1
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Mahdavi R, Shams-Eldin H, Witt S, Latz A, Heinz D, Fresco-Taboada A, Aira C, Hübner MP, Sukyte D, Visekruna A, Teixeira HC, Abass E, Steinhoff U. Development of a Novel Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Lateral Flow Test System for Improved Serodiagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Different Areas of Endemicity. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0433822. [PMID: 37074181 PMCID: PMC10269724 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04338-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex and is one of the most prominent vector-borne infectious diseases with epidemic and mortality potential if not correctly diagnosed and treated. East African countries suffer from a very high incidence of VL, and although several diagnostic tests are available for VL, diagnosis continues to represent a big challenge in these countries due to the lack of sensitivity and specificity of current serological tools. Based on bioinformatic analysis, a new recombinant kinesin antigen from Leishmania infantum (rKLi8.3) was developed. The diagnostic performance of rKLi8.3 was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow test (LFT) on a panel of sera from Sudanese, Indian, and South American patients diagnosed with VL or other diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and trypanosomiasis. The diagnostic accuracy of rKLi8.3 was compared with rK39 and rKLO8 antigens. The VL-specific sensitivity of rK39, rKLO8, and rKLi8.3 ranged from 91.2% over 92.4% to 97.1% and specificity ranged from 93.6% over 97.6% to 99.2%, respectively. In India, all tests showed a comparable specificity of 90.9%, while the sensitivity ranged from 94.7% to 100% (rKLi8.3). In contrast to commercial serodiagnostic tests, rKLi8.3-based ELISA and LFT showed improved sensitivity and no cross-reactivity with other parasitic diseases. Thus, rKLi8.3-based ELISA and LFT offer improved VL serodiagnostic efficiency in East Africa and other areas of endemicity. IMPORTANCE Reliable and field suitable serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in East Africa has until now been a big challenge due to low sensitivity and cross-reactivity with other pathogens. To improve VL serodiagnosis, a new recombinant kinesin antigen from Leishmania infantum (rKLi8.3) was developed and tested with a panel of sera from Sudanese, Indian, and South American patients diagnosed with VL or other infectious diseases. Both prototype rKLi8.3-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow test (LFT) showed improved sensitivity and no cross-reactivity with other parasitic diseases. Thus, rKLi8.3-based ELISA and LFT offer substantially increased diagnostic efficiency for VL in East Africa and other areas of endemicity, compared to currently commercially available serodiagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouzbeh Mahdavi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hosam Shams-Eldin
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Witt
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Latz
- Novatec Immundiagnostica GmbH, part of Gold Standard Diagnostics Europe, Dietzenbach, Germany
| | - Daniela Heinz
- Novatec Immundiagnostica GmbH, part of Gold Standard Diagnostics Europe, Dietzenbach, Germany
| | - Alba Fresco-Taboada
- Eurofins-Immunologia y Genética Aplicada S.A. (Eurofins Ingenasa S.A.), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Aira
- Eurofins-Immunologia y Genética Aplicada S.A. (Eurofins Ingenasa S.A.), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marc P. Hübner
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dalia Sukyte
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Visekruna
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Henrique C. Teixeira
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Elfadil Abass
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ulrich Steinhoff
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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2
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Squarre D, Chambaro HM, Hayashida K, Moonga LC, Qiu Y, Goto Y, Oparaocha E, Mumba C, Muleya W, Bwalya P, Chizimu J, Chembensofu M, Simulundu E, Mwasinga W, Banda N, Mwenda R, Yamagishi J, Nalubamba KS, Banda F, Munyeme M, Sawa H, Fandamu P. Autochthonous Leishmania infantum in Dogs, Zambia, 2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:888-890. [PMID: 35318934 PMCID: PMC8962896 DOI: 10.3201/eid2804.212378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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3
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Efficient Gene Knockout and Knockdown Systems in Neospora caninum Enable Rapid Discovery and Functional Assessment of Novel Proteins. mSphere 2022; 7:e0089621. [PMID: 35019667 PMCID: PMC8754167 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00896-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of molecular genetics has greatly enhanced the study of the biology and pathology associated with parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa. While the molecular tools are highly developed for the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii, the closely related parasite Neospora caninum lacks efficient tools for genetic manipulation. To enable efficient homologous recombination in N. caninum, we targeted the Ku heterodimer DNA repair mechanism in the genomic reference strain, Nc-Liverpool (NcLiv), and show that deletion of Ku80 results in a destabilization and loss of its partner Ku70. Disruption of Ku80 generated parasites in which genes are efficiently epitope tagged and only short homology regions are required for gene