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Chenau J, Fenaille F, Simon S, Filali S, Volland H, Junot C, Carniel E, Becher F. Detection of Yersinia pestis in environmental and food samples by intact cell immunocapture and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 2014; 86:6144-52. [PMID: 24847944 DOI: 10.1021/ac501371r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague, an acute and often fatal disease in humans. In addition to the risk of natural exposure to plague, there is also the threat of a bioterrorist act, leading to the deliberate spread of the bacteria in the environment or food. We report here an immuno-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (immuno-LC-MS/MS) method for the direct (i.e., without prior culture), sensitive, and specific detection of Y. pestis in such complex samples. In the first step, a bottom-up proteomics approach highlighted three relevant protein markers encoded by the Y. pestis-specific plasmids pFra (murine toxin) and pPla (plasminogen activator and pesticin). Suitable proteotypic peptides were thoroughly selected to monitor the three protein markers by targeted MS using the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Immunocapture conditions were optimized for the isolation and concentration of intact bacterial cells from complex samples. The immuno-LC-SRM assay has a limit of detection of 2 × 10(4) CFU/mL in milk or tap water, which compares well with those of state-of-the-art immunoassays. Moreover, we report the first direct detection of Y. pestis in soil, which could be extremely useful in confirming Y. pestis persistence in the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Chenau
- Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse, Institut de Biologie et de Technologies de Saclay (iBiTec-S), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) , 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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102
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Fukuto HS, Bliska JB. Editorial: Yersinia pestis survives in neutrophils and sends a PS to macrophages: bon appetit! J Leukoc Biol 2014; 95:383-5. [PMID: 24586037 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.1013556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hana S Fukuto
- 1.Stony Brook University, 238 Centers for Molecular Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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103
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Deletion of Braun lipoprotein and plasminogen-activating protease-encoding genes attenuates Yersinia pestis in mouse models of bubonic and pneumonic plague. Infect Immun 2014; 82:2485-503. [PMID: 24686064 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01595-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, there is no FDA-approved vaccine against Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague. Since both humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity are essential in providing the host with protection against plague, we developed a live-attenuated vaccine strain by deleting the Braun lipoprotein (lpp) and plasminogen-activating protease (pla) genes from Y. pestis CO92. The Δlpp Δpla double isogenic mutant was highly attenuated in evoking both bubonic and pneumonic plague in a mouse model. Further, animals immunized with the mutant by either the intranasal or the subcutaneous route were significantly protected from developing subsequent pneumonic plague. In mice, the mutant poorly disseminated to peripheral organs and the production of proinflammatory cytokines concurrently decreased. Histopathologically, reduced damage to the lungs and livers of mice infected with the Δlpp Δpla double mutant compared to the level of damage in wild-type (WT) CO92-challenged animals was observed. The Δlpp Δpla mutant-immunized mice elicited a humoral immune response to the WT bacterium, as well as to CO92-specific antigens. Moreover, T cells from mutant-immunized animals exhibited significantly higher proliferative responses, when stimulated ex vivo with heat-killed WT CO92 antigens, than mice immunized with the same sublethal dose of WT CO92. Likewise, T cells from the mutant-immunized mice produced more gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4. These animals had an increasing number of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-producing CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells than WT CO92-infected mice. These data emphasize the role of TNF-α and IFN-γ in protecting mice against pneumonic plague. Overall, our studies provide evidence that deletion of the lpp and pla genes acts synergistically in protecting animals against pneumonic plague, and we have demonstrated an immunological basis for this protection.
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Abstract
Mycetoma is a tropical disease which is caused by a taxonomically diverse range of actinomycetes (actinomycetoma) and fungi (eumycetoma). The disease was only recently listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neglected tropical disease (NTD). This recognition is the direct result of a meeting held in Geneva on February 1, 2013, in which experts on the disease from around the world met to identify the key research priorities needed to combat mycetoma. The areas that need to be addressed are highlighted here. The initial priority is to establish the incidence and prevalence of the disease in regions where mycetoma is endemic, prior to determining the primary reservoirs of the predominant causal agents and their mode of transmission to susceptible individuals in order to establish novel interventions that will reduce the impact of the disease on individuals, families, and communities. Critically, economical, reliable, and effective methods are required to achieve early diagnosis of infections and consequential improved therapeutic outcomes. Molecular techniques and serological assays were considered the most promising in the development of novel diagnostic tools to be used in endemic settings. Improved strategies for treating eumycetoma and actinomycetoma are also considered.
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105
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Direct neutralization of type III effector translocation by the variable region of a monoclonal antibody to Yersinia pestis LcrV. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2014; 21:667-73. [PMID: 24599533 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00013-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Plague is an acute infection caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. Antibodies that are protective against plague target LcrV, an essential virulence protein and component of a type III secretion system of Y. pestis. Secreted LcrV localizes to the tips of type III needles on the bacterial surface, and its function is necessary for the translocation of Yersinia outer proteins (Yops) into the cytosol of host cells infected by Y. pestis. Translocated Yops counteract macrophage functions, for example, by inhibiting phagocytosis (YopE) or inducing cytotoxicity (YopJ). Although LcrV is the best-characterized protective antigen of Y. pestis, the mechanism of protection by anti-LcrV antibodies is not fully understood. Antibodies bind to LcrV at needle tips, neutralize Yop translocation, and promote opsonophagocytosis of Y. pestis by macrophages in vitro. However, it is not clear if anti-LcrV antibodies neutralize Yop translocation directly or if they do so indirectly, by promoting opsonophagocytosis. To determine if the protective IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) 7.3 is directly neutralizing, an IgG2a subclass variant, a deglycosylated variant, F(ab')2, and Fab were tested for the ability to inhibit the translocation of Yops into Y. pestis-infected macrophages in vitro. Macrophage cytotoxicity and cellular fractionation assays show that the Fc of MAb 7.3 is not required for the neutralization of YopJ or YopE translocation. In addition, the use of Fc receptor-deficient macrophages, and the use of cytochalasin D to inhibit actin polymerization, confirmed that opsonophagocytosis is not required for MAb 7.3 to neutralize translocation. These data indicate that the binding of the variable region of MAb 7.3 to LcrV is sufficient to directly neutralize Yop translocation.
