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Surdel MC, Coburn J. Leptospiral adhesins: from identification to future perspectives. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1458655. [PMID: 39206373 PMCID: PMC11350617 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1458655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a significant zoonosis worldwide, with disease severity ranging from a mild non-specific illness to multi-organ dysfunction and hemorrhage. The disease is caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which are classified into pathogenic and saprophytic clades. Bacterial binding to host molecules and cells, coordinated by adhesin proteins, is an important step in pathogenesis. While many leptospiral adhesins have been identified, the vast majority have not been characterized in vivo. Herein, we present an overview of the current methodologies and successes in identifying adhesins in Leptospira, including known biological roles in vivo. We will also identify and discuss potential areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Surdel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jenifer Coburn
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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2
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Strnad M, Koizumi N, Nakamura S, Vancová M, Rego ROM. It's not all about flagella - sticky invasion by pathogenic spirochetes. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:378-385. [PMID: 38523038 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.03.004] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic spirochetes cause a range of serious human diseases such as Lyme disease (LD), syphilis, leptospirosis, relapsing fever (RF), and periodontal disease. Motility is a critical virulence factor for spirochetes. From the mechanical perspective of the infection, it has been widely believed that flagella are the sole key players governing the migration and dissemination of these pathogens in the host. Here, we highlight the important contribution of spirochetal surface-exposed adhesive molecules and their dynamic interactions with host molecules in the process of infection, specifically in spirochetal swimming and crawling migration. We believe that these recent findings overturn the prevailing view depicting the spirochetal body to be just an inert elastic bag, which does not affect spirochetal cell locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Strnad
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Nobuo Koizumi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Marie Vancová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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3
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Petakh P, Oksenych V, Kamyshna I, Boisak I, Lyubomirskaya K, Kamyshnyi O. Exploring the complex interplay: gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1345684. [PMID: 38476949 PMCID: PMC10927737 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1345684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis, a re-emerging zoonotic disease, remains a significant global health concern, especially amid floods and disasters such as the Kakhovka Dam destruction. As is known, the stress that occurs in the conditions of military conflicts among civilian and military personnel significantly affects susceptibility to infectious diseases and possibly even influences their course. This review aims to explore how the gut microbiome and stress mediators (such as catecholamines and corticosteroids) might impact the leptospirosis disease course. The review opens new horizons for research by elucidating the connections between the gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlo Petakh
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
- Department of Microbiology, Virology, and Immunology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Valentyn Oksenych
- Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Iryna Kamyshna
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Iryna Boisak
- Department of Childhood Diseases, Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
| | - Katerina Lyubomirskaya
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zaporizhzhia State Medical and Pharmaceuticals University, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
| | - Oleksandr Kamyshnyi
- Department of Microbiology, Virology, and Immunology, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
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Kamaruzaman INA, Staton GJ, Ainsworth S, Carter SD, Evans NJ. Characterisation of Putative Outer Membrane Proteins from Leptospira borgpetersenii Serovar Hardjo-Bovis Identifies Novel Adhesins and Diversity in Adhesion across Genomospecies Orthologs. Microorganisms 2024; 12:245. [PMID: 38399649 PMCID: PMC10891613 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020245] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease affecting mammalian species worldwide. Cattle are a major susceptible host; infection with pathogenic Leptospira spp. represents a public health risk and results in reproductive failure and reduced milk yield, causing economic losses. The characterisation of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) from disease-causing bacteria dissects pathogenesis and underpins vaccine development. As most leptospire pathogenesis research has focused on Leptospira interrogans, this study aimed to characterise novel OMPs from another important genomospecies, Leptospira borgpetersenii, which has global distribution and is relevant to bovine and human diseases. Several putative L. borgpetersenii OMPs were recombinantly expressed, refolded and purified, and evaluated for function and immunogenicity. Two of these unique, putative OMPs (rLBL0972 and rLBL2618) bound to immobilised fibronectin, laminin and fibrinogen, which, together with structural and functional data, supports their classification as leptospiral adhesins. A third putative OMP (rLBL0375), did not exhibit saturable adhesion ability but, together with rLBL0972 and the included control, OmpL1, demonstrated significant cattle milk IgG antibody reactivity from infected cows. To dissect leptospire host-pathogen interactions further, we expressed alleles of OmpL1 and a novel multi-specific adhesin, rLBL2618, from a variety of genomospecies and surveyed their adhesion ability, with both proteins exhibiting divergences in extracellular matrix component binding specificity across synthesised orthologs. We also observed functional redundancy across different L. borgspetersenii OMPs which, together with diversity in function across genomospecies orthologs, delineates multiple levels of plasticity in adhesion that is potentially driven by immune selection and host adaptation. These data identify novel leptospiral proteins which should be further evaluated as vaccine and/or diagnostic candidates. Moreover, functional redundancy across leptospire surface proteins together with identified adhesion divergence across genomospecies further dissect the complex host-pathogen interactions of a genus responsible for substantial global disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intan Noor Aina Kamaruzaman
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK; (I.N.A.K.); (G.J.S.); (S.A.); (S.D.C.)
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Locked Bag 36, Kota Bharu 16100, Malaysia
| | - Gareth James Staton
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK; (I.N.A.K.); (G.J.S.); (S.A.); (S.D.C.)
| | - Stuart Ainsworth
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK; (I.N.A.K.); (G.J.S.); (S.A.); (S.D.C.)
| | - Stuart D. Carter
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK; (I.N.A.K.); (G.J.S.); (S.A.); (S.D.C.)
| | - Nicholas James Evans
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK; (I.N.A.K.); (G.J.S.); (S.A.); (S.D.C.)
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5
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Azevedo IR, Amamura TA, Isaac L. Human leptospirosis: In search for a better vaccine. Scand J Immunol 2023; 98:e13316. [PMID: 39008520 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a neglected disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira and is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. This pathogen infects humans and other animals, responsible for the most widespread zoonosis in the world, estimated to be responsible for 60 000 deaths and 1 million cases per year. To date, commercial vaccines against human leptospirosis are available only in some countries such as Japan, China, Cuba and France. These vaccines prepared with inactivated Leptospira (bacterins) induce a short-term and serovar-specific immune response, with strong adverse side effects. To circumvent these limitations, several research groups are investigating new experimental vaccines in order to ensure that they are safe, efficient, and protect against several pathogenic Leptospira serovars, inducing sterilizing immunity. Most of these protocols use attenuated cultures, preparations after LPS removal, recombinant proteins or DNA from pathogenic Leptospira spp. The aim of this review was to highlight several promising vaccine candidates, considering their immunogenicity, presence in different pathogenic Leptospira serovars, their role in virulence or immune evasion and other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabela Resende Azevedo
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais Akemi Amamura
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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6
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Fernandes LGV, Teixeira AF, Nascimento ALTO. Evaluation of Leptospira interrogans knockdown mutants for LipL32, LipL41, LipL21, and OmpL1 proteins. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1199660. [PMID: 37426019 PMCID: PMC10326724 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1199660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic and virulent species of the genus Leptospira, whose pathophysiology and virulence factors remain widely unexplored. Recently, the application of CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) has allowed the specific and rapid gene silencing of major leptospiral proteins, favoring the elucidation of their role in bacterial basic biology, host-pathogen interaction and virulence. Episomally expressed dead Cas9 from the Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR/Cas system (dCas9) and single-guide RNA recognize and block transcription of the target gene by base pairing, dictated by the sequence contained in the 5' 20-nt sequence of the sgRNA. Methods In this work, we tailored plasmids for silencing the major proteins of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130, namely LipL32, LipL41, LipL21 and OmpL1. Double- and triple-gene silencing by in tandem sgRNA cassettes were also achieved, despite plasmid instability. Results OmpL1 silencing resulted in a lethal phenotype, in both L. interrogans and saprophyte L. biflexa, suggesting its essential role in leptospiral biology. Mutants were confirmed and evaluated regarding interaction with host molecules, including extracellular matrix (ECM) and plasma components, and despite the dominant abundance of the studied proteins in the leptospiral membrane, protein silencing mostly resulted in unaltered interactions, either because they intrinsically display low affinity to the molecules assayed or by a compensation mechanism, where other proteins could be upregulated to fill the niche left by protein silencing, a feature previously described for the LipL32 mutant. Evaluation of the mutants in the hamster model confirms the augmented virulence of the LipL32 mutant, as hinted previously. The essential role of LipL21 in acute disease was demonstrated, since the LipL21 knockdown mutants were avirulent in the animal model, and even though mutants could still colonize the kidneys, they were found in markedly lower numbers in the animals' liver. Taking advantage of higher bacterial burden in LipL32 mutant-infected organs, protein silencing was demonstrated in vivo directly in leptospires present in organ homogenates. Discussion CRISPRi is now a well-established, attractive genetic tool that can be applied for exploring leptospiral virulence factors, leading to the rational for designing more effective subunit or even chimeric recombinant vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G. V. Fernandes
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F. Teixeira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L. T. O. Nascimento
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Kumar P, Vyas P, Faisal SM, Chang YF, Akif M. Crystal structure of a variable region segment of Leptospira host-interacting outer surface protein, LigA, reveals the orientation of Ig-like domains. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125445. [PMID: 37336372 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) protein family is a surface-exposed protein from the pathogenic Leptospira. The Lig protein family has been identified as an essential virulence factor of L. interrogan. One of the family members, LigA, contains 13 homologous tandem repeats of bacterial Ig-like (Big) domains in its extracellular portion. It is crucial in binding with the host's Extracellular matrices (ECM) and complement factors. However, its vital role in the invasion and evasion of pathogenic Leptospira, structural details, and domain organization of the extracellular portion of this protein are not explored thoroughly. Here, we described the first high-resolution crystal structure of a variable region segment (LigA8-9) of LigA at 1.87 Å resolution. The structure showed some remarkably distinctive aspects compared with the most closely related Immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) members. The structure illustrated the relative orientation of two domains and highlighted the role of the linker region in the domain orientation. We also observed an apparent electron density of Ca2+ ions coordinated with a proper interacting geometry within the protein. Molecular dynamic simulations demonstrated the involvement of a linker salt bridge in providing rigidity between the two domains. Our study proposes an overall arrangement of Ig-like domains in the LigA protein. The structural understanding of the extracellular portion of LigA and its interaction with the ECM provides insight into developing new therapeutics directed toward leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Kumar
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India
| | - Pallavi Vyas
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Syed M Faisal
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mohd Akif
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India.