knockouts. We used this improved strain to target novel nonessential genes encoding dense granule proteins that are unique to N. caninum or conserved in T. gondii. To expand the utility of this strain for essential genes, we developed the auxin-inducible degron system for N. caninum using parasite-specific promoters. As a proof of concept, we knocked down a novel nuclear factor in both N. caninum and T. gondii and showed that it is essential for survival of both parasites. Together, these efficient knockout and knockdown technologies will enable the field to unravel specific gene functions in N. caninum, which is likely to aid in the identification of targets responsible for the phenotypic differences observed between these two closely related apicomplexan parasites. IMPORTANCENeospora caninum is a parasite with veterinary relevance, inducing severe disease in dogs and reproductive disorders in ruminants, especially cattle, leading to major losses. The close phylogenetic relationship to Toxoplasma gondii and the lack of pathogenicity in humans drives an interest of the scientific community toward using N. caninum as a model to study the pathogenicity of T. gondii. To enable this comparison, it is important to develop efficient molecular tools for N. caninum, to gain accuracy and save time in genetic manipulation protocols. Here, we have developed base strains and protocols using the genomic reference strain of N. caninum to enable efficient knockout and knockdown assays in this model. We demonstrate that these tools are effective in targeting known and previously unexplored genes. Thus, these tools will greatly improve the study of this protozoan, as well as enhance its ability to serve as a model to understand other apicomplexan parasites.
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Siqueira WF, Viana AG, Reis Cunha JL, Rosa LM, Bueno LL, Bartholomeu DC, Cardoso MS, Fujiwara RT. The increased presence of repetitive motifs in the KDDR-plus recombinant protein, a kinesin-derived antigen from Leishmania infantum, improves the diagnostic performance of serological tests for human and canine visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009759. [PMID: 34534217 PMCID: PMC8480608 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by protozoa belonging to the Leishmania donovani complex and is considered the most serious and fatal form among the different types of leishmaniasis, if not early diagnosed and treated. Among the measures of disease control stand out the management of infected dogs and the early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of human cases. Several antigens have been characterized for use in the VL diagnosis, among them are the recombinant kinesin-derived antigens from L. infantum, as rK39 and rKDDR. The main difference between these antigens is the size of the non-repetitive kinesin region and the number of repetitions of the 39 amino acid degenerate motif (6.5 and 8.5 repeats in rK39 and rKDDR, respectively). This repetitive region has a high antigenicity score. To evaluate the effect of increasing the number of repeats on diagnostic performance, we designed the rKDDR-plus antigen, containing 15.3 repeats of the 39 amino acid degenerate motif, besides the absence of the non-repetitive portion from L. infantum kinesin. Its performance was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT), and compared with the kinesin-derived antigens (rKDDR and rK39). In ELISA with human sera, all recombinant antigens had a sensitivity of 98%, whereas the specificity for rKDDR-plus, rKDDR and rK39 was 100%, 96% and 71%, respectively. When evaluated canine sera, the ELISA sensitivity was 97% for all antigens, and the specificity for rKDDR-plus, rKDDR and rK39 was 98%, 91% and 83%, respectively. Evaluation of the ICT/rKDDR-plus, using human sera, showed greater diagnostic sensitivity (90%) and specificity (100%), when compared to the IT LEISH (79% and 98%, respectively), which is based on the rK39 antigen. These results suggest that the increased presence of repetitive motifs in the rKDDR-plus protein improves the diagnostic performance of serological tests by increasing the specificity and accuracy of the diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Williane Fernanda Siqueira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Agostinho Gonçalves Viana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Leticia Mansur Rosa
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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5
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Silva BB, Santos ENFN, Araújo LS, Bezerra AS, Marques LÉC, Tramontina Florean EOP, van Tilburg MF, Guedes MIF. Plant Expression of Hydrophobin Fused K39 Antigen for Visceral Leishmaniasis Immunodiagnosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:674015. [PMID: 34135929 PMCID: PMC8201991 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.674015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease of high mortality caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum. Its transmission cycle is complex, and it has in the domestic dog its main reservoir. The diagnostic tests currently used rely on prokaryotic systems' proteins, but their low sensitivity increases the disease's burden. The plant transient expression of recombinant proteins allows the production of complex antigens. However, this system has limited competitiveness against the bacterial production of purified antigens. Thus, we have shown that the L. infantum K39 antigen's fusion to a hydrophobin allows its production for diagnostic tests without the need for intensive purification. The sera of naturally infected dogs specifically detect the semi-purified rK39-HFBI protein. The test validation against a panel of 158 clinical samples demonstrates the platform's viability, resulting in sensitivity and specificity of 90.7 and 97.5%, respectively. Thus, the use of semi-purified antigens fused to hydrophobins can become the standard platform for large-scale antigens production to expand diagnostic tests for other human and veterinary diseases worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno B. Silva
