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Lauretti-Ferreira F, Teixeira AAR, Giordano RJ, da Silva JB, Abreu PAE, Barbosa AS, Akamatsu MA, Ho PL. Characterization of a virulence-modifying protein of Leptospira interrogans identified by shotgun phage display. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1051698. [PMID: 36519163 PMCID: PMC9742253 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1051698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic species of Leptospira are etiologic agents of leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease of worldwide extent and endemic in tropical regions. The growing number of identified leptospiral species sheds light to their genetic diversity and unique virulence mechanisms, many of them still remain unknown. Toxins and adhesins are important virulence factors in several pathogens, constituting promising antigens for the development of vaccines with cross-protection and long-lasting effect against leptospirosis. For this aim, we used the shotgun phage display technique to unravel new proteins with adhesive properties. A shotgun library was constructed using fragmented genomic DNA from Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130 and pG8SAET phagemid vector. Selection of phages bearing new possible cell-binding antigens was performed against VERO cells, using BRASIL biopanning methodology. Analysis of selected clones revealed the hypothetical protein LIC10778, a potentially exposed virulence factor that belongs to the virulence-modifying (VM) protein family (PF07598), composed of 13 members in the leptospiral strain Fiocruz L1-130. Prediction of LIC10778 tertiary structure indicates that the protein contains a cellular-binding domain (N-terminal portion) and an unknown domain of no assigned activity (C-terminal portion). The predicted N-terminal domain shared structural similarities with the cell-binding and internalization domain of toxins like Ricin and Abrin, as well as to the Community-Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin in Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Interestingly, recombinant portions of the N-terminal region of LIC10778 protein showed binding to laminin, collagens I and IV, vitronectin, and plasma and cell fibronectins using overlay blotting technique, especially regarding the binding site identified by phage display. These data validate our preliminary phage display biopanning and support the predicted three-dimensional models of LIC10778 protein and other members of PF07598 protein family, confirming the identification of the N-terminal cell-binding domains that are similar to ricin-like toxins. Moreover, fluorescent fused proteins also confirmed that N-terminal region of LIC10778 is capable of binding to VERO and A549 cell lines, further highlighting its virulence role during host-pathogen interaction in leptospirosis probably mediated by its C-terminal domain. Indeed, recent results in the literature confirmed this assumption by demonstrating the cytotoxicity of a closely related PF07598 member.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Lauretti-Ferreira
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo José Giordano
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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2
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Chou LF, Chen TW, Yang HY, Chang MY, Hsu SH, Tsai CY, Ko YC, Huang CT, Tian YC, Hung CC, Yang CW. Murine Renal Transcriptome Profiles Upon Leptospiral Infection: Implications for Chronic Kidney Diseases. J Infect Dis 2019; 218:1411-1423. [PMID: 29868892 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Leptospirosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp leads to kidney damage that may progress to chronic kidney disease. However, how leptospiral infections induced renal damage is unclear. Methods We apply microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies to investigate the first murine transcriptome-wide, leptospires-mediated changes in renal gene expression to identify biological pathways associated with kidney damage. Results Leptospiral genes were detected in renal transcriptomes of mice infected with Leptospira interrogans at day 28 postinfection, suggesting colonization of leptospires within the kidney with propensity of chronicity. Comparative differential gene expression and pathway analysis were investigated in renal transcriptomes of mice infected with pathogens and nonpathogens. Pathways analysis showed that Toll-like receptor signaling, complements activation, T-helper 1 type immune response, and T cell-mediated immunity/chemotaxis/proliferation were strongly associated with progressive tubulointerstitial damage caused by pathogenic leptospiral infection. In addition, 26 genes related with complement system, immune function, and cell-cell interactions were found to be significantly up-regulated in the L interrogans-infected renal transcriptome. Conclusions Our results provided comprehensive knowledge regarding the host transcriptional response to leptospiral infection in murine kidneys, particularly the involvement of cell-to-cell interaction in the immune response. It would provide valuable resources to explore functional studies of chronic renal damage caused by leptospiral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Fang Chou
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou
| | - Ting-Wen Chen
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Huang-Yu Yang
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan
| | - Ming-Yang Chang
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan
| | - Shen-Hsing Hsu
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou
| | - Chung-Ying Tsai
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou
| | - Yi-Ching Ko
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou
| | | | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan
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Gupta R, Verma R, Pradhan D, Jain AK, Umamaheswari A, Rai CS. An in silico approach towards identification of novel drug targets in pathogenic species of Leptospira. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221446. [PMID: 31430340 PMCID: PMC6701809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is one of the leading zoonotic infections worldwide. As with other infectious diseases, report of antimicrobial resistance to existing therapeutic arsenal poses challenges in the management of disease. Hence, identification of novel drug targets for the pathogen deems essential. Present study used combined approach of comparative and subtractive genomics to identify putative drug targets. Crucial genes of 16 pathogenic Leptospira strains were filtered and subjected to homology search via target identification tool "TiD". Thereafter, comparative analysis was performed for non-homologous, essential genes to accomplish the broad-spectrum drug target. Consequently, 37 essential genes were found to be conserved in at least 10 strains of Leptospira. Further, prioritization of resultant set of genes revealed 18 were hubs in protein-protein interaction network. Sixteen putative targets among the hub genes were conserved in all strains of Leptospira. Out of sixteen, fourteen were enzymes while 8 were novel and 4 were involved in virulence mechanism. In addition, genome scale metabolic network reconstruction and choke point analysis revealed cobA (porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism) and thiL (thiamine metabolism) as chokepoints in their respective metabolic pathways. The proposed hub genes could act as putative broad-spectrum drug targets for Leptospira species, however, these putative targets should be validated to ensure them as real one prior to utilizing them for target based lead discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena Gupta