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Sarma A, Gunasekaran D, Phukan H, Baby A, Hariharan S, De AK, Bhattacharya D, Natesan S, Tennyson J, Madanan MG. Leptospiral imelysin (LIC_10713) is secretory, immunogenic and binds to laminin, fibronectin, and collagen IV. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s00253-023-12573-6. [PMID: 37227474 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12573-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Early and accurate diagnosis is the prime step in managing the disease. Secretory proteins of Leptospira remain distinguished for diagnosis due to their availability as soluble proteins in the serum and their interaction with the host immune response due to their extracellular presence. This study presents the cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of imelysin or LruB (LIC_10713), a putative leptospiral protein. We report that the localization of imelysin showed its presence in the inner membrane and in the culture supernatant. The imelysin was upregulated under in vitro physiological conditions of infection. The LIC_10713 interacted significantly with laminin, fibronectin, collagen type I, and collagen type IV in a dose-dependent manner. Phylogenetic analysis showed that LIC_10713 is predominately found in the pathogenic species of Leptospira, and the GxHxxE motif of imelysin-like proteins is represented as the amino acid sequence GWHAIE. Also, immunoglobulins in leptospirosis-infected patients recognize recombinant-LIC_10713 with 100% specificity and 90.9% sensitivity. The secretion nature, abundance, upregulation, binding to ECM components, and immunogenicity determine LIC_10713 as an important molecule that can be used as an anti-leptospirosis measure. KEY POINTS: • The imelysin-like protein (LIC_10713) of Leptospira is a secretory protein • The protein LIC_10713 can bind ECM molecules • The LIC_10713 is mainly found in pathogenic leptospires • The anti-LIC_10713 antibody from human serum can detect the r-LIC_10713.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Sarma
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Dhandapani Gunasekaran
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Homen Phukan
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Akhil Baby
- Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 625021, India
| | - Suneetha Hariharan
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, 744103, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Arun Kumar De
- Division of Animal Science, ICAR- Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, 744105, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Debasis Bhattacharya
- Division of Animal Science, ICAR- Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, 744105, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - Sankar Natesan
- Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 625021, India
| | - Jebasingh Tennyson
- Department of Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 625021, India
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Cavenague MF, Teixeira AF, Fernandes LGV, Nascimento ALTO. LIC12254 Is a Leptospiral Protein That Interacts with Integrins via the RGD Motif. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8050249. [PMID: 37235297 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8050249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic leptospires can bind to receptors on mammalian cells such as cadherins and integrins. Leptospira effectively adheres to cells, overcomes host barriers and spreads into the bloodstream, reaching internal target organs such as the lungs, liver and kidneys. Several microorganisms produce proteins that act as ligands of integrins through the RGD motif. Here, we characterized a leptospiral RGD-containing protein encoded by the gene lic12254. In silico analysis of pathogenic, intermediate and saprophytic species showed that LIC12254 is highly conserved among pathogenic species, and is unique in presenting the RGD motif. The LIC12254-coding sequence is greatly expressed in the virulent Leptospira interrogans L1-130 strain compared with the culture-attenuated L. interrogans M20 strain. We also showed that the recombinant protein rLIC12254 binds to αVβ8 and α8 human integrins most likely via the RGD motif. These interactions are dose-dependent and saturable, a typical property of receptor-ligand interactions. The binding of the recombinant protein lacking this motif-rLIC12254 ΔRAA-to αVβ8 was almost totally abolished, while that with the α8 human integrin was decreased by 65%. Taken together, these results suggest that this putative outer membrane protein interacts with integrins via the RGD domain and may play a key role in leptospirosis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Cavenague
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-000, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F Teixeira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-000, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, SP, Brazil
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Ibrahim JM, A S, Nair AS, Oommen OV, Sudhakaran PR. In silico screening and epitope mapping of leptospiral outer membrane protein-Lsa46. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:26-44. [PMID: 34821205 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2003247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is one of the neglected diseases caused by the spirochete, Leptospira interrogans. Leptospiral surface adhesion (Lsa) proteins are surface exposed outer membrane proteins present in the pathogen. It acts as laminin and plasminogen binding proteins which enable them to infect host cells. The major target for the development of vaccine in the current era focuses on surface exposed outer membrane proteins, as they can induce strong and fast immune response in hosts. Therefore, the present study mapped the potential epitopes of the Leptospiral outer membrane proteins, mainly the surface adhesion proteins. Protein sequence analysis of Lsa proteins was done by in silico methods. The primary protein sequence analysis revealed Lsa46 as a suitable target which can be a potent Leptospiral vaccine candidate. Its structure was modelled by threading based method in I-TASSER server and validated by Ramachandran plot. The predicted epitope's interactions with human IgG, IgM(Fab) and T-cell receptor TCR(αβ) were performed by molecular docking studies using Biovia Discovery studio 2018. One of the predicted B-cell epitopes and the IgG showed desirable binding interactions, while four of the predicted B-cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes showed desirable binding interactions with IgM and TCR respectively. The molecular dynamic simulation studies carried out with the molecular docked complexes gave minimized energies indicating stable interactions. The structural analysis of the entire simulated complex showed a stable nature except for one of the Epitope-IgM complex. Further the binding free energy calculation of eight receptor-ligand complex predicted them energetically stable. The results of the study help in elucidating the structural and functional characterization of Lsa46 for epitope-based vaccine design.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaida M Ibrahim
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Shanitha A
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Achuthsankar S Nair
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Oommen V Oommen
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Perumana R Sudhakaran
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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11
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Host Cell Binding Mediated by Leptospira interrogans Adhesins. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415550. [PMID: 36555188 PMCID: PMC9779477 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a neglected infectious disease with global impact on both humans and animals. The increase in urban development without sanitation planning is one of the main reasons for the disease spreading. The symptoms are similar to those of flu-like diseases, such as dengue, yellow fever, and malaria, which can result in a misleading clinical diagnosis. The characterization of host-pathogen interactions is important in the development of new vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics. However, the pathogenesis of leptospirosis is not well understood, and many gaps remain to be addressed. Here, we aimed to determine if Leptospira strains, virulent, culture-attenuated, and saprophytic, and the major outer membrane proteins OmpL37, OmpL1, LipL21, LipL41, and LipL46 are able to adhere to different endothelial, epithelial and fibroblast cell lines in vitro. We showed that virulent leptospires robustly bind to all cells compared to the culture-attenuated and saprophytic lines. The recombinant proteins exhibited certain adhesion, but only OmpL1 and LipL41 were able to bind to several cell lines, either in monolayer or in cell suspension. Blocking OmpL1 with polyclonal antibodies caused a decrease in bacterial binding to cells, contrasting with an increase observed when anti-LipL41 antibodies were used. The adhesion of OmpL1 to HMEC-1 and EA.hy926 was inhibited when cells were pre-incubated with collagen IV, suggesting that both compete for the same cell receptor. We present here for the first time the interaction of five leptospiral outer membrane proteins with several cell lines, and we conclude that LipL41 and OmpL1 may have an impact on leptospiral adhesion to mammalian cells and may mediate the colonization process in leptospiral pathogenesis.