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106
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Yan Y, Wang H, Li D, Yang X, Wang Z, Qi Z, Zhang Q, Cui B, Guo Z, Yu C, Wang J, Wang J, Liu G, Song Y, Li Y, Cui Y, Yang R. Two-step source tracing strategy of Yersinia pestis and its historical epidemiology in a specific region. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85374. [PMID: 24416399 PMCID: PMC3887043 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Source tracing of pathogens is critical for the control and prevention of infectious diseases. Genome sequencing by high throughput technologies is currently feasible and popular, leading to the burst of deciphered bacterial genome sequences. Utilizing the flooding genomic data for source tracing of pathogens in outbreaks is promising, and challenging as well. Here, we employed Yersinia pestis genomes from a plague outbreak at Xinghai county of China in 2009 as an example, to develop a simple two-step strategy for rapid source tracing of the outbreak. The first step was to define the phylogenetic position of the outbreak strains in a whole species tree, and the next step was to provide a detailed relationship across the outbreak strains and their suspected relatives. Through this strategy, we observed that the Xinghai plague outbreak was caused by Y. pestis that circulated in the local plague focus, where the majority of historical plague epidemics in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may originate from. The analytical strategy developed here will be of great help in fighting against the outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, by pinpointing the source of pathogens rapidly with genomic epidemiological data and microbial forensics information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hu Wang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | | | - Xianwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zuyun Wang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Zhizhen Qi
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Baizhong Cui
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Zhaobiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Guangming Liu
- School of Computer Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- * E-mail: (RY); (YC)
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- * E-mail: (RY); (YC)
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107
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Pneumonia. PRINCIPLES OF PULMONARY MEDICINE 2014. [PMCID: PMC7170200 DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4557-2532-8.00023-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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108
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de Lira Nunes M, Mendes-Marques CL, de Almeida AMP, Leal NC. The Development of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Procedure for Plague Diagnostic. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/ajac.2014.516114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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109
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Abstract
Bioterrorism is not only a reality of the times in which we live but bioweapons have been used for centuries. Critical care physicians play a major role in the recognition of and response to a bioterrorism attack. Critical care clinicians must be familiar with the diagnosis and management of the most likely bioterrorism agents, and also be adequately prepared to manage a mass casualty situation. This article reviews the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the most likely agents of biowarfare and bioterrorism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Christian
- Royal Canadian Air Force, Department of National Defence, 600 University Avenue, Room 18-232-1, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada.
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110
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Anish C, Guo X, Wahlbrink A, Seeberger PH. Detektion des Pesterregers durch Anti-Kohlenhydrat-Antikörper. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201301633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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111
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Anish C, Guo X, Wahlbrink A, Seeberger PH. Plague Detection by Anti-carbohydrate Antibodies. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013; 52:9524-8. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201301633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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112
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Wolters M, Boyle EC, Lardong K, Trülzsch K, Steffen A, Rottner K, Ruckdeschel K, Aepfelbacher M. Cytotoxic necrotizing factor-Y boosts Yersinia effector translocation by activating Rac protein. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:23543-53. [PMID: 23803609 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.448662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic Yersinia spp. translocate the effectors YopT, YopE, and YopO/YpkA into target cells to inactivate Rho family GTP-binding proteins and block immune responses. Some Yersinia spp. also secrete the Rho protein activator cytotoxic necrotizing factor-Y (CNF-Y), but it has been unclear how the bacteria may benefit from Rho protein activation. We show here that CNF-Y increases Yop translocation in Yersinia enterocolitica-infected cells up to 5-fold. CNF-Y strongly activated RhoA and also delayed in time Rac1 and Cdc42, but when individually expressed, constitutively active mutants of Rac1, but not of RhoA, increased Yop translocation. Consistently, knock-out or knockdown of Rac1 but not of RhoA, -B, or -C inhibited Yersinia effector translocation in CNF-Y-treated and control cells. Activation or knockdown of Cdc42 also affected Yop translocation but much less efficiently than Rac. The increase in Yop translocation induced by CNF-Y was essentially independent of the presence of YopE, YopT, or YopO in the infecting Yersinia strain, indicating that none of the Yops reported to inhibit translocation could reverse the CNF-Y effect. In summary, the CNF-Y activity of Yersinia strongly enhances Yop translocation through activation of Rac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Wolters
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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113
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Li Y, Cui Y, Cui B, Yan Y, Yang X, Wang H, Qi Z, Zhang Q, Xiao X, Guo Z, Ma C, Wang J, Song Y, Yang R. Features of Variable Number of Tandem Repeats in Yersinia pestis and the Development of a Hierarchical Genotyping Scheme. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66567. [PMID: 23805236 PMCID: PMC3689786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) that are widely distributed in the genome of Yersinia pestis proved to be useful markers for the genotyping and source-tracing of this notorious pathogen. In this study, we probed into the features of VNTRs in the Y. pestis genome and developed a simple hierarchical genotyping system based on optimized VNTR loci. Methodology/Principal Findings Capillary electrophoresis was used in this study for multi-locus VNTR analysis (MLVA) in 956 Y. pestis strains. The general features and genetic diversities of 88 VNTR loci in Y. pestis were analyzed with BioNumerics, and a “14+12” loci-based hierarchical genotyping system, which is compatible with single nucleotide polymorphism-based phylogenic analysis, was established. Conclusions/Significance Appropriate selection of target loci reduces the impact of homoplasies caused by the rapid mutation rates of VNTR loci. The optimized “14+12” loci are highly discriminative in genotyping and source-tracing Y. pestis for molecular epidemiological or microbial forensic investigations with less time and lower cost. An MLVA genotyping datasets of representative strains will improve future research on the source-tracing and microevolution of Y. pestis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- Laboratory Department, Navy General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Baizhong Cui
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xianwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Haidong Wang
- Laboratory Department, Navy General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhizhen Qi
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaobiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Ma
- Laboratory Department, Navy General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Health Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing, China
| | - Yajun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (RY); (YS)
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (RY); (YS)
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114
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Brouat C, Rahelinirina S, Loiseau A, Rahalison L, Rajerison M, Laffly D, Handschumacher P, Duplantier JM. Plague circulation and population genetics of the reservoir Rattus rattus: the influence of topographic relief on the distribution of the disease within the Madagascan focus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2266. [PMID: 23755317 PMCID: PMC3674990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Landscape may affect the distribution of infectious diseases by influencing the population density and dispersal of hosts and vectors. Plague (Yersinia pestis infection) is a highly virulent, re-emerging disease, the ecology of which has been scarcely studied in Africa. Human seroprevalence data for the major plague focus of Madagascar suggest that plague spreads heterogeneously across the landscape as a function of the relief. Plague is primarily a disease of rodents. We therefore investigated the relationship between disease distribution and the population genetic structure of the black rat, Rattus rattus, the main reservoir of plague in Madagascar. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We conducted a comparative study of plague seroprevalence and genetic structure (15 microsatellite markers) in rat populations from four geographic areas differing in topology, each covering about 150-200 km(2) within the Madagascan plague focus. The seroprevalence levels in the rat populations mimicked those previously reported for humans. As expected, rat populations clearly displayed a more marked genetic structure with increasing relief. However, the relationship between seroprevalence data and genetic structure differs between areas, suggesting that plague distribution is not related everywhere to the effective dispersal of rats. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Genetic diversity estimates suggested that plague epizootics had only a weak impact on rat population sizes. In the highlands of Madagascar, plague dissemination cannot be accounted for solely by the effective dispersal of the reservoir. Human social activities may also be involved in spreading the disease in rat and human populations.
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115
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Endom EE. Bioterrorism and the Pediatric Patient: An Update. CLINICAL PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpem.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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116
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Hickey AJ, Lin JS, Kummer LW, Szaba FM, Duso DK, Tighe M, Parent MA, Smiley ST. Intranasal prophylaxis with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide can protect against Yersinia pestis infection. Infect Immun 2013; 81:2123-32. [PMID: 23545300 PMCID: PMC3676034 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00316-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunomodulatory agents potentially represent a new class of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Here, we demonstrate that prophylaxis with immunomodulatory cytosine-phosphate-guanidine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), a toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, confers protection against Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague. The data establish that intranasal administration of CpG ODN 1 day prior to lethal pulmonary exposure to Y. pestis strain KIM D27 significantly improves survival of C57BL/6 mice and reduces bacterial growth in hepatic tissue, despite paradoxically increasing bacterial growth in the lung. All of these CpG ODN-mediated impacts, including the increased pulmonary burden, are TLR9 dependent, as they are not observed in TLR9-deficient mice. The capacity of prophylactic intranasal CpG ODN to enhance survival does not require adaptive immunity, as it is evident in mice lacking B and/or T cells; however, the presence of T cells improves long-term survival. The prophylactic regimen also improves survival and reduces hepatic bacterial burden in mice challenged intraperitoneally with KIM D27, indicating that intranasal delivery of CpG ODN has systemic impacts. Indeed, intranasal prophylaxis with CpG ODN provides significant protection against subcutaneous challenge with Y. pestis strain CO92 even though it fails to protect mice from intranasal challenge with that fully virulent strain.