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Eduarda N. F. N. Santos
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Lucelina S. Araújo
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo S. Bezerra
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Lívia É. C. Marques
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | | | - Maurício F. van Tilburg
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Department of Animal Sciences, Federal Rural University of the Semiarid, Mossoró, Brazil
| | - Maria Izabel F. Guedes
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
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6
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Ramos REM, Santos WJT, Magalhães FB, Diniz GTN, Costa CHN, de Melo Neto OP, Medeiros ZM, Reis CRS. Assessment of a recombinant protein from Leishmania infantum as a novel tool for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis in VL/HIV co-infection cases. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251861. [PMID: 33999968 PMCID: PMC8128258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV-AIDS coinfection (VL/HIV) is considered a life-threatening pathology when undiagnosed and untreated, due to the immunosuppression caused by both diseases. Serological tests largely used for the VL diagnosis include the direct agglutination test (DAT), ELISA and immunochromatographic (ICT) assays. For VL diagnosis in HIV infections, different studies have shown that the use of the DAT assay facilitates the VL diagnosis in co-infected patients, since the performance of the most widely used ELISA and ICT tests, based on the recombinant protein rK39, are much less efficient in HIV co-infections. In this scenario, alternative recombinant antigens may help the development of new serological diagnostic methods which may improve the VL diagnosis for the co-infection cases. This work aimed to evaluate the use of the recombinant Lci2 antigen, related to, but antigenically more diverse than rK39, for VL diagnosis in co-infected sera through ELISA assays. A direct comparison between recombinant Lci2 and rK39 was thus carried out. The two proteins were first tested using indirect ELISA with sera from VL afflicted individuals and healthy controls, with similar performances. They were then tested with two different sets of VL/HIV co-infected cases and a significant drop in performance, for one of these groups, was observed for rK39 (32% sensitivity), but not for Lci2 (98% sensitivity). In fact, an almost perfect agreement (Kappa: 0.93) between the Lci2 ELISA and DAT was observed for the coinfected VL/HIV patients. Lci2 then has the potential to be used as a new tool for the VL diagnosis of VL/HIV co-infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhaíssa E. M. Ramos
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Wagner J. T. Santos
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - George T. N. Diniz
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Carlos H. N. Costa
- Instituto de Doenças Tropicais Natan Portella (IDTNP), Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | | | - Zulma M. Medeiros
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail: (CRSR); (ZMM)
| | - Christian R. S. Reis
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail: (CRSR); (ZMM)
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7
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Teixeira AAR, Carnero LR, Kuramoto A, Tang FHF, Gomes CH, Pereira NB, de Oliveira LC, Garrini R, Monteiro JS, Setubal JC, Sabino EC, Pasqualini R, Colli W, Arap W, Alves MJM, Cunha-Neto E, Giordano RJ. A refined genome phage display methodology delineates the human antibody response in patients with Chagas disease. iScience 2021; 24:102540. [PMID: 34142048 PMCID: PMC8185243 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale mapping of antigens and epitopes is pivotal for developing immunotherapies but challenging, especially for eukaryotic pathogens, owing to their large genomes. Here, we developed an integrated platform for genome phage display (gPhage) to show that unbiased libraries of the eukaryotic parasite Trypanosoma cruzi enable the identification of thousands of antigens recognized by serum samples from patients with Chagas disease. Because most of these antigens are hypothetical proteins, gPhage provides evidence of their expression during infection. We built and validated a comprehensive map of Chagas disease antibody response to show how linear and putative conformation epitopes, many rich in repetitive elements, allow the parasite to evade a buildup of neutralizing antibodies directed against protein domains that mediate infection pathogenesis. Thus, the gPhage platform is a reproducible and effective tool for rapid simultaneous identification of epitopes and antigens, not only in Chagas disease but perhaps also in globally emerging/reemerging acute pathogens. Genomic shotgun phage display (gPhage) of eukaryotes is feasible and promising. gPhage allows rapid antigen ID and epitope mapping, including 3D structures. Conformation epitopes can be identified and validated by using the gPhage platform. Most Chagas disease antigens are hypothetical proteins rich in repetitive elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Azevedo Reis Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Luis Rodriguez Carnero