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12
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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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13
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Kumar A, Varma VP, Faisal SM. Screening of Surface-Exposed Lipoproteins of Leptospira Involved in Modulation of Host Innate Immune Response. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:761670. [PMID: 35401498 PMCID: PMC8988195 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.761670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira, a zoonotic pathogen, is capable of causing both chronic and acute infection in a susceptible host. Surface-exposed lipoproteins play a major role in modulating the host immune response by activating the innate cells like macrophages and dendritic cells or evading complement attack and killing by phagocytes like neutrophils to favor pathogenesis and establish infection. In this study, we screened some surface-exposed lipoproteins known to be involved in pathogenesis to assess their possible role in immune modulation (innate immune activation or evasion). Surface proteins of the Len family (LenB, LenD, and LenE), Lsa30, Loa22, and Lipl21 were purified in recombinant form and then tested for their ability to activate macrophages of the different host (mouse, human, and bovine). These proteins were tested for binding with complement regulators like Factor H (FH), C4 Binding Protein (C4BP), and host protease Plasminogen (PLG) and also as nucleases to access their possible role in innate immune evasion. Our results show that, of various proteins tested, Loa22 induced strong innate activation and Lsa30 was least stimulatory, as evident from the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor–α) and expression of surface markers [CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII)]. All the tested proteins were able to bind to FH, C4BP, and PLG; however, Loa22 showed strong binding to PLG correlating to plasmin activity. All the proteins except Loa22 showed nuclease activity, albeit with a requirement of different metal ions. The nuclease activity of these proteins correlated to in vitro degradation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET). In conclusion, our results indicate that these surface proteins are involved in innate immune modulation and may play a critical role in assisting the bacteria in invading and colonizing the host tissue for persistent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Regional Center for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
| | - Vivek P Varma
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Syed M Faisal
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Regional Center for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
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14
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Hsu SH, Yang CW. Insight into the Structure, Functions, and Dynamics of the Leptospira Outer Membrane Proteins with the Pathogenicity. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12030300. [PMID: 35323775 PMCID: PMC8951592 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12030300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis that frequently occurs in tropical and subtropical countries. Leptospira enters the host through wounds or mucous membranes and spreads to the whole body through the blood, causing systemic infection. Kidneys are the preferential site where Leptospira accumulates, especially in the renal interstitium and renal tubule epithelial cells. Clinical symptoms in humans include high fever, jaundice, renal failure, and severe multiple-organ failure (Weil’s syndrome). Surface-exposed antigens are located at the outermost layer of Leptospira and these potential virulence factors are likely involved in primary host-pathogen interactions, adhesion, and/or invasion. Using the knockout/knockdown techniques to the evaluation of pathogenicity in the virulence factor are the most direct and effective methods and many virulence factors are evaluated including lipopolysaccharides (LPS), Leptospira lipoprotein 32 (LipL32), Leptospira ompA domain protein 22 (Loa22), LipL41, LipL71, Leptospira immunoglobulin-like repeat A (LigA), LigB, and LipL21. In this review, we will discuss the structure, functions, and dynamics of these virulence factors and the roles of these virulence factors in Leptospira pathogenicity. In addition, a protein family with special Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) will also be discussed for their vital role in Leptospira pathogenicity. Finally, these surface-exposed antigens are discussed in the application of the diagnosis target for leptospirosis and compared with the serum microscope agglutination test (MAT), the gold standard for leptospirosis.
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15
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Nakamura S. Motility of the Zoonotic Spirochete Leptospira: Insight into Association with Pathogenicity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031859. [PMID: 35163781 PMCID: PMC8837006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
If a bacterium has motility, it will use the ability to survive and thrive. For many pathogenic species, their motilities are a crucial virulence factor. The form of motility varies among the species. Some use flagella for swimming in liquid, and others use the cell-surface machinery to move over solid surfaces. Spirochetes are distinguished from other bacterial species by their helical or flat wave morphology and periplasmic flagella (PFs). It is believed that the rotation of PFs beneath the outer membrane causes transformation or rolling of the cell body, propelling the spirochetes. Interestingly, some spirochetal species exhibit motility both in liquid and over surfaces, but it is not fully unveiled how the spirochete pathogenicity involves such amphibious motility. This review focuses on the causative agent of zoonosis leptospirosis and discusses the significance of their motility in liquid and on surfaces, called crawling, as a virulence factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
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16
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MB T, AF T, ALTO N. The leptospiral LipL21 and LipL41 proteins exhibit a broad spectrum of interactions with host cell components. Virulence 2021; 12:2798-2813. [PMID: 34719356 PMCID: PMC8632080 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1993427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a globally prevalent zoonotic disease, and is caused by pathogenic spirochetes from the genus Leptospira. LipL21 and LipL41 are lipoproteins expressed strongly on the outer membrane of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Many studies have shown that both proteins are interesting targets for vaccines and diagnosis. However, their role in host-pathogen interactions remains underexplored. Therefore, we evaluated the capacity of LipL21 and LipL41 to bind with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), the cell receptors and extracellular matrix, and plasma components by ELISA. Both proteins interacted with collagen IV, laminin, E-cadherin, and elastin dose-dependently. A broad-spectrum binding to plasma components was also observed. Only LipL21 interacted with all the GAG components tested, whereas LipL41 presented a concentration-dependent binding only for chondroitin 4 sulfate. Although, both proteins have the ability to interact with fibrinogen, only LipL21 inhibited fibrin clot formation partially. Both proteins exhibited a decrease in plasminogen binding in the presence of amino caproic acid (ACA), a competitive inhibitor of lysine residues, suggesting that their binding occurs via the kringle domains of plasminogen. LipL41, but not LipL21, was able to convert plasminogen to plasmin, and recruit plasminogen from normal human serum, suggesting that the interaction of this protein with plasminogen may occur in physiological conditions. This work provides the first report demonstrating the capacity of LipL21 and LipL41 to interact with a broad range of host components, highlighting their importance in host-Leptospira interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahashi MB
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades Em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Teixeira AF
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nascimento ALTO
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
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17
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Daroz BB, Fernandes LGV, Cavenague MF, Kochi LT, Passalia FJ, Takahashi MB, Nascimento Filho EG, Teixeira AF, Nascimento ALTO. A Review on Host- Leptospira Interactions: What We Know and Future Expectations. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:777709. [PMID: 34900757 PMCID: PMC8657130 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.777709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. It is considered a neglected infectious disease of human and veterinary concern. Our group has been investigating proteins annotated as hypothetical, predicted to be located on the leptospiral surface. Because of their location, these proteins may have the ability to interact with various host components, which could allow establishment of the infection. These proteins act as adherence factors by binding to host receptor molecules, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM) components laminin and glycosaminoglycans to help bacterial colonization. Leptospira also interacts with the host fibrinolytic system, which has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for invasion mechanisms. The interaction with fibrinogen and thrombin has been shown to reduce fibrin clot formation. Additionally, the degradation of coagulation cascade components by secreted proteases or by acquired surface plasmin could also play a role in reducing clot formation, hence facilitating dissemination during infection. Interaction with host complement system regulators also plays a role in helping bacteria to evade the immune system, facilitating invasion. Interaction of Leptospira to cell receptors, such as cadherins, can contribute to investigate molecules that participate in virulence. To achieve a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction, leptospiral mutagenesis tools have been developed and explored. This work presents several proteins that mediate binding to components of the ECM, plasma, components of the complement system and cells, to gather research achievements that can be helpful in better understanding the mechanisms of leptospiral-host interactions and discuss genetic manipulation for Leptospira spp. aimed at protein function validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda B. Daroz
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis G. V. Fernandes
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria F. Cavenague
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro T. Kochi
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe J. Passalia
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria B. Takahashi
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edson G. Nascimento Filho
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aline F. Teixeira
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana L. T. O. Nascimento
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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18
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Passalia FJ, Heinemann MB, Vieira ML, Nascimento ALTO. A Novel Leptospira interrogans Protein LIC13086 Inhibits Fibrin Clot Formation and Interacts With Host Components. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:708739. [PMID: 34277477 PMCID: PMC8280789 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.708739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis, caused by pathogenic spirochetes bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The molecular mechanisms of leptospirosis infection are complex, and it is becoming clear that leptospires express several functionally redundant proteins to invade, disseminate, and escape the host’s immune response. Here, we describe a novel leptospiral protein encoded by the gene LIC13086 as an outer membrane protein. The recombinant protein LIC13086 can interact with the extracellular matrix component laminin and bind plasminogen, thus possibly participating during the adhesion process and dissemination. Also, by interacting with fibrinogen and plasma fibronectin, the protein LIC13086 probably has an inhibitory effect in the fibrin clot formation during the infection process. The newly characterized protein can also bind molecules of the complement system and the regulator C4BP and, thus, might have a role in the evasion mechanism of Leptospira. Taken together, our results suggest that the protein LIC13086 may have a multifunctional role in leptospiral pathogenesis, participating in host invasion, dissemination, and immune evasion processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe José Passalia
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bryan Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Larucci Vieira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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19
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Ho JD, Takara LEM, Monaris D, Gonçalves AP, Souza-Filho AF, de Souza GO, Heinemann MB, Ho PL, Abreu PAE. GroEL protein of the Leptospira spp. interacts with host proteins and induces cytokines secretion on macrophages. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:99. [PMID: 33789603 PMCID: PMC8011160 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02162-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with spirochetes from Leptospira genus. It has been classified into at least 17 pathogenic species, with more than 250 serologic variants. This wide distribution may be a result of leptospiral ability to colonize the renal tubules of mammalian hosts, including humans, wildlife, and many domesticated animals. Previous studies showed that the expression of proteins belonging to the microbial heat shock protein (HSP) family is upregulated during infection and also during various stress stimuli. Several proteins of this family are known to have important roles in the infectious processes in other bacteria, but the role of HSPs in Leptospira spp. is poorly understood. In this study, we have evaluated the capacity of the protein GroEL, a member of HSP family, of interacting with host proteins and of stimulating the production of cytokines by macrophages. RESULTS The binding experiments demonstrated that the recombinant GroEL protein showed interaction with several host components in a dose-dependent manner. It was also observed that GroEL is a surface protein, and it is secreted extracellularly. Moreover, two cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) were produced when macrophages cells were stimulated with this protein. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that GroEL protein may contribute to the adhesion of leptospires to host tissues and stimulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines during infection. These features might indicate an important role of GroEL in the pathogen-host interaction in the leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Dias Ho
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Denize Monaris
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Antonio Francisco Souza-Filho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisele Oliveira de Souza
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bryan Heinemann
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
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20
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Samrot AV, Sean TC, Bhavya KS, Sahithya CS, Chan-drasekaran S, Palanisamy R, Robinson ER, Subbiah SK, Mok PL. Leptospiral Infection, Pathogenesis and Its Diagnosis-A Review. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020145. [PMID: 33535649 PMCID: PMC7912936 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a perplexing conundrum for many. In the existing literature, the pathophysiological mechanisms pertaining to leptospirosis is still not understood in full. Considered as a neglected tropical zoonotic disease, leptospirosis is culminating as a serious problem worldwide, seemingly existing as co-infections with various other unrelated diseases, including dengue and malaria. Misdiagnosis is also common as non-specific symptoms are documented extensively in the literature. This can easily lead to death, as the severe form of leptospirosis (Weil's disease) manifests as a complex of systemic complications, especially renal failure. The virulence of Leptospira sp. is usually attributed to the outer membrane proteins, including LipL32. With an armament of virulence factors at their disposal, their ability to easily adhere, invade and replicate within cells calls for a swift refinement in research progress to establish their exact pathophysiological framework. As an effort to reconstitute the current knowledge on leptospirosis, the basis of leptospiral infection, including its risk factors, classification, morphology, transmission, pathogenesis, co-infections and clinical manifestations are highlighted in this review. The various diagnostic techniques are also outlined with emphasis on their respective pros and cons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony V. Samrot
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
| | - Tan Chuan Sean
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
| | - Karanam Sai Bhavya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Chamarthy Sai Sahithya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - SaiPriya Chan-drasekaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Raji Palanisamy
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Emilin Renitta Robinson
- Department of Food Processing Technology, Karunya Institute of Technology and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641 114, India;
| | - Suresh Kumar Subbiah
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia;
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Pooi Ling Mok
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka P.O. Box 2014, Aljouf Province, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
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21
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Hsu SH, Chang MY, Lin SM, Ko YC, Chou LF, Tian YC, Hung CC, Yang CW. Peptidoglycan mediates Leptospira outer membrane protein Loa22 to toll-like receptor 2 for inflammatory interaction: a novel innate immune recognition. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1064. [PMID: 33441663 PMCID: PMC8115183 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79662-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an overlooked zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic
Leptospira depended on virulence of Leptospira and the host–pathogen interaction. Kidney is
the major organ infected by Leptospira which
causes tubulointerstitial nephritis. Leptospira
outer membrane contains several virulence factors and an outer membrane protein A
(OmpA) like protein (Loa22) is essential for virulence. Pull-down assays suggested
that Loa22 was a potential Toll-Like Receptor 2 (TLR2) binding candidates from
pathogenic Leptospira. Confocal microscopy was
employed to observe the co-localization of TLR2 and Loa22-LPGN (Leptospira peptidoglycan) complexes. Atomic force
microscopy (AFM), side-directed mutagenesis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) were performed to investigate the affinity between rLoa22, LPGN, and TLR2.