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Abstract
In recent years, quantitative real-time PCR tests have been extensively developed in clinical microbiology laboratories for routine diagnosis of infectious diseases, particularly bacterial diseases. This molecular tool is well-suited for the rapid detection of bacteria directly in clinical specimens, allowing early, sensitive and specific laboratory confirmation of related diseases. It is particularly suitable for the diagnosis of infections caused by fastidious growth species, and the number of these pathogens has increased recently. This method also allows a rapid assessment of the presence of antibiotic resistance genes or gene mutations. Although this genetic approach is not always predictive of phenotypic resistances, in specific situations it may help to optimize the therapeutic management of patients. Finally, an approach combining the detection of pathogens, their mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, their virulence factors and bacterial load in clinical samples could lead to profound changes in the care of these infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Maurin
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Département des Agents Infectieux, Institut de Biologie et Pathologie, CHU de Grenoble, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1, France.
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118
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Yang H, Tan Y, Zhang T, Tang L, Wang J, Ke Y, Guo Z, Yang X, Yang R, Du Z. Identification of novel protein-protein interactions of Yersinia pestis type III secretion system by yeast two hybrid system. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54121. [PMID: 23349800 PMCID: PMC3551969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Type III secretion system (T3SS) of the plague bacterium Y. pestis encodes a syringe-like structure consisting of more than 20 proteins, which can inject virulence effectors into host cells to modulate the cellular functions. Here in this report, interactions among the possible components in T3SS of Yersinia pestis were identified using yeast mating technique. A total of 57 genes, including all the pCD1-encoded genes except those involved in plasmid replication and partition, pseudogenes, and the putative transposase genes, were subjected to yeast mating analysis. 21 pairs of interaction proteins were identified, among which 9 pairs had been previously reported and 12 novel pairs were identified in this study. Six of them were tested by GST pull down assay, and interaction pairs of YscG-SycD, YscG-TyeA, YscI-YscF, and YopN-YpCD1.09c were successfully validated, suggesting that these interactions might play potential roles in function of Yersinia T3SS. Several potential new interactions among T3SS components could help to understand the assembly and regulation of Yersinia T3SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yafang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, Sichuan, China
| | - Liujun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuehua Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaobiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zongmin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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Raoult D, Mouffok N, Bitam I, Piarroux R, Drancourt M. Plague: history and contemporary analysis. J Infect 2012; 66:18-26. [PMID: 23041039 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2012.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Revised: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Plague has caused ravaging outbreaks, including the Justinian plague and the "black death" in the Middle Ages. The causative agents of these outbreaks have been confirmed using modern molecular tests. The vector of plague during pandemics remains the subject of controversy. Nowadays, plague must be suspected in all areas where plague is endemic in rodents when patients present with adenitis or with pneumonia with a bloody expectorate. Diagnosis is more difficult in the situation of the reemergence of plague, as in Algeria for example, told by the first physician involved in that outbreak (NM). When in doubt, it is preferable to prescribe treatment with doxycycline while waiting for the test results because of the risk of fatality in individuals with plague. The typical bubo is a type of adenitis that is painful, red and nonfluctuating. The diagnosis is simple when microbiological analysis is conducted. Plague is a likely diagnosis when one sees gram-negative bacilli in lymph node aspirate or biopsy samples. Yersinia pestis grows very easily in blood cultures and is easy to identify by biochemical tests and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Pneumonic plague and septicemic plague without adenitis are difficult to diagnose, and these diagnoses are often made by chance or retrospectively when cases are not part of an epidemic or related to another specific epidemiologic context. The treatment of plague must be based on gentamicin or doxycycline. Treatment with one of these antibiotics must be started as soon as plague is suspected. Analysis of past plague epidemics by using modern laboratory tools illustrated the value of epidemic buboes for the clinical diagnosis of plague; and brought new concepts regarding its transmission by human ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Raoult
- Aix Marseille Université, Unité des Rickettsies, UMR CNRS, IRD, INSERM, IHU Méditerranée Infection, France.
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Lenz JD, Temple BRS, Miller VL. Evolution and virulence contributions of the autotransporter proteins YapJ and YapK of Yersinia pestis CO92 and their homologs in Y. pseudotuberculosis IP32953. Infect Immun 2012; 80:3693-705. [PMID: 22802344 PMCID: PMC3457547 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00529-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Accepted: 07/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, evolved from the gastrointestinal pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Both species have numerous type Va autotransporters, most of which appear to be highly conserved. In Y. pestis CO92, the autotransporter genes yapK and yapJ share a high level of sequence identity. By comparing yapK and yapJ to three homologous genes in Y. pseudotuberculosis IP32953 (YPTB0365, YPTB3285, and YPTB3286), we show that yapK is conserved in Y. pseudotuberculosis, while yapJ is unique to Y. pestis. All of these autotransporters exhibit >96% identity in the C terminus of the protein and identities ranging from 58 to 72% in their N termini. By extending this analysis to include homologous sequences from numerous Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis strains, we determined that these autotransporters cluster into a YapK (YPTB3285) class and a YapJ (YPTB3286) class. The YPTB3286-like gene of most Y. pestis strains appears to be inactivated, perhaps in favor of maintaining yapJ. Since autotransporters are important for virulence in many bacterial pathogens, including Y. pestis, any change in autotransporter content should be considered for its impact on virulence. Using established mouse models of Y. pestis infection, we demonstrated that despite the high level of sequence identity, yapK is distinct from yapJ in its contribution to disseminated Y. pestis infection. In addition, a mutant lacking both of these genes exhibits an additive attenuation, suggesting nonredundant roles for yapJ and yapK in systemic Y. pestis infection. However, the deletion of the homologous genes in Y. pseudotuberculosis does not seem to impact the virulence of this organism in orogastric or systemic infection models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Lenz
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Brenda R. S. Temple
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- R. L. Juliano Structural Bioinformatics Core Facility, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Virginia L. Miller
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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121
