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Fogaça MBT, Crispim GJB, Saavedra DP, Lopes-Luz L, da Silva LA, de Camargo BR, Guimarães RA, Nagata T, Ribeiro BM, Bührer-Sékula S. An indirect ELISA for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in human sera using a baculovirus-expressed recombinant nucleocapsid antigen. Biologicals 2024; 86:101769. [PMID: 38759304 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2024.101769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
This study focuses on the development and initial assessment of an indirect IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specifically designed to detect of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The unique aspect of this ELISA method lies in its utilization of a recombinant nucleocapsid (N) antigen, produced through baculovirus expression in insect cells. Our analysis involved 292 RT-qPCR confirmed positive serum samples and 54 pre-pandemic healthy controls. The process encompassed cloning, expression, and purification of the SARS-CoV-2 N gene in insect cells, with the resulted purified protein employed in our ELISA tests. Statistical analysis yielded an Area Under the Curve of 0.979, and the optimized cut-off exhibited 92 % sensitivity and 94 % specificity. These results highlight the ELISA's potential for robust and reliable serological detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Further assessments, including a larger panel size, reproducibility tests, and application in diverse populations, could enhance its utility as a valuable biotechnological solution for diseases surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Bernardes Torres Fogaça
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-050, Brazil; Innovation Hub in Point of Care Technologies, Universidade Federal de Goiás-Merck S/A. Alliance, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | - Djairo Pastor Saavedra
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-050, Brazil; Innovation Hub in Point of Care Technologies, Universidade Federal de Goiás-Merck S/A. Alliance, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Lopes-Luz
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-050, Brazil; Innovation Hub in Point of Care Technologies, Universidade Federal de Goiás-Merck S/A. Alliance, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Assis da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Brenda Rabello de Camargo
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Rafael Alves Guimarães
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-050, Brazil
| | - Tatsuya Nagata
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Bergmann Morais Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Samira Bührer-Sékula
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74605-050, Brazil; Innovation Hub in Point of Care Technologies, Universidade Federal de Goiás-Merck S/A. Alliance, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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Pereira SH, Sá Magalhães Serafim M, Moraes TDFS, Zini N, Abrahão JS, Nogueira ML, Coelho dos Reis JGA, Bagno FF, da Fonseca FG. Design, development, and validation of multi-epitope proteins for serological diagnosis of Zika virus infections and discrimination from dengue virus seropositivity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012100. [PMID: 38635656 PMCID: PMC11025737 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, is the causative agent of Zika fever, a mild and frequent oligosymptomatic disease in humans. Nonetheless, on rare occasions, ZIKV infection can be associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), and severe congenital complications, such as microcephaly. The oligosymptomatic disease, however, presents symptoms that are quite similar to those observed in infections caused by other frequent co-circulating arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV). Moreover, the antigenic similarity between ZIKV and DENV, and even with other members of the Flaviviridae family, complicates serological testing due to the high cross-reactivity of antibodies. Here, we designed, produced in a prokaryotic expression system, and purified three multiepitope proteins (ZIKV-1, ZIKV-2, and ZIKV-3) for differential diagnosis of Zika. The proteins were evaluated as antigens in ELISA tests for the detection of anti-ZIKV IgG using ZIKV- and DENV-positive human sera. The recombinant proteins were able to bind and detect anti-ZIKV antibodies without cross-reactivity with DENV-positive sera and showed no reactivity with Chikungunya virus (CHIKV)- positive sera. ZIKV-1, ZIKV-2, and ZIKV-3 proteins presented 81.6%, 95%, and 66% sensitivity and 97%, 96%, and 84% specificity, respectively. Our results demonstrate the potential of the designed and expressed antigens in the development of specific diagnostic tests for the detection of IgG antibodies against ZIKV, especially in regions with the circulation of multiple arboviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samille Henriques Pereira
- Laboratório de Virologia Básica e Aplicada, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mateus Sá Magalhães Serafim
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thaís de Fátima Silva Moraes
- Laboratório de Virologia Básica e Aplicada, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Zini
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Virologia, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro de Tecnologia em Vacinas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jônatas Santos Abrahão
- Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maurício Lacerda Nogueira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Virologia, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Flávia Fonseca Bagno
- Centro de Tecnologia em Vacinas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Flávio Guimarães da Fonseca