Real time PCR was applied to measure the cytokines expression. Downstream signal
transduction components were verified by western blot to evaluate the gene
regulations. Mutation of two Loa22 key residues (Asp122
and Arg143) attenuated the affinities for LPGN.
rLoa22-LPGN complexes were observed to co-localize with TLR2 and provoked
inflammatory responses including CXCL8/IL8,
hCCL2/MCP-1, and hTNF-α. Affinity studies suggested that Loa22-LPGN complexes elevated
the affinity to TLR2 as compared to Loa22 protein. Downstream signals from TLR2
including p38, ERK, and JNK were regulated under rLoa22-LPGN complexes treatments.
This study identified LPGN mediates interactions between Loa22 and TLR2 and induces
downstream signals to trigger inflammatory responses. rLoa22-LPGN-TLR2 complexes
reveal a novel binding mechanism for the innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-Hsing Hsu
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Yang Chang
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shih-Ming Lin
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ching Ko
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Feng Chou
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shing St., Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC.
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22
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Oliveira PN, Courrol DS, Chura-Chambi RM, Morganti L, Souza GO, Franzolin MR, Wunder EA, Heinemann MB, Barbosa AS. Inactivation of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 by pathogenic Leptospira. Microb Pathog 2020; 150:104704. [PMID: 33347965 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Leptospires are aerobic, Gram-negative spirochetes with a high invasive capacity. Pathogenic leptospires secrete proteases that inactivate a variety of host's proteins including molecules of the extracellular matrix and of the human complement system. This strategy, used by several pathogens of medical importance, contributes to bacterial invasion and immune evasion. In the current work we present evidence that Leptospira proteases also target human cathelicidin (LL-37), an antimicrobial peptide that plays an important role in the innate immune response. By using six Leptospira strains, four pathogenic and two saprophytic, we demonstrated that proteases present in the supernatants of pathogenic strains were capable of degrading LL-37 in a time-dependent manner, whereas proteolytic degradation was not observed with the supernatants of the two saprophytic strains. Inactivation of LL-37 was prevented by using the 1,10-phenanthroline inhibitor, thus suggesting the involvement of metalloproteinases in this process. In addition, the antibacterial activity of LL-37 against two Leptospira strains was evaluated. Compared to the saprophytic strain, a greater resistance of the pathogenic strain to the action of the peptide was observed. Our data suggest that the capacity to inactivate the host defense peptide LL-37 may be part of the virulence arsenal of pathogenic Leptospira, and we hypothesize that its inactivation by the bacteria may influence the outcome of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila N Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Rosa Maria Chura-Chambi
- Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, Centro de Biotecnologia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ligia Morganti
- Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, Centro de Biotecnologia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisele O Souza
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Elsio A Wunder
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Angela S Barbosa
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
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23
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Crystal structure of Leptospira leucine-rich repeat 20 reveals a novel E-cadherin binding protein to induce NGAL expression in HK2 cells. Biochem J 2020; 477:4313-4326. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira, which is classified into three groups according to virulence. Its pathogenic and intermediate species contain leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins that are rarely expressed in non-pathogenic strains. In this study, we presented the crystal structure of LSS_11580 (rLRR20) from pathogenic L. santarosai serovar Shermani. X-ray diffraction at a resolution of 1.99 Å revealed a horseshoe-shaped structure containing seven α-helices and five β-sheets. Affinity assays indicated that rLRR20 interacts with E-cadherin on the cell surface. Interestingly, its binds to the extracellular (EC) 1 domain in human epithelial (E)-cadherin, which is responsible for binding to another E-cadherin molecule in neighboring cells. Several charged residues on the concave face of LRR20 were predicted to interact with EC1 domain. In the affinity assays, these charged residues were replaced by alanine, and their affinities to E-cadherin were measured. Three vital residues and mutation variants of LRR20, namely D56A, E59A, and E123A, demonstrated significantly reduced affinity to E-cadherin compared with the control. Besides, we also demonstrated that rLRR20 induced the expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in HK2 cells. The low ability of the three mutation variants to induce NGAL expression further demonstrates this induction. The present findings indicate that LRR20 from pathogenic Leptospira binds to E-cadherin and interacts with its EC1 domain. In addition, its induction of NGAL expression in HK2 cells is associated with acute kidney injury in human.