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Gonzalez RJ, Weening EH, Frothingham R, Sempowski GD, Miller VL. Bioluminescence imaging to track bacterial dissemination of Yersinia pestis using different routes of infection in mice. BMC Microbiol 2012; 12:147. [PMID: 22827851 PMCID: PMC3436865 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that disseminates inside of the host at remarkably high rates. Plague bacilli disrupt normal immune responses in the host allowing for systematic spread that is fatal if left untreated. How Y. pestis disseminates from the site of infection to deeper tissues is unknown. Dissemination studies for plague are typically performed in mice by determining the bacterial burden in specific organs at various time points. To follow bacterial dissemination during plague infections in mice we tested the possibility of using bioluminescence imaging (BLI), an alternative non-invasive approach. Fully virulent Y. pestis was transformed with a plasmid containing the luxCDABE genes, making it able to produce light; this lux-expressing strain was used to infect mice by subcutaneous, intradermal or intranasal inoculation. RESULTS We successfully obtained images from infected animals and were able to follow bacterial dissemination over time for each of the three different routes of inoculation. We also compared the radiance signal from animals infected with a wild type strain and a Δcaf1ΔpsaA mutant that we previously showed to be attenuated in colonization of the lymph node and systemic dissemination. Radiance signals from mice infected with the wild type strain were larger than values obtained from mice infected with the mutant strain (linear regression of normalized values, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that BLI is useful for monitoring dissemination from multiple inoculation sites, and for characterization of mutants with defects in colonization or dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo J Gonzalez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eric H Weening
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Richard Frothingham
- Department of Medicine and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory D Sempowski
- Department of Medicine and Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Virginia L Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Shreewastav RK, Ali R, Uppada JB, Rao DN. Cell-mediated immune response to epitopic MAP (multiple antigen peptide) construct of LcrV antigen of Yersinia pestis in murine model. Cell Immunol 2012; 278:55-62. [PMID: 23121976 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Revised: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 07/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague. Cellular immunity seems to play an important role in defense against this disease. The subunit vaccine based on V (Lcr V) antigen has been proved to be immunogenic in animals and in humans. The multiple antigen peptide (MAP), incorporating all the relevant B and T cell epitopes is highly immunogenic in mice through intranasal route of immunization in PLGA particles containing CpG-ODN as an immunoadjuvant inducing humoral and mucosal immune response. In the present study, cell-mediated immune response using same MAP was studied in murine model. Primary and memory T cell responses were studied in outbred and inbred mice immunized intranasally with MAP in the presence of two immunoadjuvants (Murabutide and CpG-ODN). All the three compartments (Spleen, Lamina propria and Peyer's patches) of the lymphoid system showed increased lymphoproliferative response. Highest lymphoproliferative response was observed especially with CpG-ODN. Cytokine profile in the culture supernatant showed highest Th(1) and Th(17) levels. FACS analysis showed expansion of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells producing gamma-interferon, perforin and granzyme-B with major contribution from CD4(+) T cells.
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da Silva LCA, Vasconcelos SS, Mendes-Marques CL, de Almeida AMP, Leal NC. Plague diagnosis STNPCR and MPCR kits assembly, reaction reproducibility, and reagent stability. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 954:143-7. [PMID: 22782757 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3561-7_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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124
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Impact on the host of the Yersinia pestis-specific virulence set and the contribution of the pla surface protease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 954:211-6. [PMID: 22782765 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3561-7_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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125
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Silva MT, Pestana NTS. The in vivo extracellular life of facultative intracellular bacterial parasites: role in pathogenesis. Immunobiology 2012; 218:325-37. [PMID: 22795971 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2012] [Revised: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 05/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Classically labeled facultative intracellular pathogens are characterized by the ability to have an intracellular phase in the host, which is required for pathogenicity, while capable of extracellular growth in vitro. The ability of these bacteria to replicate in cell-free conditions is usually assessed by culture in artificial bacteriological media. However, the extracellular growth ability of these pathogens may also be expressed by a phase of extracellular infection in the natural setting of the host with pathologic consequences, an ability that adds to the pathogenic potential of the infectious agent. This infective capability to grow in the extracellular sites of the host represents an additional virulence attribute of those pathogens which may lead to severe outcomes. Here we discuss examples of infectious diseases where the in vivo infective extracellular life is well documented, including infections by Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Edwardsiella tarda. The occurrence of a phase of systemic dissemination with extracellular multiplication during progressive infections by facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens has been underappreciated, with most studies exclusively centered on the intracellular phase of the infections. The investigation of the occurrence of a dual lifestyle in the host among bacterial pathogens in general should be extended and likely will reveal more cases of infectious diseases with a dual infective intracellular/extracellular pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel T Silva
- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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126
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Wilson CN, Vance CO, Doyle TM, Brink DS, Matuschak GM, Lechner AJ. A novel post-exposure medical countermeasure L-97-1 improves survival and acute lung injury following intratracheal infection with Yersinia pestis. Innate Immun 2012; 18:373-89. [PMID: 21862597 PMCID: PMC3362682 DOI: 10.1177/1753425911411595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacillus causing plague and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified Category A pathogen, has high potential as a bioweapon. Lipopolysaccharide, a virulence factor for Y. pestis, binds to and activates A(1) adenosine receptor (AR)s and, in animals, A(1)AR antagonists block induced acute lung injury (ALI) and increase survival following cecal ligation and perforation. In this study, rats were infected intratracheally with viable Y. pestis [CO99 (pCD1( + )/Δpgm) 1 × 10( 8 ) CFU/animal] and treated daily for 3 d with ciprofloxacin (cipro), the A(1)AR antagonist L-97-1, or cipro plus L-97-1 starting at 0, 6, 24, 48, or 72 h post-Y. pestis. At 72 h post-Y. pestis, cipro plus L-97-1 significantly improved 6-d survival to 60-70% vs 28% for cipro plus H(2)O and 33% for untreated Y. pestis controls (P = 0.02, logrank test). Lung edema, hemorrhage and leukocyte infiltration index (LII) were evaluated histologically to produce ALI scores. Cipro plus L-97-1 significantly reduced lung edema, as well as aggregate lung injury scores vs controls or cipro plus H(2)O, and LII vs controls (P < 0.05, Student's unpaired t test). These results support efficacy for L-97-1 as a post-exposure medical countermeasure, adjunctive therapy to antibiotics for Y. pestis.
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127
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Fong I. Urbanization and Infectious Diseases: General Principles, Historical Perspectives, and Contemporary Challenges. CHALLENGES IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2012. [PMCID: PMC7119955 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-4496-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
In 2009, a major demographic line was crossed: for the first time in history, the majority of the world population lived in cities rather than in towns and countryside (Fig. 4.1). This shift has been occurring over the past 100 years, with the most rapid rate of urban growth occurring over in the latter half of the twentieth century. Urban centers in the more developed regions of the world (i.e., North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe) experienced earlier growth in the 1920s–1950s, and since then, the rapid rate of urban growth has been concentrated in the cities and towns of developing nations [1].