- University School of Information, Communication & Technology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rashi Verma
- Biomedical Informatics Centre, National Institute of Pathology-Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Dibyabhaba Pradhan
- Computational Genomics Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Campus—All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Arun Kumar Jain
- Biomedical Informatics Centre, National Institute of Pathology-Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Amineni Umamaheswari
- Department of Bioinformatics, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Chandra Shekhar Rai
- University School of Information, Communication & Technology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
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Ramli SR, Moreira GMSG, Zantow J, Goris MGA, Nguyen VK, Novoselova N, Pessler F, Hust M. Discovery of Leptospira spp. seroreactive peptides using ORFeome phage display. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007131. [PMID: 30677033 PMCID: PMC6363232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease worldwide. The diagnostic performance of a serological test for human leptospirosis is mainly influenced by the antigen used in the test assay. An ideal serological test should cover all serovars of pathogenic leptospires with high sensitivity and specificity and use reagents that are relatively inexpensive to produce and can be used in tropical climates. Peptide-based tests fulfil at least the latter two requirements, and ORFeome phage display has been successfully used to identify immunogenic peptides from other pathogens. Methodology/Principal findings Two ORFeome phage display libraries of the entire Leptospira spp. genomes from five local strains isolated in Malaysia and seven WHO reference strains were constructed. Subsequently, 18 unique Leptospira peptides were identified in a screen using a pool of sera from patients with acute leptospirosis. Five of these were validated by titration ELISA using different pools of patient or control sera. The diagnostic performance of these five peptides was then assessed against 16 individual sera from patients with acute leptospirosis and 16 healthy donors and was compared to that of two recombinant reference proteins from L. interrogans. This analysis revealed two peptides (SIR16-D1 and SIR16-H1) from the local isolates with good accuracy for the detection of acute leptospirosis (area under the ROC curve: 0.86 and 0.78, respectively; sensitivity: 0.88 and 0.94; specificity: 0.81 and 0.69), which was close to that of the reference proteins LipL32 and Loa22 (area under the ROC curve: 0.91 and 0.80; sensitivity: 0.94 and 0.81; specificity: 0.75 and 0.75). Conclusions/Significance This analysis lends further support for using ORFeome phage display to identify pathogen-associated immunogenic peptides, and it suggests that this technique holds promise for the development of peptide-based diagnostics for leptospirosis and, possibly, of vaccines against this pathogen. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. It is associated with a broad range of clinical presentations, and diagnostic tests with high diagnostic accuracy are required in order to enable accurate diagnosis. Leptospirosis is diagnosed by detecting DNA of the pathogen or antibodies against it in patients’ blood; the latter are preferred in resource limited regions, and diagnostics based on peptides (small fragments of proteins) are advantageous because they are inexpensive to produce and more stable in hot climates than full-length proteins. We used a technique called open reading frame phage display to identify peptides from Leptospira spp. that could be used to detect antibodies against them in human blood. In this method, the pathogen’s genome is fragmented, the corresponding peptides displayed on the surfaces of phages (viruses that infect bacteria), and the peptides that bind most strongly to the patients’ antibodies are then selected by screening. Using this method, we identified 2 leptospiral peptides that accurately identified antibodies against Leptospira spp. in sera from patients with leptospirosis. These results are encouraging because they demonstrate that ORFeome phage display may be a powerful tool to develop better diagnostics for leptospirosis for use in less developed areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Roszilawati Ramli
- Research Group Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gustavo M. S. G. Moreira
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jonas Zantow
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marga G. A. Goris
- OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis Academic Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Van Kinh Nguyen
- Research Group Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases, TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Natalia Novoselova
- Research Group Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases, TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
- United Institute of Informatics Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Frank Pessler
- Research Group Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Research Group Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases, TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
- * E-mail: (FP); (MH)
| | - Michael Hust
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
- * E-mail: (FP); (MH)
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Pombinho R, Sousa S, Cabanes D. Scavenger Receptors: Promiscuous Players during Microbial Pathogenesis. Crit Rev Microbiol 2018; 44:685-700. [PMID: 30318962 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2018.1493716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Innate immunity is the most broadly effective host defense, being essential to clear the majority of microbial infections. Scavenger Receptors comprise a family of sensors expressed in a multitude of host cells, whose dual role during microbial pathogenesis gained importance over recent years. SRs regulate the recruitment of immune cells and control both host inflammatory response and bacterial load. In turn, pathogens have evolved different strategies to overcome immune response, avoid recognition by SRs and exploit them to favor infection. Here, we discuss the most relevant findings regarding the interplay between SRs and pathogens, discussing how these multifunctional proteins recognize a panoply of ligands and act as bacterial phagocytic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Pombinho