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24
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Martinez APG, Abreu PAE, de Arruda Vasconcellos S, Ho PL, Ferreira VP, Saggu G, Barbosa AS, Isaac L. The Role of Properdin in Killing of Non-Pathogenic Leptospira biflexa. Front Immunol 2020; 11:572562. [PMID: 33240263 PMCID: PMC7683387 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.572562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Properdin (P) is a positive regulatory protein that stabilizes the C3 convertase and C5 convertase of the complement alternative pathway (AP). Several studies have suggested that properdin can bind directly to the surface of certain pathogens regardless of the presence of C3bBb. Saprophytic Leptospira are susceptible to complement-mediated killing, but the interaction of properdin with Leptospira spp. has not been evaluated so far. In this work, we demonstrate that properdin present in normal human serum, purified properdin, as well as properdin oligomers P2, P3, and P4, interact with Leptospira. Properdin can bind directly to the bacterial surface even in the absence of C3b. In line with our previous findings, AP activation was shown to be important for killing non-pathogenic L. biflexa, and properdin plays a key role in this process since this microorganism survives in P-depleted human serum and the addition of purified properdin to P-depleted human serum decreases the number of viable leptospires. A panel of pathogenic L.interrogans recombinant proteins was used to identify putative properdin targets. Lsa30, an outer membrane protein from L. interrogans, binds to unfractionated properdin and to a lesser extent to P2-P4 properdin oligomers. In conclusion, properdin plays an important role in limiting bacterial proliferation of non-pathogenic Leptospira species. Once bound to the leptospiral surface, this positive complement regulatory protein of the AP contributes to the formation of the C3 convertase on the leptospire surface even in the absence of prior addition of C3b.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Silvio de Arruda Vasconcellos
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Viviana P. Ferreira
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Gurpanna Saggu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | | | - Lourdes Isaac
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Xu J, Koizumi N, Nakamura S. Crawling Motility on the Host Tissue Surfaces Is Associated With the Pathogenicity of the Zoonotic Spirochete Leptospira. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1886. [PMID: 32849465 PMCID: PMC7419657 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial motility is crucial for many pathogenic species in the process of invasion and/or dissemination. The spirochete bacteria Leptospira spp. cause symptoms, such as hemorrhage, jaundice, and nephritis, in diverse mammals including humans. Although loss-of-motility attenuate the spirochete's virulence, the mechanism of the motility-dependent pathogenicity is unknown. Here, focusing on that Leptospira spp. swim in liquid and crawl on solid surfaces, we investigated the spirochetal dynamics on the host tissues by infecting cultured kidney cells from various species with pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires. We found that, in the case of the pathogenic leptospires, a larger fraction of bacteria attached to the host cells and persistently traveled long distances using the crawling mechanism. Our results associate the kinetics and kinematic features of the spirochetal pathogens with their virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Nobuo Koizumi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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26
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Kochi LT, Fernandes LGV, Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Heinemann MB, Romero EC, Kirchgatter K, Nascimento ALTO. The interaction of two novel putative proteins of Leptospira interrogans with E-cadherin, plasminogen and complement components with potential role in bacterial infection. Virulence 2020; 10:734-753. [PMID: 31422744 PMCID: PMC6735628 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1650613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of Leptospira. Leptospires are able to adhere to exposed extracellular matrix in injured tissues and, once in the bloodstream, can survive the attack of the immune system and spread to colonize target organs. In this work, we report that two novel putative proteins, coded by the genes LIC11711 and LIC12587 of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni are conserved among pathogenic strains, and probably exposed in the bacterial surface. Soluble recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. Both recombinant proteins bound to laminin and E-cadherin, suggesting an initial adhesion function in host epithelial cells. The recombinant protein LIC11711 (rLIC11711) was able to capture plasminogen (PLG) from normal human serum and convert to enzymatically active plasmin (PLA), in the presence of PLG activator. rLIC12587 (recombinant protein LIC12587) displayed a dose dependent and saturable interaction with components C7, C8, and C9 of the complement system, reducing the bactericidal effect of the complement. Binding to C9 may have consequences such as C9 polymerization inhibition, interfering with the membrane attack complex formation. Blocking LIC11711 and LIC12587 on bacterial cells by the respective antiserum reduced leptospiral cell viability when exposed to normal human serum (NHS). Both recombinant proteins could be recognized by serum samples of confirmed leptospirosis, but not of unrelated diseases, suggesting that the native proteins are immunogenic and expressed during leptospirosis. Taken together, our data suggest that these proteins may have a role in leptospiral pathogenesis, participating in immune evasion strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro T Kochi
- a Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan , São Paulo , Brazil.,b Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- a Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Gisele O Souza
- c Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Silvio A Vasconcellos
- c Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- c Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Eliete C Romero
- d Centro de Bacteriologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz , Sao Paulo , Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- e Núcleo de Estudos em Malária, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias -SUCEN/IMT-SP, USP , Sao Paulo , Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- a Laboratório Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan , São Paulo , Brazil
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27
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A Modified ELISA Method to Evaluate the Interaction of Schistosoma mansoni Proteins with Plasminogen. Methods Mol Biol 2020. [PMID: 32452005 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0635-3_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
An important aspect of host-pathogen interactions is the interference of secreted proteins with the fibrinolytic system. Herein, we describe a modified ELISA method used to evaluate the interaction of a recombinant Schistosoma mansoni protein with plasminogen (PLG). Using this protocol, we demonstrated that a secreted protein, recombinant venom allergen-like protein 18 (rSmVAL18) acts as a plasminogen receptor increasing its activation into plasmin in the presence of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). PLG binding was determined by immobilizing human PLG in the plate and incubating with the recombinant protein; competitive binding with a lysine analog demonstrated the interaction of the protein lysine residues with PLG Kringle domains. To assess the activation of S. mansoni recombinant protein-bound PLG, the amidolytic activity of generated plasmin was measured using the D-Val-Leu-Lys 4-nitroanilide dihydrochloride substrate.
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28
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Passalia FJ, Carvalho E, Heinemann MB, Vieira ML, Nascimento ALTO. The Leptospira interrogans LIC10774 is a multifunctional surface protein that binds calcium and interacts with host components. Microbiol Res 2020; 235:126470. [PMID: 32247916 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a global re-emerging zoonosis, caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Humans are infected mainly through contact with contaminated water or soil. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of leptospirosis through the characterization of unknown outer membrane proteins may contribute to the development of new treatments, diagnostic methods and vaccines. We have identified using bioinformatics analysis a protein that is encoded by the gene LIC10774, predicted to be localized at the leptospiral outer membrane and exhibit beta-roll folding. Surface exposure was confirmed by flow cytometry, ELISA and immunofluorescence-based confocal microscopy. Through circular dichroism spectroscopy and hydrophobic dye binding we have shown that rLIC10774 binds calcium ions, which imposes changes to secondary and tertiary structures. The recombinant protein was capable of binding to several host extracellular matrix and serum components. Therefore, we describe LIC10774 as a calcium-binding protein exposed in the outer surface of pathogenic leptospires with possible multifunctional roles in adhesion to host tissues, evasion of the immune system and participation in dissemination processes during leptospirosis. In addition, we hypothesize that the calcium binding is important for temperature-dependent functional roles during leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe José Passalia
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eneas Carvalho
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bryan Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Larucci Vieira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Ana Lucia T O Nascimento
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900, São Paulo, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
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29
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Role of Supramolecule ErpY-Like Lipoprotein of Leptospira in Thrombin-Catalyzed Fibrin Clot Inhibition and Binding to Complement Factors H and I, and Its Diagnostic Potential. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00536-19. [PMID: 31548314 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00536-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. In this study, we report that the LIC11966/ErpY-like lipoprotein is a surface-exposed outer membrane protein exclusively present in pathogenic species of Leptospira The recombinant ErpY (rErpY)-like protein is recognized by the immunoglobulins of confirmed leptospirosis sera of diverse hosts (human, bovine, and canine), suggesting the expression of the native leptospiral surface protein during infection. Circular dichroism of pure rErpY-like protein showed the secondary structural integrity to be uncompromised during the purification process. Analysis of the rErpY-like protein by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, chemical cross-linking, dynamic light scattering, and field emission transmission electron microscopy demonstrated it undergoes supramolecular assembly. The rErpY-like protein can bind to diverse host extracellular matrices, and it presented a saturable and strong binding affinity (dissociation constant [KD ] of 70.45 ± 4.13 nM) to fibrinogen, a central host plasma component involved in blood clotting. In the presence of the rErpY-like supramolecule, thrombin-catalyzed fibrin clot formation is inhibited up to 7%, implying its role in inhibiting blood coagulation during Leptospira infection. In addition, binding of the rErpY-like supramolecule to complement factors H and I suggests the protein also contributes to Leptospira evading innate host defense during infection by inactivating alternative complement pathways. This study reveals that rErpY-like protein is functionally active in the supramolecular state and performs moonlighting activity under the given in vitro conditions.
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30
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Moreno-Torres A, Malvido-Jiménez IR, de la Peña-Moctezuma A, Castillo Sánchez LO, Fraga TR, Barbosa AS, Isaac L, Sahagún-Ruiz A. Culture-attenuated pathogenic Leptospira lose the ability to survive to complement-mediated-killing due to lower expression of factor H binding proteins. Microbes Infect 2019; 21:377-385. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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31
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Chin VK, Basir R, Nordin SA, Abdullah M, Sekawi Z. Pathology and Host Immune Evasion During Human Leptospirosis: a Review. Int Microbiol 2019; 23:127-136. [DOI: 10.1007/s10123-019-00067-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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32
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Cavenague MF, Teixeira AF, Filho AS, Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Heinemann MB, Nascimento ALTO. Characterization of a novel protein of Leptospira interrogans exhibiting plasminogen, vitronectin and complement binding properties. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 309:116-129. [PMID: 30638770 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a severe zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. This work focuses on a hypothetical protein of unknown function, encoded by the gene LIC13259, and predicted to be a surface protein, widely distributed among pathogenic leptospiral strain. The gene was amplified from L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni, strain Fiocruz L1-130, cloned and the protein expressed using Escherichia coli as a host system. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the protein is surface-exposed. The recombinant protein LIC13259 (rLIC13259) has the ability to interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) laminin, in a dose-dependent manner but saturation was not reach. The rLIC13259 protein is a plasminogen (PLG)-binding protein, generating plasmin, in the presence of urokinase PLG-activator uPA. The recombinant protein is able to mediate the binding to human purified terminal complement route vitronectin, C7, C8 and C9, and to recruit and interact with these components from normal human serum (NHS). These interactions are dose-dependent on NHS increased concentration. The binding of rLIC13259 to C8 and vitronectin was slight and pronounced inhibited in the presence of increasing heparin concentration, respectively, suggesting that the interaction with vitronectin occurs via heparin domain. Most interesting, the interaction of rLIC13259 with C9 protein was capable of preventing C9 polymerization, suggesting that the membrane attack complex (MAC) formation was inhibited. Thus, we tentatively assign the coding sequence (CDS) LIC13259, previously annotated as unknown function, as a novel protein that may play an important role in the host's invasion and immune evasion processes, contributing to the establishment of the leptospiral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Cavenague
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F Teixeira
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio S Filho
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gisele O Souza
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Silvio A Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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33