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Affiliation(s)
- I.W. Fong
- Room 4179 CC, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Bond Street 30, Toronto, M5B 1W8 Ontario Canada
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128
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Cao L, Lim T, Jun S, Thornburg T, Avci R, Yang X. Vulnerabilities in Yersinia pestis caf operon are unveiled by a Salmonella vector. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36283. [PMID: 22558420 PMCID: PMC3340336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, Yersinia pestis uses its F1 capsule to enhance survival and cause virulence to mammalian host. Since F1 is produced in large quantities and secreted into the host tissues, it also serves as a major immune target. To hold this detrimental effect under proper control, Y. pestis expresses the caf operon (encoding the F1 capsule) in a temperature-dependent manner. However, additional properties of the caf operon limit its expression. By overexpressing the caf operon in wild-type Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium under a potent promoter, virulence of Salmonella was greatly attenuated both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, expression of the caf operon under the regulation of its native promoter exhibited negligible impairment of Salmonellae virulence. In-depth investigation revealed all individual genes in the caf operon attenuated Salmonella when overexpressed. The deleterious effects of caf operon and the caf individual genes were further confirmed when they were overexpressed in Y. pestis KIM6+. This study suggests that by using a weak inducible promoter, the detrimental effects of the caf operon are minimally manifested in Y. pestis. Thus, through tight regulation of the caf operon, Y. pestis precisely balances its capsular anti-phagocytic properties with the detrimental effects of caf during interaction with mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Cao
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Timothy Lim
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - SangMu Jun
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Theresa Thornburg
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Recep Avci
- Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory, Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Xinghong Yang
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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129
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Badenhorst D, Tatard C, Suputtamongkol Y, Robinson TJ, Dobigny G. Host cell/Orientia tsutsugamushi interactions: evolution and expression of syndecan-4 in Asian rodents (Rodentia, Muridae). INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2012; 12:1136-46. [PMID: 22484764 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Revised: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Scrub typhus is an acute febrile zoonotic disease and worldwide more than a billion people may be at risk for infection. Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus, is an obligate intracellular bacterium. Rodents are reported to be the primary reservoir hosts of the disease and according to the most recent surveys, all species within the Rattus sensu lato complex of the tribe Rattini are carriers of scrub typhus. There is no evidence that any of mouse (Mus) species serves as the primary reservoir of the bacterium even when occurring in sympatry with wild infected rats. This contrast in the host/syndecan-4 interactions between Rattini and Asian Murini may be due to intrinsic (i.e., genetic) differences. Herein we compare the sequence and expression levels of syndecan-4 (the putative cell receptor of O. tsutsugamushi) between Rattini species that are known to be natural reservoirs for the typhus agents, and Murini species that are not. Although it was not possible to conclusively link the structural variations detected in syndecan-4 with carrier status in either Rattini and Murini, our findings indicate the absence of a strong Orientia-mediated selective regime acting on gene structure. In contrast, variable spleen-specific syndecan-4 expression levels show a strong correlation between under-expression of syndecan-4 in Murini and seropositive Rattini, compared to seronegative Rattini rodents. We postulate that two divergent responses may be at work in Murini and Rattini, both linked with differential expression of syndecan-4: (i) reduced syndecan-4 transcription in Murini decreases the likelihood that the host cells will become infected by the Orientia bacterium, while (ii) reduced syndecan-4 expression in seropositive Rattini limits the pathogenicity of Orientia and consequently improves the longevity of the rat hosts. These patterns may underpin the poor carrier status of wild mice on the one hand, and the effective role of wild rats as reservoir hosts on the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daleen Badenhorst
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, University of Stellenbosch, Botany and Zoology Department, Private Bag X1, 7604 Matieland, South Africa
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130
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Malberg JA, Pape WJ, Lezotte D, Hill AE. Use of a public telephone hotline to detect urban plague cases. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 59:498-504. [PMID: 22429398 DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01476.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Current methods for vector-borne disease surveillance are limited by time and cost. To avoid human infections from emerging zoonotic diseases, it is important that the United States develop cost-effective surveillance systems for these diseases. This study examines the methodology used in the surveillance of a plague epizootic involving tree squirrels (Sciurus niger) in Denver Colorado, during the summer of 2007. A call-in centre for the public to report dead squirrels was used to direct animal carcass sampling. Staff used these reports to collect squirrel carcasses for the analysis of Yersinia pestis infection. This sampling protocol was analysed at the census tract level using Poisson regression to determine the relationship between higher call volumes in a census tract and the risk of a carcass in that tract testing positive for plague. Over-sampling owing to call volume-directed collection was accounted for by including the number of animals collected as the denominator in the model. The risk of finding an additional plague-positive animal increased as the call volume per census tract increased. The risk in the census tracts with >3 calls a month was significantly higher than that with three or less calls in a month. For tracts with 4-5 calls, the relative risk (RR) of an additional plague-positive carcass was 10.08 (95% CI 5.46-18.61); for tracts with 6-8 calls, the RR = 5.20 (2.93-9.20); for tracts with 9-11 calls, the RR = 12.80 (5.85-28.03) and tracts with >11 calls had RR = 35.41 (18.60-67.40). Overall, the call-in centre directed sampling increased the probability of locating plague-infected carcasses in the known Denver epizootic. Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this methodology at monitoring large-scale zoonotic disease occurrence in the absence of a recognized epizootic.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Malberg
- Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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131
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The Yersinia pestis Rcs phosphorelay inhibits biofilm formation by repressing transcription of the diguanylate cyclase gene hmsT. J Bacteriol 2012; 194:2020-6. [PMID: 22328676 DOI: 10.1128/jb.06243-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, which causes bubonic plague, forms biofilms in fleas, its insect vectors, as a means to enhance transmission. Biofilm development is positively regulated by hmsT, encoding a diguanylate cyclase that synthesizes the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP. Biofilm development is negatively regulated by the Rcs phosphorelay signal transduction system. In this study, we show that Rcs-negative regulation is accomplished by repressing transcription of hmsT.
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132
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Dentovskaya SV, Anisimov AP, Kondakova AN, Lindner B, Bystrova OV, Svetoch TE, Shaikhutdinova RZ, Ivanov SA, Bakhteeva IV, Titareva GM, Knirel AYA. Functional characterization and biological significance of Yersinia pestis lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2012; 76:808-22. [PMID: 21999543 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297911070121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In silico analysis of available bacterial genomes revealed the phylogenetic proximity levels of enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, to homologous proteins of closely related Yersinia spp. and some other bacteria (Serratia proteamaculans, Erwinia carotovora, Burkholderia dolosa, Photorhabdus luminescens and others). Isogenic Y. pestis mutants with single or double mutations in 14 genes of LPS biosynthetic pathways were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis on the base of the virulent strain 231 and its attenuated derivative. Using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, the full LPS structures were elucidated in each mutant, and the sequence of monosaccharide transfers in the assembly of the LPS core was inferred. Truncation of the core decreased significantly the resistance of bacteria to normal human serum and polymyxin B, the latter probably as a result of a less efficient incorporation of 4-amino-4-deoxyarabinose into lipid A. Impairing of LPS biosynthesis resulted also in reduction of LPS-dependent enzymatic activities of plasminogen activator and elevation of LD(50) and average survival time in mice and guinea pigs infected with experimental plague. Unraveling correlations between biological properties of bacteria and particular LPS structures may help a better understanding of pathogenesis of plague and implication of appropriate genes as potential molecular targets for treatment of plague.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Dentovskaya
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russia
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133
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Gage KL. Factors Affecting the Spread and Maintenance of Plague. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 954:79-94. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3561-7_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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134
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Abstract
Bioterrorism is defined as the intentional use of biological, chemical, nuclear, or radiological agents to cause disease, death, or environmental damage. Early recognition of a bioterrorist attack is of utmost importance to minimize casualties and initiate appropriate therapy. The range of agents that could potentially be used as weapons is wide, however, only a few of these agents have all the characteristics making them ideal for that purpose. Many of the chemical and biological weapons can cause neurological symptoms and damage the nervous system in varying degrees. Therefore, preparedness among neurologists is important. The main challenge is to be cognizant of the clinical syndromes and to be able to differentiate diseases caused by bioterrorism from naturally occurring disorders. This review provides an overview of the biological and chemical warfare agents, with a focus on neurological manifestation and an approach to treatment from a perspective of neurological critical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Busl
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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135
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Advanced Development of the rF1V and rBV A/B Vaccines: Progress and Challenges. Adv Prev Med 2011; 2012:731604. [PMID: 22028978 PMCID: PMC3199075 DOI: 10.1155/2012/731604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of vaccines for microorganisms and bacterial toxins with the potential to be used as biowarfare and bioterrorism agents is an important component of the US biodefense program. DVC is developing two vaccines, one against inhalational exposure to botulinum neurotoxins A1 and B1 and a second for Yersinia pestis, with the ultimate goal of licensure by the FDA under the Animal Rule. Progress has been made in all technical areas, including manufacturing, nonclinical, and clinical development and testing of the vaccines, and in assay development. The current status of development of these vaccines, and remaining challenges are described in this chapter.