- Laboratório de Virologia Básica e Aplicada, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Centro de Tecnologia em Vacinas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Moreira NS, Baldo TA, Duarte LC, Lopes-Luz L, Oliveira KA, Estrela PFN, Simões AM, Bührer-Sékula S, Duarte GRM, Coltro WKT. Direct immunoassay on a polyester microwell plate for colorimetric detection of the spike protein in swab and saliva samples. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 16:74-82. [PMID: 38073521 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01755a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the development of a polyester microplate for detecting the S-protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in saliva and nasopharyngeal swab samples using direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology. The polyester microplate was designed to contain 96 zones with a 3 mm diameter each, and a volume of 2-3 μL. The experimental conditions including reagent concentration and reaction time were optimized. The microplate image was digitized and analyzed using graphical software. The linear range obtained between protein S concentrations and pixel intensity was 0-10 μg mL-1, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a limit of detection of 0.44 μg mL-1. The developed methodology showed satisfactory intraplate and interplate repeatability with RSD values lower than 7.8%. The results achieved through immunoassay performed on polyester microplates were consistent with those of the RT-PCR method and showed a sensitivity of 100% and 90% and specificity of 85.71% and 100% for saliva and nasopharyngeal samples, respectively. The proposed direct immunoassay on polyester microplates emerges as an alternative to conventional immunoassays performed on commercial polystyrene plates, given the low cost of the device, low consumption of samples and reagents, lower waste generation, and shorter analysis time. Moreover, the immunoassay has shown great potential for diagnosing COVID-19 with precision and accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikaele S Moreira
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Thaisa A Baldo
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Lucas C Duarte
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Goiás - Campus Inhumas, 75402-556, Inhumas, GO, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Lopes-Luz
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Centro Multiusuário de Bioinsumos e Tecnologias em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74605-050, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Innovation Hub in Point-of-Care Technologies, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Karoliny A Oliveira
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Paulo F N Estrela
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Amanda M Simões
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Samira Bührer-Sékula
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Centro Multiusuário de Bioinsumos e Tecnologias em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74605-050, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Innovation Hub in Point-of-Care Technologies, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Gabriela R M Duarte
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
- Innovation Hub in Point-of-Care Technologies, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Wendell K T Coltro
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
- Innovation Hub in Point-of-Care Technologies, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Bioanalítica, 13084-971, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Pereira SS, Andreata-Santos R, de Castro-Amarante MF, Venceslau-Carvalho AA, Sales NS, Silva MDO, Alves RPDS, Jungmann P, Ferreira LCDS. Multi-epitope Antigen for Specific Serological Detection of Dengue Viruses. Viruses 2023; 15:1936. [PMID: 37766342 PMCID: PMC10535193 DOI: 10.3390/v15091936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is an infectious disease of global health concern that continues to require surveillance. Serological testing has been used to investigate dengue-infected patients, but specificity is affected by the co-circulation of ZIKA virus (ZIKV), which shares extensive antigen similarities. The goal of this study was the development of a specific dengue virus (DENV) IgG ELISA based on a multi-epitope NS1-based antigen for antibody detection. The multi-epitope protein (T-ΔNS1), derived from a fragment of the NS1-protein of the four DENV serotypes, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified via affinity chromatography. The antigenicity and specificity were evaluated with sera of mice infected with DENV-1-4 or ZIKV or after immunization with the recombinant ΔNS1 proteins. The performance of the T-ΔNS1-based IgG ELISA was also determined with human serum samples. The results demonstrate that the DENV T-ΔNS1 was specifically recognized by the serum IgG of dengue-infected mice or humans but showed no or reduced reactivity with ZIKV-infected subjects. Based on the available set of clinical samples, the ELISA based on the DENV T-ΔNS1 achieved 77.42% sensitivity and 88.57% specificity. The results indicate that the T-ΔNS1 antigen is a promising candidate for the development of specific serological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Santos Pereira
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
| | - Robert Andreata-Santos
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
| | - Maria Fernanda de Castro-Amarante
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
- Institut Pasteur de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-020, Brazil
| | - Aléxia Adrianne Venceslau-Carvalho
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
- Institut Pasteur de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-020, Brazil
| | - Natiely Silva Sales
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
| | - Mariângela de Oliveira Silva
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
| | - Rúbens Prince dos Santos Alves
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
| | - Patrícia Jungmann
- General Pathology, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, Brazil;
| | - Luís Carlos de Souza Ferreira
- Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (S.S.P.); (R.A.-S.); (M.F.d.C.-A.); (A.A.V.-C.); (N.S.S.); (M.d.O.S.); (R.P.d.S.A.)