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Charo N, Scharrig E, Ferrer MF, Sanjuan N, Carrera Silva EA, Schattner M, Gómez RM. Leptospira species promote a pro-inflammatory phenotype in human neutrophils. Cell Microbiol 2018; 21:e12990. [PMID: 30537301 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 11/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a global zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Neutrophils are key cells against bacterial pathogens but can also contribute to tissue damage. Because the information regarding the role of human neutrophils in leptospirosis is scant, we comparatively analysed the human neutrophil's response to saprophytic Leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc (Patoc) and the pathogenic Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni (LIC). Both species triggered neutrophil responses involved in migration, including the upregulation of CD11b expression, adhesion to collagen, and the release of IL-8. In addition, both species increased levels of pro-inflammatory IL-1β and IL-6 associated with the inflammasome and NFκB pathway activation and delayed neutrophil apoptosis. LIC was observed on the neutrophil surface and not phagocytized. In contrast, Patoc generated intracellular ROS associated with its uptake. Neutrophils express the TYRO3, AXL, and MER receptor protein tyrosine kinases (TAM), but only LIC selectively increased the level of AXL. TLR2 but not TLR4-blocking antibodies abrogated the IL-8 secretion triggered by both Leptospira species. In summary, we demonstrate that Leptospira species trigger a robust neutrophil activation and pro-inflammatory response. These findings may be useful to find new diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies against leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Charo
- Laboratory of Experimental Thrombosis, Institute of Experimental Medicine, CONICET, National Academy of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Emilia Scharrig
- Laboratory of Animal Viruses, Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - María F Ferrer
- Laboratory of Animal Viruses, Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Norberto Sanjuan
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eugenio A Carrera Silva
- Laboratory of Experimental Thrombosis, Institute of Experimental Medicine, CONICET, National Academy of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mirta Schattner
- Laboratory of Experimental Thrombosis, Institute of Experimental Medicine, CONICET, National Academy of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo M Gómez
- Laboratory of Animal Viruses, Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
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34
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Ghosh KK, Prakash A, Shrivastav P, Balamurugan V, Kumar M. Evaluation of a novel outer membrane surface-exposed protein, LIC13341 of Leptospira, as an adhesin and serodiagnostic candidate marker for leptospirosis. Microbiology (Reading) 2018; 164:1023-1037. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Karukriti Kaushik Ghosh
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aman Prakash
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Prateek Shrivastav
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Vinayagamurthy Balamurugan
- 2Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
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Chura-Chambi RM, Fraga TR, da Silva LB, Yamamoto BB, Isaac L, Barbosa AS, Morganti L. Leptospira interrogans thermolysin refolded at high pressure and alkaline pH displays proteolytic activity against complement C3. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 19:e00266. [PMID: 29992100 PMCID: PMC6036645 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2018.e00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes from the thermolysin family are crucial factors in the pathogenesis of several diseases caused by bacteria and are potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Thermolysin encoded by the gene LIC13322 of the causative agent of leptospirosis, Leptospira interrogans, was shown to cleave proteins from the Complement System. However, the production of this recombinant protein using traditional refolding processes with high levels of denaturing reagents for thermolysin inclusion bodies (TL-IBs) solubilization results in poor recovery and low proteolytic activity probably due to improper refolding of the protein. Based on the assumption that leptospiral proteases play a crucial role during infection, the aim of this work was to obtain a functional recombinant thermolysin for future studies on the role of these metalloproteases on leptospiral infection. The association of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and alkaline pH was utilized for thermolysin refolding. Incubation of a suspension of TL-IBs at HHP and a pH of 11.0 is non-denaturing but effective for thermolysin solubilization. Soluble protein does not reaggregate by dialysis to pH 8.0. A volumetric yield of 46 mg thermolysin/L of bacterial culture and a yield of near 100% in relation to the total thermolysin present in TL-IBs were obtained. SEC-purified thermolysin suffers fragmentation, likely due to autoproteolysis and presents proteolytic activity against complement C3 α-chain, possibly by a generation of a C3b-like molecule. The proteolytic activity of thermolysin against C3 was time and dose-dependent. The experience gained in this study shall help to establish efficient HHP-based processes for refolding of bioactive proteins from IBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Maria Chura-Chambi
- Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, Centro de Biotecnologia, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, CEP 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Rodrigues Fraga
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Imunologia, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Bezerra da Silva
- Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruno Bernardi Yamamoto
- Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Imunologia, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Angela Silva Barbosa
- Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ligia Morganti
- Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, Centro de Biotecnologia, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, CEP 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Catecholamine-Modulated Novel Surface-Exposed Adhesin LIC20035 of Leptospira spp. Binds Host Extracellular Matrix Components and Is Recognized by the Host during Infection. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.02360-17. [PMID: 29269501 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02360-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the effect of the host stress hormone catecholamine on Leptospira gene transcripts encoding outer membrane proteins was investigated. There was no impact of catecholamine supplementation on the in vitro growth pattern of Leptospira interrogans; however, 7 genes out of 41 were differentially transcribed, and the effect was reversed to the basal level in the presence of the antagonist propranolol. Comprehensive analysis of one of the differentially regulated proteins, LIC20035 (in serovar Copenhageni)/LB047 (in serovar Lai) (due to catecholamine supplementation), revealed immunogenicity and ability to adhere to host extracellular matrices. Protease accessibility assay and phase partition of integral membrane proteins of Leptospira showed LIC20035/LB047 to be an outer membrane surface-exposed protein. The recombinant LIC20035 protein can be serologically detected using human/bovine sera positive for leptospirosis. Moreover, the recombinant LIC20035 can bind to diverse host extracellular matrices, with a higher affinity toward collagen and chondroitin sulfate.IMPORTANCE Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease of global importance. This study aimed to identify outer membrane proteins of pathogenic Leptospira responding to host chemical signals like catecholamines, with the potential to serve as virulence factors, new serodiagnostic antigens, and vaccine candidates. This study mimicked the plausible means by which Leptospira during infection and hormonal stress intercepts host catecholamines to disseminate in host tissues.
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Fernandes RS, Fernandes LGV, de Godoy AS, Miyasato PA, Nakano E, Farias LP, Nascimento ALTO, Leite LCC. Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like protein 18 (SmVAL18) is a plasminogen-binding protein secreted during the early stages of mammalian-host infection. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2018; 221:23-31. [PMID: 29477861 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma which have a complex life cycle characterized by an asexual multiplication phase in the snail intermediate host and a sexual reproduction phase in the mammalian definitive host. The initial steps of the human host infection involve the secretion of proteins contained in the acetabular glands of cercariae that promote parasite adhesion and proteolysis of the skin layers. Herein, we performed a functional analysis of SmVAL18, identified as one of the three SCP/TAPS proteins constituent of cercarial secretions. We evaluated the SmVAL18 binding to immobilized macromolecules of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to plasma components. Recombinant protein, expressed in E. coli, was found to maintain an ordered secondary structure typical of the SCP/TAPS domain after purification. Expression of native SmVAL18 protein was verified to be restricted to cercariae and 3-h schistosomula stages; furthermore, the protein was observed in the corresponding secretions, confirming that SmVAL18 is secreted during the first 3 h of in vitro culture. rSmVAL18 was able to interact specifically with plasminogen (PLG) and enhance its conversion into plasmin in the presence of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Protein homology modelling suggested that the PLG-rSmVAL18 interaction was mediated by lysine residues of the protein. This was supported by in vitro data using the lysine analogue, 6-aminocaproic acid (ACA), which abolished the interaction. Finally, our results showed that both cercariae and 3-h schistosomula, as well as their corresponding secretions, exhibited the capacity to bind PLG and enhance its conversion into plasmin in vitro in the same way as observed for the recombinant protein. In conclusion, our findings show that SmVAL18 is a novel PLG-binding protein secreted during the early stages of the mammalian-host infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela S Fernandes
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre S de Godoy
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A Miyasato
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliana Nakano
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leonardo P Farias
- IGM - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, 40296-710 Salvador, BA, Brazil.
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luciana C C Leite
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Satheeshkumar PK, Anu PV, Junaida MI, Madanan MG, Jebasingh T, Nair AJ, Nair GA, Nair GPM, Sudhakaran PR. Expression of Leptospira membrane proteins Signal Peptidase (SP) and Leptospira Endostatin like A (Len A) in BL-21(DE3) is toxic to the host cells. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2018; 16:393-398. [PMID: 30733752 PMCID: PMC6353657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Heterologous expression of Integral Membrane Proteins (IMPs) is reported to be toxic to the host system in many studies. Even though there are reports on various concerns like transformation efficiency, growth properties, protein toxicity, inefficient expression and protein degradation in IMP overexpression, no studies so far addressed these issues in a comprehensive way. In the present study, two transmembrane proteins of the pathogen Leptospira interrogans, namely Signal peptidase (SP), and Leptospira Endostatin like A (Len-A) were taken along with a cytosolic protein Hydrolase (HYD) to assess the differences in transformation efficiency, protein toxicity, and protein stability when over expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Bioinformatics analysis to predict the transmembrane localization indicated that both SP and Len are targeted to the membrane. The three proteins were expressed in full length in the E. coli expression strain, BL 21 (DE3). Significant changes were observed for the strains transformed with IMP genes under the parameters analysed such as, the transformation efficiency, survival of colonies on IPTG-plate, culture growth kinetics and protein expression compared to the strain harbouring the cytosolic protein gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padikara K Satheeshkumar
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Prasannan V Anu
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Mohmed I Junaida
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | | | | | - Ananthakrishnan J Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Gangaprasad A Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Govinda Pillai M Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Perumana R Sudhakaran
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
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Priya SP, Sakinah S, Sharmilah K, Hamat RA, Sekawi Z, Higuchi A, Ling MP, Nordin SA, Benelli G, Kumar SS. Leptospirosis: Molecular trial path and immunopathogenesis correlated with dengue, malaria and mimetic hemorrhagic infections. Acta Trop 2017; 176:206-223. [PMID: 28823908 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immuno-pathogenesis of leptospirosis can be recounted well by following its trail path from entry to exit, while inducing disastrous damages in various tissues of the host. Dysregulated, inappropriate and excessive immune responses are unanimously blamed in fatal leptospirosis. The inherent abilities of the pathogen and inabilities of the host were debated targeting the severity of the disease. Hemorrhagic manifestation through various mechanisms leading to a fatal end is observed when this disease is unattended. The similar vascular destructions and hemorrhage manifestations are noted in infections with different microbes in endemic areas. The simultaneous infection in a host with more than one pathogen or parasite is referred as the coinfection. Notably, common endemic infections such as leptospirosis, dengue, chikungunya, and malaria, harbor favorable environments to flourish in similar climates, which is aggregated with stagnated water and aggravated with the poor personal and environmental hygiene of the inhabitants. These factors aid the spread of pathogens and parasites to humans and potential vectors, eventually leading to outbreaks of public health relevance. Malaria, dengue and chikungunya need mosquitoes as vectors, in contrast with leptospirosis, which directly invades human, although the environmental bacterial load is maintained through other mammals, such as rodents. The more complicating issue is that infections by different pathogens exhibiting similar symptoms but require different treatment management. The current review explores different pathogens expressing specific surface proteins and their ability to bind with array of host proteins with or without immune response to enter into the host tissues and their ability to evade the host immune responses to invade and their affinity to certain tissues leading to the common squeal of hemorrhage. Furthermore, at the host level, the increased susceptibility and inability of the host to arrest the pathogens' and parasites' spread in different tissues, various cytokines accumulated to eradicate the microorganisms and their cellular interactions, the antibody dependent defense and the susceptibility of individual organs bringing the manifestation of the diseases were explored. Lastly, we provided a discussion on the immune trail path of pathogenesis from entry to exit to narrate the similarities and dissimilarities among various hemorrhagic fevers mentioned above, in order to outline future possibilities of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coinfections, with special reference to endemic areas.