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136
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Bury D, Langlois N, Byard RW. Animal-Related Fatalities-Part II: Characteristic Autopsy Findings and Variable Causes of Death Associated with Envenomation, Poisoning, Anaphylaxis, Asphyxiation, and Sepsis. J Forensic Sci 2011; 57:375-80. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01932.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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137
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Ben Ari T, Neerinckx S, Gage KL, Kreppel K, Laudisoit A, Leirs H, Stenseth NC. Plague and climate: scales matter. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002160. [PMID: 21949648 PMCID: PMC3174245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Plague is enzootic in wildlife populations of small mammals in central and eastern Asia, Africa, South and North America, and has been recognized recently as a reemerging threat to humans. Its causative agent Yersinia pestis relies on wild rodent hosts and flea vectors for its maintenance in nature. Climate influences all three components (i.e., bacteria, vectors, and hosts) of the plague system and is a likely factor to explain some of plague's variability from small and regional to large scales. Here, we review effects of climate variables on plague hosts and vectors from individual or population scales to studies on the whole plague system at a large scale. Upscaled versions of small-scale processes are often invoked to explain plague variability in time and space at larger scales, presumably because similar scale-independent mechanisms underlie these relationships. This linearity assumption is discussed in the light of recent research that suggests some of its limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Ben Ari
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR 7625, Paris, France
| | - Simon Neerinckx
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kenneth L. Gage
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Center of Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Katharina Kreppel
- Liverpool University Climate and Infectious Diseases of Animals Group (LUCINDA), Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Great Britain
| | - Anne Laudisoit
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nils Chr. Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
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138
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Abstract
Millions of households in the US own rabbits or rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils. Activities such as hunting and camping also involve human interactions with wild rabbits and rodents. In many environments, feral rabbits and rodents live in close proximity to humans, domesticated animals, and other wildlife. Education of rodent and rabbit owners and individuals with occupational or recreational exposures to these species is paramount to reduce the prevalence of zoonoses associated with rabbit and rodent exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Allen Hill
- Office of Laboratory Animal Care, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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139
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Soria-Guerra RE, Moreno-Fierros L, Rosales-Mendoza S. Two decades of plant-based candidate vaccines: a review of the chimeric protein approaches. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2011; 30:1367-1382. [PMID: 21505834 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-011-1065-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Revised: 03/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Genetic engineering revolutionized the concept of traditional vaccines since subunit vaccines became reality. Additionally, over the past two decades plant-derived antigens have been studied as potential vaccines with several advantages, including low cost and convenient administration. More specifically, genetic fusions allowed the expression of fusion proteins carrying two or more components with the aim to elicit immune responses against different targets, including antigens from distinct pathogens or strains. This review aims to provide an update in the field of the production of plant-based vaccine, focusing on those approaches based on the production of chimeric proteins comprising antigens from human pathogens, emphasizing the case of cholera toxin/E. coli enterotoxin fusions, chimeric viruses like particles approaches as well as the possible use of adjuvant-producing plants as expression hosts. Challenges for the near future in this field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Elena Soria-Guerra
- Laboratorio de biofarmacéuticos recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico
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140
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Detection of chronic wasting disease prions in salivary, urinary, and intestinal tissues of deer: potential mechanisms of prion shedding and transmission. J Virol 2011; 85:6309-18. [PMID: 21525361 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00425-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient horizontal transmission is a signature trait of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. Infectious prions shed into excreta appear to play a key role in this facile transmission, as has been demonstrated by bioassays of cervid and transgenic species and serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA). However, the source(s) of infectious prions in these body fluids has yet to be identified. In the present study, we analyzed tissues proximate to saliva, urine, and fecal production by sPMCA in an attempt to elucidate this unique aspect of CWD pathogenesis. Oropharyngeal, urogenital, and gastrointestinal tissues along with blood and obex from CWD-exposed cervids (comprising 27 animals and >350 individual samples) were analyzed and scored based on the apparent relative CWD burden. PrP(CWD)-generating activity was detected in a range of tissues and was highest in the salivary gland, urinary bladder, and distal intestinal tract. In the same assays, blood from the same animals and unseeded normal brain homogenate controls (n = 116 of 117) remained negative. The PrP-converting activity in peripheral tissues varied from 10(-11)- to 10(0)-fold of that found in brain of the same animal. Deer with highest levels of PrP(CWD) amplification in the brain had higher and more widely disseminated prion amplification in excretory tissues. Interestingly, PrP(CWD) was not demonstrable in these excretory tissues by conventional Western blotting, suggesting a low prion burden or the presence of protease-sensitive infectious prions destroyed by harsh proteolytic treatments. These findings offer unique insights into the transmission of CWD in particular and prion infection and trafficking overall.
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141
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Kaman WE, Hawkey S, van der Kleij D, Broekhuijsen MP, Silman NJ, Bikker FJ. A comprehensive study on the role of the Yersinia pestis virulence markers in an animal model of pneumonic plague. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2011; 56:95-102. [PMID: 21468758 PMCID: PMC3109262 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-011-0027-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2010] [Accepted: 01/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
We determined the role of Yersinia pestis virulence markers in an animal model of pneumonic plague. Eleven strains of Y. pestis were characterized using PCR assays to detect the presence of known virulence genes both encoded by the three plasmids as well as chromosomal markers. The virulence of all Y. pestis strains was compared in a mouse model for pneumonic plague. The presence of all known virulence genes correlated completely with virulence in the Balb/c mouse model. Strains which lacked HmsF initially exhibited visible signs of disease whereas all other strains (except wild-type strains) did not exhibit any disease signs. Forty-eight hours post-infection, mice which had received HmsF– strains regained body mass and were able to control infection; those infected with strains possessing a full complement of virulence genes suffered from fatal disease. The bacterial loads observed in the lung and other tissues reflected the observed clinical signs as did the cytokine changes measured in these animals. We can conclude that all known virulence genes are required for the establishment of pneumonic plague in mammalian animal models, the role of HmsF being of particular importance in disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- W E Kaman
- TNO Defence, Security and Safety, 2280 AA, Rijswijk, the Netherlands.