- a Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal.,b Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Sandra Sousa
- a Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal.,b Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Didier Cabanes
- a Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal.,b Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Group of Molecular Microbiology , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal
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6
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Ghazaei C. Pathogenic Leptospira: Advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis and virulence. Open Vet J 2018; 8:13-24. [PMID: 29445617 PMCID: PMC5806663 DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v8i1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a common zoonotic disease has emerged as a major public health problem, with developing countries bearing disproportionate burdens. Although the diverse range of clinical manifestations of the leptospirosis in humans is widely documented, the mechanisms through which the pathogen causes disease remain undetermined. In addition, leptospirosis is a much-neglected life-threatening disease although it is one of the most important zoonoses occurring in a diverse range of epidemiological distribution. Recent advances in molecular profiling of pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira have improved our understanding of the evolutionary factors that determine virulence and mechanisms that the bacteria employ to survive. However, a major impediment to the formulation of intervention strategies has been the limited understanding of the disease determinants. Consequently, the association of the biological mechanisms to the pathogenesis of Leptospira, as well as the functions of numerous essential virulence factors still remain implicit. This review examines recent advances in genetic screening technologies, the underlying microbiological processes, the virulence factors and associated molecular mechanisms driving pathogenesis of Leptospira species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciamak Ghazaei
- Department of Microbiology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, P.O. Box 179, Ardabil, Iran
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7
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Chang MY, Cheng YC, Hsu SH, Ma TL, Chou LF, Hsu HH, Tian YC, Chen YC, Sun YJ, Hung CC, Pan RL, Yang CW. Leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL32 induces inflammation and kidney injury in zebrafish larvae. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27838. [PMID: 27278903 PMCID: PMC4899798 DOI: 10.1038/srep27838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an often overlooked cause of acute kidney injury that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death. The principle protein that conserved in many pathogenic leptospires is the outer membrane protein LipL32. However, the role of LipL32 in the pathogenesis of renal injury in leptospirosis is not entirely clear. Here we studied the effects of LipL32 on the developing kidney in zebrafish larvae. Incubation of zebrafish larvae with Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani induced acute tubular injury predominantly in the proximal pronephric ducts. Furthermore, microinjection of lipl32 mRNA or recombinant LipL32 protein into zebrafish larvae increased macrophage accumulation and disrupted the basolateral location of NA-K-ATPase in pronephric ducts. These changes led to substantial impairment of the pronephric kidney structure. We further demonstrated that morpholino knockdown of tlr2, but not tlr4, reduced the LipL32-induced leukocyte infiltration and kidney injury. These data demonstrate that LipL32 contributes to the renal pathology in leptospirosis and gives some clues to the potential virulence of LipL32. Our results support the use of zebrafish as a model organism for studying the disease mechanism of leptospiral infection. This model might permit the future exploration of the virulence and molecular pathways of different leptospiral outer membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yang Chang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chuan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shen-Hsing Hsu
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tsu-Lin Ma
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Fang Chou
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Hao Hsu
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chang Chen
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Ju Sun
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Long Pan
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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9
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Vieira ML, Nascimento ALTO. Interaction of spirochetes with the host fibrinolytic system and potential roles in pathogenesis. Crit Rev Microbiol 2015; 42:573-87. [PMID: 25914944 DOI: 10.3109/1040841x.2014.972336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenic spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi, B. hermsii, B. recurrentis, Treponema denticola and Leptospira spp. are the etiologic agents of Lyme disease, relapsing fever, periodontitis and leptospirosis, respectively. Lyme borreliosis is a multi-systemic disorder and the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Tick-borne relapsing fever is persistent in endemic areas worldwide, representing a significant burden in some African regions. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder that often leads to tooth loss, is caused by several potential pathogens found in the oral cavity including T. denticola. Leptospirosis is considered the most widespread zoonosis, and the predominant human disease in tropical, undeveloped regions. What these diseases have in common is that they are a significant burden to healthcare costs in the absence of prophylactic measures. This review addresses the interaction of these spirochetes with the fibrinolytic system, plasminogen (Plg) binding to the surface of bacteria and the generation of plasmin (Pla) on their surface. The consequences on host-pathogen interactions when the spirochetes are endowed with this proteolytic activity are discussed on the basis of the results reported in the literature. Spirochetes equipped with Pla activity have been shown to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components, in addition to digesting fibrin, facilitating bacterial invasion and dissemination. Pla generation triggers the induction of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) in a cascade of events that enhances the proteolytic capacity of the spirochetes. These activities in concert with the interference exerted by the Plg/Pla on the complement system - helping the bacteria to evade the immune system - should illuminate our understanding of the mechanisms involved in host infection.