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Binding of human plasminogen by the lipoprotein LipL46 of Leptospira interrogans. Mol Cell Probes 2017; 37:12-21. [PMID: 29108931 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Bacteria disseminate via the bloodstream and colonize the renal tubules of reservoir hosts. Leptospiral surface-exposed proteins are important targets, because due to their location they can elicit immune response and mediate adhesion and invasion processes. LipL46 has been previously reported to be located at the leptospiral outer membrane and recognized by antibodies present in serum of infected hamsters. In this study, we have confirmed the cellular location of this protein by immunofluorescence and FACS. We have cloned and expressed the recombinant protein LipL46 in its soluble form. LipL46 was recognized by confirmed leptospirosis human serum, suggesting its expression during infection. Binding screening of LipL46 with extracellular matrix (ECM) and plasma components showed that this protein interacts with plasminogen. The binding is dose-dependent on protein concentration, but saturation was not reached with the range of protein concentration used. Kringle domains of plasminogen and lysine residues of the recombinant protein are involved in the binding because the lysine analog, amino caproic acid (ACA) almost totally inhibited the reaction. The interaction of LipL46 with plasminogen generates plasmin in the presence of plasminogen activator uPA. Because plasmin generated at the leptospiral surface can degrade ECM molecules and decrease opsonophagocytosis, we tentatively infer that Lip46 has a role in helping the invasion process of pathogenic Leptospira.
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Multifunctional and Redundant Roles of Leptospira interrogans Proteins in Bacterial-Adhesion and fibrin clotting inhibition. Int J Med Microbiol 2017; 307:297-310. [PMID: 28600123 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic Leptopira is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonotic infection in the world. The disease represents a major public health problem, especially in tropical countries. The present work focused on two hypothetical proteins of unknown function, encoded by the genes LIC13059 and LIC10879, and predicted to be surface-exposed proteins. The genes were cloned and the proteins expressed using E. coli as a host system. We report that the recombinant proteins interacted with extracellular matrix (ECM) laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion and are novel potential adhesins. The recombinant proteins were called Lsa25.6 (rLIC13059) and Lsa16 (rLIC10879), for Leptospiral surface adhesins, followed by the respective molecular masses. The proteins attached to plasminogen (PLG), generating plasmin, in the presence of PLG-activator uPA. Both proteins bind to fibrinogen (Fg), but only Lsa25.6 inhibited fibrin clotting by thrombin-catalyzed reaction. Moreover, Lsa16 interacts with the mammalian cell receptor E-cadherin, and could contribute to bacterial attachment to epithelial cells. The proteins were recognized by confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting that they are expressed during infection. The corresponding leptospiral proteins are surface exposed based on proteinase K accessibility assay, being LIC10879 most probably exposed in its dimer form. The data of this study extend the spectrum of surface-exposed proteins of L. interrogans and indicate a possible role of the originally annotated hypothetical proteins in infection processes.
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Amamura TA, Fraga TR, Vasconcellos SA, Barbosa AS, Isaac L. Pathogenic Leptospira Secreted Proteases Target the Membrane Attack Complex: A Potential Role for Thermolysin in Complement Inhibition. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:958. [PMID: 28611756 PMCID: PMC5447677 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by spirochetes from the genus Leptospira. This disease is common in tropical and subtropical areas, constituting a serious public health problem. Pathogenic Leptospira have the ability to escape the human Complement System, being able to survive when in contact with normal human serum. In a previous study, our group demonstrated that supernatants of pathogenic Leptospira (SPL) inhibit the three activation pathways of the Complement System. This inhibition can be directly correlated with the activity of secreted proteases, which cleave the Complement molecules C3, Factor B (Alternative Pathway), C4 and C2 (Classical and Lectin Pathways). In this work, we analyze the activity of the leptospiral proteases on the components of Terminal Pathway of Complement, called the membrane attack complex (MAC). We observed that proteases present in SPL from different Leptospira strains were able to cleave the purified proteins C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9, while culture supernatant from non-pathogenic Leptospira strains (SNPL) had no significant proteolytic activity on these substrates. The cleavages occurred in a time-dependent and specificity manner. No cleavage was observed when we used whole serum as a source of C5-C9 proteins, probably because of the abundant presence of plasma protease inhibitors such as α2-macroglobulin. Complement protein cleavage by SPL was inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating the involvement of metalloproteases. Furthermore, 1,10-phenanthroline- treated normal human serum diminished pathogenic leptospira survival. We also analyzed the proteolytic activity of thermolysin (LIC13322) a metalloprotease expressed exclusively by pathogenic Leptospira strains. Recombinant thermolysin was capable of cleaving the component C6, either purified or as part of the SC5b-9 complex. Furthermore, we found that the MAC proteins C6-C9 interact with thermolysin, indicating that this metalloprotease may have an additional inhibitory effect on these molecules by direct interactions. Finally, a functional assay demonstrated that thermolysin was able to inhibit MAC-dependent erythrocytes lysis. We conclude that proteases secreted exclusively by pathogenic Leptospira strains are capable of degrading several Complement effector molecules, representing potential targets for the development of new therapies and prophylactic approaches in leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais A Amamura
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tatiana R Fraga
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Lourdes Isaac
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
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Lp25 membrane protein from pathogenic Leptospira spp. is associated with rhabdomyolysis and oliguric acute kidney injury in a guinea pig model of leptospirosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005615. [PMID: 28505191 PMCID: PMC5444857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) from leptospirosis is frequently nonoliguric with hypo- or normokalemia. Higher serum potassium levels are observed in non-survivor patients and may have been caused by more severe AKI, metabolic disarrangement, or rhabdomyolysis. An association between the creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level and maximum serum creatinine level has been observed in these patients, which suggests that rhabdomyolysis contributes to severe AKI and hyperkalemia. LipL32 and Lp25 are conserved proteins in pathogenic strains of Leptospira spp., but these proteins have no known function. This study evaluated the effect of these proteins on renal function in guinea pigs. Lp25 is an outer membrane protein that appears responsible for the development of oliguric AKI associated with hyperkalemia induced by rhabdomyolysis (e.g., elevated CPK, uric acid and serum phosphate). This study is the first characterization of a leptospiral outer membrane protein that is associated with severe manifestations of leptospirosis. Therapeutic methods to attenuate this protein and inhibit rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI could protect animals and patients from severe forms of this disease and decrease mortality.