- Institut Pasteur de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-020, Brazil
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Delai RM, Leandro ADS, Martins CA, Fitz AFR, Rivas AV, Batista ACCA, Santos ICD, Fruehwirth M, Ferreira L, Rampazzo RDCP, Ferreira LRDP, Gonçalves DD. Adaptation of a Human Diagnostic Kit to Detect Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya Viruses in Mosquito Samples ( Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus): A Contribution to Public Health in the International Triple Border (Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:520-526. [PMID: 36255416 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this work was to adapt a diagnostic kit developed for humans to identify Dengue (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, DENV4), Zika (ZIKV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in females of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus and to verify if the occurrence of mosquitoes infected with these three arboviruses are being found in regions with high occurrence of these diseases in humans. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, live mosquitoes were captured between January and June 2020 using 3,476 traps permanently installed in the field were used. After capture, the species were identified, then the females were placed in a pool of 2 to 10 specimens and sent to the laboratory for detection of DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, DENV4, ZIKV and CHIKV by RT-PCR using a commercial human kit for arboviruses. Results: Of the 76 mosquito pools collected, six (7.9%) pools tested positive for the DENV2 virus. The DENV-positive mosquitoes were collected in regions with a high incidence of reported cases of Dengue or in adjacent areas. Conclusion: The absence of kits for the detection of these arboviruses in Aedes is a limiting factor and the adequacy of commercial kits, already used for the diagnosis of arboviruses in humans, the results presented demonstrate that it is possible to identify the presence of DENV2 in mosquitoes with the respective kit, reinforcing the use of RT-qPCR as a robust diagnostic tool for epidemiological surveillance allowing managers to receive timely results for decision-making regarding prevention and control actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robson Michael Delai
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science with Emphasis on Bioactive Products, Universidade Paranaense, Umuarama, Brazil
| | - André de Souza Leandro
- Zoonoses Surveillance Unit, Municipal Secretary of Health, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
- Laboratory of Hematozoan Transmitters, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Andressa Faria Rahyn Fitz
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
| | - Açucena Veleh Rivas
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Experimental Pathology, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Aline Cristiane Cechinel Assing Batista
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science with Emphasis on Bioactive Products, Universidade Paranaense, Umuarama, Brazil
| | - Isabela Carvalho Dos Santos
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science with Emphasis on Bioactive Products, Universidade Paranaense, Umuarama, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Fruehwirth
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Ferreira
- One Health Laboratory, Three-Border Tropical Medicine Center, Institute of Teaching and Research, Itaiguapy Foundation, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
| | | | | | - Daniela Dib Gonçalves
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Science with Emphasis on Bioactive Products, Universidade Paranaense, Umuarama, Brazil
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A Chikungunya Virus Multiepitope Recombinant Protein Expressed from the Binary System Insect Cell/Recombinant Baculovirus Is Useful for Laboratorial Diagnosis of Chikungunya. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071451. [PMID: 35889170 PMCID: PMC9316945 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus currently distributed worldwide, causing a disease that shares clinical signs and symptoms with other illnesses, such as dengue and Zika and leading to a challenging clinical differential diagnosis. In Brazil, CHIKV emerged in 2014 with the simultaneous introduction of both Asian and East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotypes. Laboratorial diagnosis of CHIKV is mainly performed by molecular and serological assays, with the latter more widely used. Although many commercial kits are available, their costs are still high for many underdeveloped and developing countries where the virus circulates. Here we described the development and evaluation of a multi-epitope recombinant protein-based IgG-ELISA (MULTREC IgG-ELISA) test for the specific detection of anti-CHIKV antibodies in clinical samples, as an alternative approach for laboratorial diagnosis. The MULTREC IgG-ELISA showed 86.36% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity, and no cross-reactivity with other exanthematic diseases was observed. The recombinant protein was expressed from the binary system insect cell/baculovirus using the crystal-forming baculoviral protein polyhedrin as a carrier of the target recombinant protein to facilitate recovery. The crystals were at least 10 times smaller in size and had an amorphous shape when compared to the polyhedrin wild-type crystal. The assay uses a multi-epitope antigen, representing two replicates of 18 amino acid sequences from the E2 region and a sequence of 17 amino acids from the nsP3 region of CHIKV. The recombinant protein was highly expressed, easy to purify and has demonstrated its usefulness in confirming chikungunya exposure, indeed showing a good potential tool for epidemiological surveillance.
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