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142
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Sun W, Six D, Kuang X, Roland KL, Raetz CR, Curtiss R. A live attenuated strain of Yersinia pestis KIM as a vaccine against plague. Vaccine 2011; 29:2986-98. [PMID: 21320544 PMCID: PMC3073832 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.01.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2010] [Revised: 01/15/2011] [Accepted: 01/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a potential weapon of bioterrorism. Y. pestis evades the innate immune system by synthesizing tetra-acylated lipid A with poor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-stimulating activity at 37°C, whereas hexa-acylated lipid A, a potent TLR4 agonist, is made at lower temperatures. Synthesis of Escherichia coli LpxL, which transfers the secondary laurate chain to the 2'-position of lipid A, in Y. pestis results in production of hexa-acylated lipid A at 37°C, leading to significant attenuation of virulence. Previously, we described a Y. pestis vaccine strain in which crp expression is under the control of the arabinose-regulated araC P(BAD) promoter, resulting in a 4-5 log reduction in virulence. To reduce the virulence of the crp promoter mutant further, we introduced E. coli lpxL into the Y. pestis chromosome. The χ10030(pCD1Ap) (ΔlpxP32::P(lpxL)lpxL ΔP(crp21)::TT araC P(BAD)crp) construct likewise produced hexa-acylated lipid A at 37°C and was significantly more attenuated than strains harboring each individual mutation. The LD(50) of the mutant in mice, when administered subcutaneously or intranasally was >10(7)-times and >10(4)-times greater than wild type, respectively. Mice immunized subcutaneously with a single dose of the mutant were completely protected against a subcutaneous challenge of 3.6×10(7) wild-type Y. pestis and significantly protected (80% survival) against a pulmonary challenge of 1.2×10(4) live cells. Intranasal immunization also provided significant protection against challenges by both routes. This mutant is an immunogenic, highly attenuated live Y. pestis construct that merits further development as a vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - David Six
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3711 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Xiaoying Kuang
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Kenneth L Roland
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Christian R.H. Raetz
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3711 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Roy Curtiss
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccinology, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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143
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Adhesins of human pathogens from the genus Yersinia. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 715:1-15. [PMID: 21557054 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0940-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria of the Gram-negative genus Yersinia are environmentally ubiquitous. Three species are of medical importance: the intestinal pathogens Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis, and the plague bacillus Y. pestis. The two former species, spread by contaminated food or water, cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms and, rarely, sepsis. On occasion, the primary infection is followed by autoimmune sequelae such as reactive arthritis. Plague is a systemic disease with high mortality. It is a zoonosis spread by fleas, or more rarely by droplets from individuals suffering from pneumonic plague. Y. pestis is one of the most virulent of bacteria, and recent findings of antibiotic-resistant strains together with its potential use as a bioweapon have increased interest in the species. In addition to being significant pathogens in their own right, the yersiniae have been used as model systems for a number of aspects of pathogenicity. This chapter reviews the molecular mechanisms of adhesion in yersiniae. The enteropathogenic species share three adhesins: invasin, YadA and Ail. Invasin is the first adhesin required for enteric infection; it binds to β(1) integrins on microfold cells in the distal ileum, leading to the ingestion of the bacteria and allows them to cross the intestinal epithelium. YadA is the major adhesin in host tissues. It is a multifunctional protein, conferring adherence to cells and extracellular matrix components, serum and phagocytosis resistance, and the ability to autoagglutinate. Ail has a minor role in adhesion and serum resistance. Y. pestis lacks both invasin and YadA, but expresses several other adhesins. These include the pH 6 antigen and autotransporter adhesins. Also the plasminogen activator of Y. pestis can mediate adherence to host cells. Although the adhesins of the pathogenic yersiniae have been studied extensively, their exact roles in the biology of infection remain elusive.
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144
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Daher R, Coinçon M, Fonvielle M, Gest PM, Guerin ME, Jackson M, Sygusch J, Therisod M. Rational design, synthesis, and evaluation of new selective inhibitors of microbial class II (zinc dependent) fructose bis-phosphate aldolases. J Med Chem 2010; 53:7836-42. [PMID: 20929256 DOI: 10.1021/jm1009814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We report the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of several selective inhibitors of class II (zinc dependent) fructose bis-phosphate aldolases (Fba). The products were designed as transition-state analogues of the catalyzed reaction, structurally related to the substrate fructose bis-phosphate (or sedoheptulose bis-phosphate) and based on an N-substituted hydroxamic acid, as a chelator of the zinc ion present in active site. The compounds synthesized were tested on class II Fbas from various pathogenic microorganisms and, by comparison, on a mammalian class I Fba. The best inhibitor shows K(i) against class II Fbas from various pathogens in the nM range, with very high selectivity (up to 10(5)). Structural analyses of inhibitors in complex with aldolases rationalize and corroborate the enzymatic kinetics results. These inhibitors represent lead compounds for the preparation of new synthetic antibiotics, notably for tuberculosis prophylaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Racha Daher
- ECBB, ICMMO, Univ Paris-Sud, UMR 8182, F-91405 Orsay, France
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145
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Dioxygenases in Burkholderia ambifaria and Yersinia pestis that hydroxylate the outer Kdo unit of lipopolysaccharide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 108:510-5. [PMID: 21178073 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1016462108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several gram-negative pathogens, including Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia cepacia, and Acinetobacter haemolyticus, synthesize an isosteric analog of 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo), known as D-glycero-D-talo-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Ko), in which the axial hydrogen atom at the Kdo 3-position is replaced with OH. Here we report a unique Kdo 3-hydroxylase (KdoO) from Burkholderia ambifaria and Yersinia pestis, encoded by the bamb_0774 (BakdoO) and the y1812 (YpkdoO) genes, respectively. When expressed in heptosyl transferase-deficient Escherichia coli, these genes result in conversion of the outer Kdo unit of Kdo(2)-lipid A to Ko in an O(2)-dependent manner. KdoO contains the putative iron-binding motif, HXDX(n>40)H. Reconstitution of KdoO activity in vitro with Kdo(2)-lipid A as the substrate required addition of Fe(2+), α-ketoglutarate, and ascorbic acid, confirming that KdoO is a Fe(2+)/α-ketoglutarate/O(2)-dependent dioxygenase. Conversion of Kdo to Ko in Kdo(2)-lipid A conferred reduced susceptibility to mild acid hydrolysis. Although two enzymes that catalyze Fe(2+)/α-ketoglutarate/O(2)-dependent hydroxylation of deoxyuridine in fungal extracts have been reported previously, kdoO is the first example of a gene encoding a deoxy-sugar hydroxylase. Homologues of KdoO are found exclusively in gram-negative bacteria, including the human pathogens Burkholderia mallei, Yersinia pestis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella longbeachae, and Coxiella burnetii, as well as the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum.