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Fraser T, Brown PD. Temperature and Oxidative Stress as Triggers for Virulence Gene Expression in Pathogenic Leptospira spp. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:783. [PMID: 28536558 PMCID: PMC5423269 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a zooanthroponosis aetiologically caused by pathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus, Leptospira. Environmental signals such as increases in temperatures or oxidative stress can trigger response regulatory modes of virulence genes during infection. This study sought to determine the effect of temperature and oxidative stress on virulence associated genes in highly passaged Leptospira borgpeterseneii Jules and L. interrogans Portlandvere. Bacteria were grown in EMJH at 30°C, 37°C, or at 30°C before being transferred to 37°C. A total of 14 virulence-associated genes (fliY, invA, lenA, ligB, lipL32, lipL36, lipL41, lipL45, loa22, lsa21, mce, ompL1, sph2, and tlyC) were assessed using endpoint PCR. Transcriptional analyses of lenA, lipL32, lipL41, loa22, sph2 were assessed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR at the temperature conditions. To assess oxidative stress, bacteria were exposed to H2O2 for 30 and 60 min with or without the temperature stress. All genes except ligB (for Portlandvere) and ligB and mce (for Jules) were detectable in the strains. Quantitatively, temperature stress resulted in significant changes in gene expression within species or between species. Temperature changes were more influential in gene expression for Jules, particularly at 30°C and upshift conditions; at 37°C, expression levels were higher for Portlandvere. However, compared to Jules, where temperature was influential in two of five genes, temperature was an essential element in four of five genes in Portlandvere exposed to oxidative stress. At both low and high oxidative stress levels, the interplay between genetic predisposition (larger genome size) and temperature was biased towards Portlandvere particularly at 30°C and upshift conditions. While it is clear that expression of many virulence genes in highly passaged strains of Leptospira are attenuated or lost, genetic predisposition, changes in growth temperature and/or oxidative intensity and/or duration were factors which acted in isolation or together with other regulatory cues to contribute to the variable gene expression observed in this study. Overall, differential gene expression in serovar Portlandvere was more responsive to temperature and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tricia Fraser
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Biochemistry Section, University of the West IndiesMona, Jamaica.,Veterinary Services Division, Ministry of AgricultureHope Gardens, Jamaica
| | - Paul D Brown
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Biochemistry Section, University of the West IndiesMona, Jamaica
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Cosate MR, Siqueira GH, de Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Nascimento ALTO. Mammalian cell entry (Mce) protein of Leptospira interrogans binds extracellular matrix components, plasminogen and β2 integrin. Microbiol Immunol 2017; 60:586-98. [PMID: 27468683 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A severe re-emergingzoonosis, leptospirosis, is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Several studies have identified leptospiral surface proteins with the ability to bind ECM and plasma components, which could mediate adhesion and invasion through the hosts. It has been shown that Mce of pathogenic Leptospira spp. is an RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-motif-dependent virulence factor, responsible for infection of cells and animals. In the present article, we decided to further study the repertoire of the Mce activities in leptospiral biological properties. We report that the recombinant Mce is a broad-spectrum ECM-binding protein, capable of interacting with laminin, cellular and plasma fibronectin and collagen IV. Dose--r-esponse interaction was observed for all the components, fulfilling ligand--receptor requirements. Mce is a PLG binding protein capable to recruit this component from NHS, generating PLA in the presence of PLG activator. Binding of Mce was also observed with the leukocyte cell receptors αLβ2 [(CD11a/CD18)-LFA-1] and αMβ2 [(CD11b/CD18)-Mac-1], suggesting the involvement of this protein in the host immune response. Indeed, virulent Leptospira L1-130 was capable of binding both integrins, whereas culture-attenuated M-20 strain only bind to αMβ2 [(CD11b/CD18)-Mac-1]. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to describe that Mce surface protein could mediate the attachment of Leptospira interrogans to human cell receptors αLβ2(CD11a/CD18) and αMβ2(CD11b/CD18).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gisele Oliveira de Souza
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, 05508-270 Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Lucia T O Nascimento
- Biotechnology Center, Butantan Institute, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, Brazil. .,Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
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Apun K, Fung Pui C, Jalan J, Maurice Bi L, Su`ut L, Fatma Hash H. Microtitre Plate Assay for the Quantification of Biofilm Formation by Pathogenic Leptospira. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.3923/jm.2017.146.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Salazar N, Souza MCLD, Biasioli AG, Silva LBD, Barbosa AS. The multifaceted roles of Leptospira enolase. Res Microbiol 2016; 168:157-164. [PMID: 27989763 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A previous study had demonstrated that Leptospira enolase is secreted extracellularly by a yet unknown mechanism and reassociates with the bacterial membrane. Surface-anchored leptospiral enolase displays plasminogen binding activity. In this work, we explored the consequences of this interaction and also assessed whether Leptospira enolase might display additional moonlighting functions by interacting with other host effector proteins. We first demonstrated that enolase-bound plasminogen is converted to its active form, plasmin. The protease plasmin targets human fibrinogen and vitronectin, but not the complement proteins C3b and C5. Leptospira enolase also acts as an immune evasion protein by interacting with the negative complement regulators C4b binding protein and factor H. Once bound to enolase, both regulators remain functional as cofactors of factor I, mediating cleavage of C4b and C3b. In conclusion, enolase may facilitate leptospiral survival and dissemination, thus contributing to bacterial virulence. The identification and characterization of moonlighting proteins is a growing field of bacterial pathogenesis, as these multifaceted proteins may represent potential future therapeutic targets to fight bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Salazar
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Amanda Gameiro Biasioli
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ludmila Bezerra da Silva
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Angela Silva Barbosa
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Silva LP, Fernandes LGV, Vieira ML, de Souza GO, Heinemann MB, Vasconcellos SA, Romero EC, Nascimento ALTO. Evaluation of two novel leptospiral proteins for their interaction with human host components. Pathog Dis 2016; 74:ftw040. [PMID: 27129366 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftw040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis. Mechanisms involved in leptospiral pathogenesis are not well understood. By data mining the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans we have identified two proteins predicted to be surface exposed, LIC10821 and LIC10064. Immunofluorescence and proteinase K assays confirmed that the proteins are exposed. Reactivity of the recombinant proteins with human sera has shown that rLIC10821, but not rLIC10064, is recognized by antibodies in confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting its expression during infection. The rLIC10821 was able to bind laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion, and was called Lsa37 (leptospiral surface adhesin of 37 kDa). Studies with human plasma components demonstrated that rLIC10821 interacts with plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg). The binding of Lsa37 with PLG generates plasmin when PLG activator was added. Fibrin clotting reduction was observed in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, when Fg was incubated with Lsa37, suggesting that this protein may interfere in the coagulation cascade during the disease. Although LIC10064 protein is more abundant than the corresponding Lsa37, binding activity with all the components tested was not detected. Thus, Lsa37 is a novel versatile adhesin that may mediate Leptospira-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas P Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Monica L Vieira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gisele O de Souza
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Silvio A Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliete C Romero
- Centro de Bacteriologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 355, CEP 01246-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Moraes CTP, Polatto JM, Rossato SS, Izquierdo M, Munhoz DD, Martins FH, Pimenta DC, Farfan MJ, Elias WP, Barbosa ÂS, Piazza RMF. Flagellin and GroEL mediates in vitro binding of an atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to cellular fibronectin. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:278. [PMID: 26679711 PMCID: PMC4683701 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0612-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is distinguished mainly by the presence of EPEC adherence factor plasmid (pEAF) in typical EPEC (tEPEC) and its absence in atypical EPEC (aEPEC). The initial adherence to the intestinal mucosa is complex and mediated by adhesins other than bundle-forming pilus, which is not produced by aEPEC. Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins of eukaryotic cells are commonly recognized by bacterial adhesins. Therefore, binding to ECM proteins may facilitate colonization, invasion and/or signaling by intestinal pathogens. Previous studies from our group demonstrated that aEPEC O26:H11 (strain BA2103) showed high binding activity to fibronectin, not shared by its counterpart, aEPEC O26:HNM. Results In the present study, using mass spectrometry after fibronectin-associated immunoprecipitation, two proteins, flagellin (50 kDa) and GroEL (52 kDa), were identified and BA2103 binding ability to fibronectin was inhibited in the presence of anti-H11 and anti-GroEL sera, but not by either naïve rabbit or other unrelated sera. It was also observed that the presence of purified flagellin inhibits adhesion of BA2103 to cellular fibronectin in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, BA2103 GroEL is similar to the same protein of uropathogenic E. coli. Conclusions Our results suggest that flagellin may play a role in the in vitro interaction of BA2103 with cellular fibronectin, and GroEL can be an accessory protein in this process. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-015-0612-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia T P Moraes
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana M Polatto
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sarita S Rossato
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Mariana Izquierdo
- Centro de Estudios Moleculares, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Danielle D Munhoz
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando H Martins
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel C Pimenta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Mauricio J Farfan
- Centro de Estudios Moleculares, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Waldir P Elias
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ângela S Barbosa
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Roxane M F Piazza
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500 - 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Fernandes LG, Siqueira GH, Teixeira ARF, Silva LP, Figueredo JM, Cosate MR, Vieira ML, Nascimento ALTO. Leptospira spp.: Novel insights into host-pathogen interactions. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2015; 176:50-7. [PMID: 26727033 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. It is an important infectious disease that affects humans and animals. The disease causes economic losses as it affects livestock, with decreased milk production and death. Our group is investigating the genome sequences of L. interrogans targeting surface-exposed proteins because, due to their location, these proteins are capable to interact with several host components that could allow establishment of the infection. These interactions may involve adhesion of the bacteria to extracellular matrix (ECM) components and, hence, help bacterial colonization. The bacteria could also react with the host fibrinolytic system and/or with the coagulation cascade components, such as, plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg), respectively. The binding with the first system generates plasmin (PLA), increasing the proteolytic power of the bacteria, while the second interferes with clotting in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, which may promote hemorrhage foci and increase bacterial dissemination. Interaction with the complement system negative regulators may help bacteria to evade the host immune system, facilitating the invasion. This work compiles the main described leptospiral proteins that could act as adhesins, as PLG and fibrinogen receptors and as complement regulator binding proteins. We present models in which we suggest possible mechanisms of how leptospires might colonize and invade host tissues, causing the disease. Understanding leptospiral pathogenesis will help to identify antigen candidates that would contribute to the development of more effective vaccines and diagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G Fernandes
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriela H Siqueira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline R F Teixeira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas P Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jupciana M Figueredo
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria R Cosate
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Monica L Vieira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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