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Gardiner M, Hoke DE, Egan S. An ortholog of the Leptospira interrogans lipoprotein LipL32 aids in the colonization of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata to host surfaces. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:323. [PMID: 25071736 PMCID: PMC4080168 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Pseudoalteromonas tunicata is a common surface colonizer of marine eukaryotes, including the macroalga Ulva australis.Genomic analysis of P. tunicata identified genes potentially involved in surface colonization, including genes with homology to bacterial virulence factors that mediate attachment. Of particular interest is the presence of a gene, designated ptlL32, encoding an ortholog to the Leptospira lipoprotein LipL32, which has been shown to facilitate the interaction of Leptospira sp. with host extracellular matrix (ECM) structures and is thought to be an important virulence trait for pathogenic Leptospira. To investigate the role of PtlL32 in the colonization by P. tunicata we constructed and characterized a ΔptlL32 mutant strain. Whilst P. tunicata ΔptlL32 bound to an abiotic surface with the same capacity as the wild type strain, it had a marked effect on the ability of P. tunicata to bind to ECM, suggesting a specific role in attachment to biological surfaces. Loss of PtlL32 also significantly reduced the capacity for P. tunciata to colonize the host algal surface demonstrating a clear role for this protein as a host-colonization factor. PtlL32 appears to have a patchy distribution across specific groups of environmental bacteria and phylogenetic analysis of PtlL32 orthologous proteins from non-Leptospira species suggests it may have been acquired via horizontal gene transfer between distantly related lineages. This study provides the first evidence for an attachment function for a LipL32-like protein outside the Leptospira and thereby contributes to the understanding of host colonization in ecologically distinct bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Gardiner
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David E Hoke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Suhelen Egan
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Cermakova Z, Kucerova P, Pliskova L, Kubickova P. Real-time PCR method for the detection of the gene encoding surface lipoprotein LipL32 of pathogenic Leptospira: use in the laboratory diagnosis of the acute form of leptospirosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 45:593-9. [PMID: 23848450 DOI: 10.3109/00365548.2013.795656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aims of this work were to replace the obsolete PCR method for the laboratory diagnosis of the acute form of leptospirosis using the G1, G2 and B64 I, B64 II primers, and to improve the PCR detection time. METHODS We introduced a real-time PCR method for the detection of the gene encoding the surface lipoprotein LipL32 of pathogenic Leptospira into our laboratory diagnosis of the acute form of leptospirosis. The positive and negative analytical specificities of the real-time PCR method were both equal to 100%; the detection limit was determined to be 1-5 genome copies/1 ml of liquid biological material. The method was further validated on 230 laboratory strains of leptospires. RESULTS All laboratory strains of pathogenic Leptospira were evaluated as LipL32-positive and all non-pathogenic strains as LipL32-negative. In addition, 455 biological materials (253 plasma, 121 urine, 72 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 7 bronchoalveolar lavage, and 2 sputum) from 295 patients with suspected leptospirosis were examined. From this set of patients, 9 were evaluated to be LipL32-positive, from 15 positive biological materials (10 urine, 4 blood plasma, and 1 CSF). CONCLUSIONS This real-time PCR method for the detection of the gene encoding the surface lipoprotein LipL32 is a reliable, sensitive, and rapid method for the detection of the acute form of leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Cermakova
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove and University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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Vieira ML, Fernandes LG, Domingos RF, Oliveira R, Siqueira GH, Souza NM, Teixeira ARF, Atzingen MV, Nascimento ALTO. Leptospiral extracellular matrix adhesins as mediators of pathogen-host interactions. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2013; 352:129-39. [PMID: 24289724 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is been considered an important infectious disease that affects humans and animals worldwide. This review summarizes our current knowledge of bacterial attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) components and discusses the possible role of these interactions for leptospiral pathogenesis. Leptospiral proteins show different binding specificity for ECM molecules: some are exclusive laminin-binding proteins (Lsa24/LfhA/LenA, Lsa27), while others have broader spectrum binding profiles (LigB, Lsa21, LipL53). These proteins may play a primary role in the colonization of host tissues. Moreover, there are multifunctional proteins that exhibit binding activities toward a number of target proteins including plasminogen/plasmin and regulators of the complement system, and as such, might also act in bacterial dissemination and immune evasion processes. Many ECM-interacting proteins are recognized by human leptospirosis serum samples indicating their expression during infection. This compilation of data should enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of leptospiral pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Vieira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Zeng L, Zhang Y, Zhu Y, Yin H, Zhuang X, Zhu W, Guo X, Qin J. Extracellular proteome analysis of Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2013; 17:527-35. [PMID: 23895271 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2013.0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Leptospirosis is one of the most important zoonoses. Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai is a pathogenic spirochete that is responsible for leptospirosis. Extracellular proteins play an important role in the pathogenicity of this bacterium. In this study, L. interrogans serovar Lai was grown in protein-free medium; the supernatant was collected and subsequently analyzed as the extracellular proteome. A total of 66 proteins with more than two unique peptides were detected by MS/MS, and 33 of these were predicted to be extracellular proteins by a combination of bioinformatics analyses, including Psortb, cello, SoSuiGramN and SignalP. Comparisons of the transcriptional levels of these 33 genes between in vivo and in vitro conditions revealed that 15 genes were upregulated and two genes were downregulated in vivo compared to in vitro. A BLAST search for the components of secretion system at the genomic and proteomic levels revealed the presence of the complete type I secretion system and type II secretion system in this strain. Moreover, this strain also exhibits complete Sec translocase and Tat translocase systems. The extracellular proteome analysis of L. interrogans will supplement the previously generated whole proteome data and provide more information for studying the functions of specific proteins in the infection process and for selecting candidate molecules for vaccines or diagnostic tools for leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingbing Zeng
- 1 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai, China
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Raja V, Natarajaseenivasan K. Pathogenic, diagnostic and vaccine potential of leptospiral outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Crit Rev Microbiol 2013; 41:1-17. [PMID: 23688248 DOI: 10.3109/1040841x.2013.787387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic Leptospira species are important human and animal pathogen that causes leptospirosis, with more than half a million cases reported annually but little is known regarding the true incidence of leptospirosis due to the limitations in diagnosis. Proteins embedded in the outer membrane are found to be prime drug targets due to its key role as receptors for cellular communication and gatekeepers for iron and substrate transport across cell membranes. The major key issues to be addressed to overcome the disease burden of leptospirosis are: need to identify the genes that turn on in vivo; development of rapid diagnostic methods to facilitate the early diagnosis and to develop a universal vaccine. Recent whole genome sequencing of Leptospira species and development of in silico analysis tools have led to the identification of a large number of leptospiral virulence genes, metabolic pathways and surface protein secretion systems that represent potential new targets for the development of anti-leptospiral drug, vaccine and diagnostic strategies. This review surveys the different types of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Leptospira and combines all the novel features of OMPs reported till date and put forth some views for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerapandian Raja
- Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Bharathidasan University , Tiruchirappalli , India
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Differential in vivo gene expression of major Leptospira proteins in resistant or susceptible animal models. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:6372-6. [PMID: 22729538 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00911-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcripts of Leptospira 16S rRNA, FlaB, LigB, LipL21, LipL32, LipL36, LipL41, and OmpL37 were quantified in the blood of susceptible (hamsters) and resistant (mice) animal models of leptospirosis. We first validated adequate reference genes and then evaluated expression patterns in vivo compared to in vitro cultures. LipL32 expression was downregulated in vivo and differentially regulated in resistant and susceptible animals. FlaB expression was also repressed in mice but not in hamsters. In contrast, LigB and OmpL37 were upregulated in vivo. Thus, we demonstrated that a virulent strain of Leptospira differentially adapts its gene expression in the blood of infected animals.
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