Moawad
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Helming
- Department of In Vitro Diagnostics Development, Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Andrack
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Miethe
- Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology, Bad Langensalza, Germany
| | - Heinrich Neubauer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Mathias W Pletz
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control and Center for Sepsis Care and Control (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Ina-Gabriele Richter
- Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology, Bad Langensalza, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bauer BU, Knittler MR, Andrack J, Berens C, Campe A, Christiansen B, Fasemore AM, Fischer SF, Ganter M, Körner S, Makert GR, Matthiesen S, Mertens-Scholz K, Rinkel S, Runge M, Schulze-Luehrmann J, Ulbert S, Winter F, Frangoulidis D, Lührmann A. Interdisciplinary studies on Coxiella burnetii: From molecular to cellular, to host, to one health research. Int J Med Microbiol 2023; 313:151590. [PMID: 38056089 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2023.151590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Q-GAPS (Q fever GermAn interdisciplinary Program for reSearch) consortium was launched in 2017 as a German consortium of more than 20 scientists with exceptional expertise, competence, and substantial knowledge in the field of the Q fever pathogen Coxiella (C.) burnetii. C. burnetii exemplifies as a zoonotic pathogen the challenges of zoonotic disease control and prophylaxis in human, animal, and environmental settings in a One Health approach. An interdisciplinary approach to studying the pathogen is essential to address unresolved questions about the epidemiology, immunology, pathogenesis, surveillance, and control of C. burnetii. In more than five years, Q-GAPS has provided new insights into pathogenicity and interaction with host defense mechanisms. The consortium has also investigated vaccine efficacy and application in animal reservoirs and identified expanded phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of C. burnetii and their epidemiological significance. In addition, conceptual principles for controlling, surveilling, and preventing zoonotic Q fever infections were developed and prepared for specific target groups. All findings have been continuously integrated into a Web-based, interactive, freely accessible knowledge and information platform (www.q-gaps.de), which also contains Q fever guidelines to support public health institutions in controlling and preventing Q fever. In this review, we will summarize our results and show an example of how an interdisciplinary consortium provides knowledge and better tools to control a zoonotic pathogen at the national level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin U Bauer
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael R Knittler
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Immunology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jennifer Andrack
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Berens
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Jena, Germany
| | - Amely Campe
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, (IBEI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bahne Christiansen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Immunology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Akinyemi M Fasemore
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany; University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Science, Cologne, Germany
| | - Silke F Fischer
- Landesgesundheitsamt Baden-Württemberg, Ministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit und Integration, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sophia Körner
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gustavo R Makert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Svea Matthiesen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Immunology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Katja Mertens-Scholz
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Sven Rinkel
- Institut für Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Martin Runge
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Schulze-Luehrmann
- Institut für Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulbert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fenja Winter
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, (IBEI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dimitrios Frangoulidis
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany; Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters VI-2, Medical Intelligence & Information, Munich, Germany
| | - Anja Lührmann
- Institut für Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kohl L, Siddique MNAA, Bodendorfer B, Berger R, Preikschat A, Daniel C, Ölke M, Liebler‐Tenorio E, Schulze‐Luehrmann J, Mauermeir M, Yang K, Hayek I, Szperlinski M, Andrack J, Schleicher U, Bozec A, Krönke G, Murray PJ, Wirtz S, Yamamoto M, Schatz V, Jantsch J, Oefner P, Degrandi D, Pfeffer K, Mertens‐Scholz K, Rauber S, Bogdan C, Dettmer K, Lührmann A, Lang R. Macrophages inhibit Coxiella burnetii by the ACOD1-itaconate pathway for containment of Q fever. EMBO Mol Med 2022; 15:e15931. [PMID: 36479617 PMCID: PMC9906395 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202215931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with the intracellular bacterium Coxiella (C.) burnetii can cause chronic Q fever with severe complications and limited treatment options. Here, we identify the enzyme cis-aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1 or IRG1) and its product itaconate as protective host immune pathway in Q fever. Infection of mice with C. burnetii induced expression of several anti-microbial candidate genes, including Acod1. In macrophages, Acod1 was essential for restricting C. burnetii replication, while other antimicrobial pathways were dispensable. Intratracheal or intraperitoneal infection of Acod1-/- mice caused increased C. burnetii burden, weight loss and stronger inflammatory gene expression. Exogenously added itaconate restored pathogen control in Acod1-/- mouse macrophages and blocked replication in human macrophages. In axenic cultures, itaconate directly inhibited growth of C. burnetii. Finally, treatment of infected Acod1-/- mice with itaconate efficiently reduced the tissue pathogen load. Thus, ACOD1-derived itaconate is a key factor in the macrophage-mediated defense against C. burnetii and may be exploited for novel therapeutic approaches in chronic Q fever.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Kohl