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Andréia Kuramoto
- Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Fenny Hui Fen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.,Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Carlos Hernique Gomes
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Natalia Bueno Pereira
- Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Léa Campos de Oliveira
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Regina Garrini
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Jhonatas Sirino Monteiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - João Carlos Setubal
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Ester Cerdeira Sabino
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Renata Pasqualini
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Walter Colli
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Wadih Arap
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Maria Júlia Manso Alves
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Edécio Cunha-Neto
- Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil.,Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP 01246-903, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo José Giordano
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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8
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Pereira JC, Dos Santos Sousa P, De Souza LMB, Pasquali AKS, Bates M, Bates P, Thomaz Soccol V. The efficacy of recombinant protein lbk39 for the diagnosis of leishmaniosis in dogs. Parasitology 2021; 148:302-310. [PMID: 33070782 PMCID: PMC11010170 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases on the planet and dogs are the main reservoir of canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL) in endemic areas. They play an important role in human infection because in dogs the disease appears long time after infection, and they can move uncontrollably, contributing to disperse the parasite. To take the decision to treat the animals or for euthanasia, in an elimination programme, in order to reduce the parasitic load, it is necessary to diagnose correctly, having more effective tools. Our group has developed a new recombinant antigen-based kinesin-related gene of Leishmania braziliensis (Lbk39), which shows 59% amino acid identity to the L. infantum homologue. The Lbk39 gene was synthesized, inserted into the pLEXSY-sat2 vector and transfected into L. tarentolae cells by electroporation. The recombinant protein was secreted in the culture with a C-terminal histidine marker, purified, generating a product at 337.68 μg mL-1. A total of 152 sera from dog's endemic and non-endemic areas were used, being 78 positives and 75 negatives. The antigen Lbk39 showed 100% sensitivity and 96.1% specificity. We compared this antigen with other antigens such as total extract of the parasite, TRDPP, and our data indicate that Lbk39 has potential application in the diagnosis of CVL through antibody detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Carvalho Pereira
- Federal University of Paraná, Post-graduate Course in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Centre, Jardim das Américas, CEP 81530-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Pedro Dos Santos Sousa
- Federal University of Paraná, Post-graduate Course in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Centre, Jardim das Américas, CEP 81530-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Ligia Moraes Barizon De Souza
- Federal University of Paraná, Post-graduate Course in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Centre, Jardim das Américas, CEP 81530-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Aline Kuhn Sbruzzi Pasquali
- Federal University of Paraná, Post-graduate Course in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Centre, Jardim das Américas, CEP 81530-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Michelle Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Paul Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Vanete Thomaz Soccol
- Federal University of Paraná, Post-graduate Course in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Centre, Jardim das Américas, CEP 81530-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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9
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Gene design, optimization of protein expression and preliminary evaluation of a new chimeric protein for the serological diagnosis of both human and canine visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008488. [PMID: 32716931 PMCID: PMC7410341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a major neglected disease, potentially fatal, whose control is still impaired by inefficient and/or expensive treatment and diagnostic methods. The most promising approach for VL diagnosis uses serological assays with recombinant proteins, since they are more efficient and easier to perform. Tests developed for the human form of the disease, however, have not been shown to be efficient for its diagnosis in the canine host, the major reservoir for the American VL. Methodology/Principal findings Here, we describe a systematic approach aimed at the production of a new chimeric protein potentially able to be used for both human and canine VL diagnosis and based both on in silico gene design and experimental data. Starting from the previous identification of Leishmania infantum recombinant antigens efficient for the diagnosis of either human or canine VL, three of the best performing antigens were selected (Lci2, Lci3 and Lci12). After a preliminary evaluation validating the chimeric approach, DNA fragments encoding predicted antigenic