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Tetanus Toxin Fragment C: Structure, Drug Discovery Research and Production. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15060756. [PMID: 35745675 PMCID: PMC9227095 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetanus toxoid (TTd) plays an important role in the pharmaceutical world, especially in vaccines. The toxoid is obtained after formaldehyde treatment of the tetanus toxin. In parallel, current emphasis in the drug discovery field is put on producing well-defined and safer drugs, explaining the interest in finding new alternative proteins. The tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC) has been extensively studied both as a neuroprotective agent for central nervous system disorders owing to its neuronal properties and as a carrier protein in vaccines. Indeed, it is derived from a part of the tetanus toxin and, as such, retains its immunogenic properties without being toxic. Moreover, this fragment has been well characterized, and its entire structure is known. Here, we propose a systematic review of TTFC by providing information about its structural features, its properties and its methods of production. We also describe the large uses of TTFC in the field of drug discovery. TTFC can therefore be considered as an attractive alternative to TTd and remarkably offers a wide range of uses, including as a carrier, delivery vector, conjugate, booster, inducer, and neuroprotector.
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Combining Well-Tempered Metadynamics Simulation and SPR Assays to Characterize the Binding Mechanism of the Universal T-Lymphocyte Tetanus Toxin Epitope TT830-843. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5568980. [PMID: 34285916 PMCID: PMC8275407 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5568980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Peptide TT830-843 from the tetanus toxin is a universal T-cell epitope. It helps in vaccination and induces T-cell activation. However, the fine molecular interaction between this antigen and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) remains unknown. Molecular analysis of its interaction with murine MHC (H-2) was proposed to explore its immune response efficiency. Molecular dynamics simulations are important mechanisms for understanding the basis of protein-ligand interactions, and metadynamics is a useful technique for enhancing sampling in molecular dynamics. SPR (surface plasmon resonance) assays were used to validate whether the metadynamics results are in accordance with the experimental results. The peptide TT830-843 unbinding process was simulated, and the free energy surface reconstruction revealed a detailed conformational landscape. The simulation described the exiting path as a stepwise mechanism between progressive detachment states. We pointed out how the terminus regions act as anchors for binding and how the detachment mechanism includes the opening of α-helices to permit the peptide's central region dissociation. The results indicated the peptide/H-2 receptor encounter occurs within a distance lesser than 27.5 Å, and the encounter can evolve to form a stable complex. SPR assays confirmed the complex peptide/H-2 as a thermodynamically stable system, exhibiting enough free energy to interact with TCR on the antigen-presenting cell surface. Therefore, combining in silico and in vitro assays provided significant evidence to support the peptide/H-2 complex formation.
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Rodrigues-da-Silva RN, Correa-Moreira D, Soares IF, de-Luca PM, Totino PRR, Morgado FN, Oliveira Henriques MDGD, Peixoto Candea AL, Singh B, Galinski MR, Moreno A, Oliveira-Ferreira J, Lima-Junior JDC. Immunogenicity of synthetic peptide constructs based on PvMSP9 E795-A808, a linear B-cell epitope of the P. vivax Merozoite Surface Protein-9. Vaccine 2018; 37:306-313. [PMID: 30509693 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax Merozoite Surface Protein-9 (PvMSP-9) is a malaria vaccine candidate naturally immunogenic in humans and able to induce high antibody titers in animals when delivered as a recombinant protein. Recently, we identified the sequence EAAPENAEPVHENA (PvMSP9E795-A808) as the main linear B-cell epitope in naturally exposed individuals. However, the potential of PvMSP9E795-A808 as an immunogen in experimental animal models remained unexplored. Here we assess the immunogenicity of PvMSP9E795-A808 using synthetic peptides. The peptides tested in BALB/c mice include two repeats of the sequence EAAPENAEPVHENA tested alone (peptide RII), or linked to an autologous (PvMSP9 peptide pL; pLRII) or heterologous (p2 tetanus toxin universal T cell epitope; TTRII) T cell epitope. Immune responses were evaluated by ELISA, FLUOROSPOT, and indirect immunofluorescence. We show that all of the peptide constructs tested were immunogenic eliciting specific IgG antibodies at different levels, with a prevalence of IgG1 and IgG2. Animals immunized with synthetic peptides containing T cell epitopes (pLRII or TTRII) had more efficient antibody responses that resulted in higher antibody titers able to recognize the native protein by immunofluorescence. Relevantly, the frequency of IFN-γ secreting SFC elicited by immunization with TTRII synthetic peptide was comparable to that reported to the PvMSP9-Nt recombinant protein. Taken together, our study indicates that PvMSP9E795-A808 is highly immunogenic in mice and further studies to evaluate its value as promising vaccine target are warranted. Moreover, our study supports the critical role of CD4 T cell epitopes to enhance humoral responses induced by subunit based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniely Correa-Moreira
- Laboratory of Taxonomy, Biochemistry and Fungi Bioprospecting, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ferreira Soares
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paula Melo de-Luca
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo Renato Rivas Totino
- Laboratory of Malaria Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Nazaré Morgado
- Laboratory of Leishmaniasis Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Balwan Singh
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary R Galinski
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alberto Moreno
- Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joseli Oliveira-Ferreira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Josué da Costa Lima-Junior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Lee SE, Nguyen CT, Kim SY, Thi TN, Rhee JH. Tetanus toxin fragment C fused to flagellin makes a potent mucosal vaccine. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2015; 4:59-67. [PMID: 25649002 PMCID: PMC4313110 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2015.4.1.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Recombinant subunit vaccines provide safe and targeted protection against microbial infections. However, the protective efficacy of recombinant subunit vaccines tends to be less potent than the whole cell vaccines, especially when they are administered through mucosal routes. We have reported that a bacterial flagellin has strong mucosal adjuvant activity to induce protective immune responses. In this study, we tested whether FlaB could be used as a fusion partner of subunit vaccine for tetanus. MATERIALS AND METHODS We constructed fusion proteins consisted with tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC), the nontoxic C-terminal portion of tetanus toxin, and a Toll-like receptor 5 agonist from Vibrio vulnificus (FlaB). Mice were intranasally administered with fusion protein and protective immune responses of the vaccinated mice were analyzed. RESULTS FlaB-TTFC recombinant protein induced strong tetanus-specific antibody responses in both systemic and mucosal compartments and prolonged the survival of mice after challenge with a supra-lethal dose of tetanus toxin. CONCLUSION This study establishes FlaB as a successful fusion partner for recombinant subunit tetanus vaccine applicable through mucosal route, and it further endorses our previous observations that FlaB could be a stable adjuvant partner for mucosal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shee Eun Lee
- Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea. ; Department of Pharmacology and Dental Therapeutics, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Chung Truong Nguyen
- Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea. ; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea. ; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Thinh Nguyen Thi
- Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea. ; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Joon Haeng Rhee
- Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea. ; Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
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Theile CS, Witte MD, Blom AEM, Kundrat L, Ploegh HL, Guimaraes CP. Site-specific N-terminal labeling of proteins using sortase-mediated reactions. Nat Protoc 2013; 8:1800-7. [PMID: 23989674 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2013.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
This protocol describes the use of sortase-mediated reactions to label the N terminus of any given protein of interest. The sortase recognition sequence, LPXTG (for Streptococcus aureus sortase A) or LPXTA (for Staphylococcus pyogenes sortase A), can be appended to a variety of probes such as fluorophores, biotin or even to other proteins. The protein to be labeled acts as a nucleophile by attacking the intermediate formed between the probe containing the LPXTG/A motif and the sortase enzyme. If sortase, the protein of interest and a suitably functionalized label are available, the reactions usually require less than 3 h.
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Kim JS, Jang JI, Eom JS, Oh CH, Kim HG, Kim BH, Bang IS, Bang SH, Park YK. Molecular characterization of the InvE regulator in the secretion of type III secretion translocases in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2013; 159:446-461. [PMID: 23288540 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.061689-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are exploited by many Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria to deliver a set of effector proteins into the host cytosol during cell entry. The T3SS of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is composed of more than 20 proteins that constitute the membrane-associated base, the needle and the tip complex at the distal end of the T3SS needle. Membrane docking and piercing between the T3SS and host cells is followed by the secretion of effector proteins. Therefore, a secretion hierarchy among the substrates of the T3SS is required. The secretion of the pore-forming translocase proteins SipB, SipC and SipD is controlled by the T3SS regulator protein, InvE. During an attempt to identify the regions of InvE that are involved in T3SS regulation, it was observed that the secretion of SipB, SipC and SipD was inhibited when the C-terminal 52 amino acids were removed from InvE. In addition, InvE derivatives lacking the N-terminal 30 and 100 residues were unable to secrete translocases into the culture medium. Interestingly, in the absence of the N-terminal 180 residues of InvE, SipD is unstable, resulting in the hypersecretion of SipB. We also found that both the type III secretion signals of SipB and SptP were functionally interchangeable with the first 30 amino acids of InvE, which could allow the secretion of a reporter protein. These results indicate that InvE may have two functional domains responsible for regulating the secretion of translocases: an N-terminal secretion signal and a C-terminal regulatory domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Seok Kim
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Im Jang
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Seon Eom
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Heon Oh
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Guk Kim
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Bae Hoon Kim
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Iel Soo Bang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chosun University School of Dentistry, Gwang ju 501-759, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Ho Bang
- Department of Biological Science, Hanseo University, Chungcheongnam-do 356-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Park
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea
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