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Md Nur A Alam Siddique
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Barbara Bodendorfer
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Raffaela Berger
- Institute of Functional GenomicsUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Annica Preikschat
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Christoph Daniel
- Department of NephropathologyUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Martha Ölke
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Elisabeth Liebler‐Tenorio
- Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Friedrich‐Loeffler‐Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal HealthJenaGermany
| | - Jan Schulze‐Luehrmann
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Michael Mauermeir
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Kai‐Ting Yang
- Department of Medicine 3Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum ErlangenErlangenGermany
| | - Inaya Hayek
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Manuela Szperlinski
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Jennifer Andrack
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich‐Loeffler‐Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal HealthJenaGermany
| | - Ulrike Schleicher
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Aline Bozec
- Department of Medicine 3Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Gerhard Krönke
- Department of Medicine 3Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | | | - Stefan Wirtz
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum ErlangenErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Department of Medicine 1Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | | | - Valentin Schatz
- Institute of Clinical MicrobiologyUniversity Hospital RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Jonathan Jantsch
- Institute of Clinical MicrobiologyUniversity Hospital RegensburgRegensburgGermany,Present address:
Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and HygieneUniversity Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Peter Oefner
- Institute of Functional GenomicsUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Daniel Degrandi
- Institute of Medical MicrobiologyHeinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Klaus Pfeffer
- Institute of Medical MicrobiologyHeinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Katja Mertens‐Scholz
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich‐Loeffler‐Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal HealthJenaGermany
| | - Simon Rauber
- Department of Medicine 3Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum ErlangenErlangenGermany
| | - Christian Bogdan
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Katja Dettmer
- Institute of Functional GenomicsUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Anja Lührmann
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Roland Lang
- Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und HygieneUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität (FAU) Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany,Medical Immunology Campus ErlangenFAU Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Scheiffarth F, Götz H, Andrack J. Papier- und agarelektrophoretische Studien über die Serumprotein-Konstellation beim Meerschweinchen. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B 2014. [DOI: 10.1515/znb-1963-0709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In vorliegender Arbeit wurden auf Grund papierelektrophoretischer Analysen und verschiedener färberischer Methoden sowie auf Grund immunoelektrophoretischer Untersuchungen die einzelnen Komponenten des Meerschweinchenserums definiert.
Demnach lassen sich im Meerschweinchenserum immunologisch fünf Hauptfraktionen mit insgesamt 18 Proteinsystemen abgrenzen. Sie sind im wesentlichen als Glykoproteide darzustellen, wobei die α2-Globuline und nach diesen die im Albuminbereich wandernden Proteine am kohlenhydratreichsten sind. Lipoproteide konnten hauptsächlich im Bereich der α2- und β-Fraktionen, im γ-Globulinbereich und - in ganz geringer Konzentration - auch in der Zone der Albumine nachgewiesen werden; die α1-Globuline sind dagegen, wie die Untersuchungen zeigten, lipoidfrei. Im Bereich der α2-Fraktionen findet sich ein oxydaseaktives Protein, das wohl der Coeruloplasmin-Fraktion zuzuordnen ist. Immunoelektrophoretisch finden sich Proteinsysteme, die mit solchen des menschlichen Serums vergleichbar sind, darüber hinaus Präzipitations-Phänomene, die in einem normalen Humanserum vermißt werden.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F. Scheiffarth
- Aus der Medizinischen Klinik der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
| | - H. Götz
- Aus der Medizinischen Klinik der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
| | - J. Andrack
- Aus der Medizinischen Klinik der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
| |
Collapse
|