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146
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Do Y, Koh H, Park CG, Dudziak D, Seo P, Mehandru S, Choi JH, Cheong C, Park S, Perlin DS, Powell BS, Steinman RM. Targeting of LcrV virulence protein from Yersinia pestis to dendritic cells protects mice against pneumonic plague. Eur J Immunol 2010; 40:2791-6. [PMID: 20812236 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201040511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
To help design needed new vaccines for pneumonic plague, we targeted the Yersinia pestis LcrV protein directly to CD8α(+) DEC-205(+) or CD8α(-) DCIR2(+) DC along with a clinically feasible adjuvant, poly IC. By studying Y. pestis in mice, we could evaluate the capacity of this targeting approach to protect against a human pathogen. The DEC-targeted LcrV induced polarized Th1 immunity, whereas DCIR2-targeted LcrV induced fewer CD4(+) T cells secreting IFN-γ, but higher IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 production. DCIR-2 targeting elicited higher anti-LcrV Ab titers than DEC targeting, which were comparable to a protein vaccine given in alhydrogel adjuvant, but the latter did not induce detectable T-cell immunity. When DEC- and DCIR2-targeted and F1-V+ alhydrogel-vaccinated mice were challenged 6 wk after vaccination with the virulent CO92 Y. pestis, the protection level and Ab titers induced by DCIR2 targeting were similar to those induced by F1-V protein with alhydrogel vaccination. Therefore, LcrV targeting to DC elicits combined humoral and cellular immunity, and for the first time with this approach, also induces protection in a mouse model for a human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonkyung Do
- Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology and Chris Browne Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065-6399, USA.
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147
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The dependence of the Yersinia pestis capsule on pathogenesis is influenced by the mouse background. Infect Immun 2010; 79:644-52. [PMID: 21115720 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00981-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is a highly pathogenic Gram-negative organism and the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague. Y. pestis is capable of causing major epidemics; thus, there is a need for vaccine targets and a greater understanding of the role of these targets in pathogenesis. Two prime Y. pestis vaccine candidates are the usher-chaperone fimbriae Psa and Caf. Herein we report that Y. pestis requires, in a nonredundant manner, both PsaA and Caf1 to achieve its full pathogenic ability in both pneumonic and bubonic plague in C57BL/6J mice. Deletion of psaA leads to a decrease in the organ bacterial burden and to a significant increase in the 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀) after subcutaneous infection. Deletion of caf1 also leads to a significant decrease in the organ bacterial burden but more importantly leads to a significantly greater increase in the LD₅₀ than was observed for the ΔpsaA mutant strain after subcutaneous infection of C57BL/6J mice. Furthermore, the degree of attenuation of the Δcaf1 mutant strain is mouse background dependent, as the Δcaf1 mutant strain was attenuated to a lesser degree in BALB/cJ mice by the subcutaneous route than in C57BL/6J mice. This observation that the degree of requirement for Caf1 is dependent on the mouse background indicates that the virulence of Y. pestis is dependent on the genetic makeup of its host and provides further support for the hypothesis that PsaA and Caf1 have different targets.
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148
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Boyer JL, Sofer-Podesta C, Ang J, Hackett NR, Chiuchiolo MJ, Senina S, Perlin D, Crystal RG. Protective immunity against a lethal respiratory Yersinia pestis challenge induced by V antigen or the F1 capsular antigen incorporated into adenovirus capsid. Hum Gene Ther 2010; 21:891-901. [PMID: 20180652 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2009.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aerosol form of the bacterium Yersinia pestis causes pneumonic plague, a rapidly fatal disease that is a biothreat if deliberately released. At present, no plague vaccines are available for use in the United States, but subunit vaccines based on the Y. pestis V antigen and F1 capsular protein show promise when administered with adjuvants. In the context that adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors have a strong adjuvant potential related to the ability to directly infect dendritic cells, we hypothesized that modification of the Ad5 capsid to display either the Y. pestis V antigen or the F1 capsular antigen on the virion surface would elicit high V antigen- or F1-specific antibody titers, permit boosting with the same Ad serotype, and provide better protection against a lethal Y. pestis challenge than immunization with equivalent amounts of V or F1 recombinant protein plus conventional adjuvant. We constructed AdYFP-pIX/V and AdLacZ-pIX/F1, E1(-), E3(-) serotype 5 Ad gene transfer vectors containing a fusion of the sequence for either the Y. pestis V antigen or the F1 capsular antigen to the carboxy-terminal sequence of pIX, a capsid protein that can accommodate the entire V antigen (37 kDa) or F1 protein (15 kDa) without disturbing Ad function. Immunization with AdYFP-pIX/V followed by a single repeat administration of the same vector at the same dose resulted in significantly better protection of immunized animals compared with immunization with a molar equivalent amount of purified recombinant V antigen plus Alhydrogel adjuvant. Similarly, immunization with AdLacZ-pIX/F1 in a prime-boost regimen resulted in significantly enhanced protection of immunized animals compared with immunization with a molar-equivalent amount of purified recombinant F1 protein plus adjuvant. These observations demonstrate that Ad vaccine vectors containing pathogen-specific antigens fused to the pIX capsid protein have strong adjuvant properties and stimulate more robust protective immune responses than equivalent recombinant protein-based subunit vaccines administered with conventional adjuvant, suggesting that F1-and/or V-modified capsid Ad-based recombinant vaccines should be considered for development as anti-plague vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie L Boyer
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College , New York, NY 10026, USA
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149
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Lin JS, Park S, Adamovicz JJ, Hill J, Bliska JB, Cote CK, Perlin DS, Amemiya K, Smiley ST. TNFα and IFNγ contribute to F1/LcrV-targeted immune defense in mouse models of fully virulent pneumonic plague. Vaccine 2010; 29:357-62. [PMID: 20840834 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2010] [Revised: 08/25/2010] [Accepted: 08/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Immunization with the Yersinia pestis F1 and LcrV proteins improves survival in mouse and non-human primate models of pneumonic plague. F1- and LcrV-specific antibodies contribute to protection, however, the mechanisms of antibody-mediated defense are incompletely understood and serum antibody titers do not suffice as quantitative correlates of protection. Previously we demonstrated roles for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and gamma-interferon (IFNγ) during defense against conditionally attenuated pigmentation (pgm) locus-negative Y. pestis. Here, using intranasal challenge with fully virulent pgm-positive Y. pestis strain CO92, we demonstrate that neutralizing TNFα and IFNγ interferes with the capacity of therapeutically administered F1- or LcrV-specific antibody to reduce bacterial burden and increase survival. Moreover, using Y. pestis strain CO92 in an aerosol challenge model, we demonstrate that neutralizing TNFα and IFNγ interferes with protection conferred by immunization with recombinant F1-LcrV fusion protein vaccine (p<0.0005). These findings establish that TNFα and IFNγ contribute to protection mediated by pneumonic plague countermeasures targeting F1 and LcrV, and suggest that an individual's capacity to produce these cytokines in response to Y. pestis challenge will be an important co-determinant of antibody-mediated defense against pneumonic plague.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jr-Shiuan Lin
- Trudeau Institute, 154 Algonquin Avenue, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA
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150
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Gaudart J, Ghassani M, Mintsa J, Rachdi M, Waku J, Demongeot J. Demography and diffusion in epidemics: malaria and black death spread. Acta Biotheor 2010; 58:277-305. [PMID: 20706773 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-010-9103-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The classical models of epidemics dynamics by Ross and McKendrick have to be revisited in order to incorporate elements coming from the demography (fecundity, mortality and migration) both of host and vector populations and from the diffusion and mutation of infectious agents. The classical approach is indeed dealing with populations supposed to be constant during the epidemic wave, but the presently observed pandemics show duration of their spread during years imposing to take into account the host and vector population changes as well as the transient or permanent migration and diffusion of hosts (susceptible or infected), as well as vectors and infectious agents. Two examples are presented, one concerning the malaria in Mali and the other the plague at the middle-age.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Gaudart
- LERTIM, EA 3283, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France.
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