regions from each protein, enriched with repeats, were joined in various combinations to generate a total of seventeen chimeric genes optimized for prokaryotic expression. These were assessed for optimal expression and purification yield, with four chimeric proteins being efficiently produced. Their diagnostic potential was then evaluated through ELISA assays with sera from VL afflicted humans and dogs. After two rounds of gene design, the results showed high levels of sensitivity for the best chimeric protein, named Q5, in humans (82%) and dogs (100%) with 100% specificity in comparison with healthy controls. A single non-specific reaction was seen with serum from individuals with tegumentary leishmaniasis. Conclusion The newly described chimeric protein is potentially useful for the detection of both humans and dogs afflicted with VL, with its use in rapid tests necessary for validation as a new diagnostic tool. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a major neglected disease, potentially fatal, caused mainly by Leishmania infantum and L. donovani. Its control is still impaired by inefficient and/or expensive treatment and diagnostic methods. VL diagnosis is mostly dependent on serological assays made with bacterially expressed Leishmania proteins. Tests developed for the human form of the disease, however, are not efficient for its diagnosis in the canine host. Dogs are the major reservoir for the American VL and their infection also needs to be monitored, requiring a distinct diagnostic test. Here, we describe a new chimeric protein potentially able to be used for both human and canine VL diagnosis. Based on a systematic approach using three Leishmania proteins known to be efficient for the diagnosis of either human or canine VL, fragments of each were joined in various combinations. The diagnostic potential of different chimeric proteins was then evaluated with human and canine sera from VL afflicted individuals. The best protein showed high levels of sensitivity in humans and dogs with no relevant false positive results with healthy controls or humans with tegumentary leishmaniasis. It is then potentially useful for the detection of both humans and dogs afflicted with VL in novel diagnostic tests.
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Rezaei Z, Van Reet N, Pouladfar G, Kühne V, Ramezani A, Sarkari B, Pourabbas B, Büscher P. Expression of a rK39 homologue from an Iranian Leishmania infantum isolate in Leishmania tarentolae for serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:593. [PMID: 31852505 PMCID: PMC6921591 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3839-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kinesin-related gene diversity among strains and species of Leishmania may impact the sensitivity and specificity of serodiagnostic tests for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). METHODS In this study, we report on the recombinant expression of this novel Iranian Leishmania infantum (MCAN14/47) homologue of rK39 (Li-rK39), in L. tarentolae. The diagnostic potential of the Li-rK39 antigen was evaluated in an ELISA, using sera from 100 VL patients, 190 healthy endemic controls, 46 non-endemic healthy controls and 47 patients with other infections. RESULTS The results showed a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 93.8%. A commercial rK39 immunochromatographic test (ICT) was 90% sensitive and 100% specific on the same cohort. CONCLUSIONS Here, we show that the K39 gene from an Iranian L. infantum isolate is heterozygous as compared to the sequence of the Brazilian L. infantum (former L. chagasi), whose antigen is incorporated in most rK39-based immunochromatographic tests. Therefore, Li-rK39 has the potential to be used as an alternative for VL diagnosis in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Rezaei
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Nick Van Reet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gholamreza Pouladfar
- Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Vera Kühne
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Amin Ramezani
- Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Bahador Sarkari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. .,Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Bahman Pourabbas
- Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Philippe Büscher
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Azuma N, Omachi S, Hanazawa W, Morimoto A, Sanjoba C, Matsumoto Y, Fujii W, Goto Y. Variable dependency on BAFF in IgG antibody production during Leishmania infection. Parasitol Int 2019; 74:101997. [PMID: 31626986 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.101997] [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: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
B-cell activating factor (BAFF) is known as a cytokine responsible for survival and activation of B cells. However, involvement of the molecule in IgG antibody production during infection remains elusive. In this study, dependency of antibody production in Leishmania infection on BAFF was examined by using BAFF-knockout (BAFF-KO) mice. When BAFF-KO mice were infected with L. major, there was no significant difference in lesion development or parasite burden from those in infected wildtype mice. In contrast, levels of IgG antibodies to Leishmania crude antigen were lower in BAFF-KO mice, suggesting that antibody production during L. major infection is BAFF-dependent. ELISA using defined leishmanial antigens demonstrated that the influence of BAFF on antibody production during L. major varies depending on antigens; IgG production to tandem repeat proteins were more affected by BAFF than non-repeat antigens. On the contrary, all of the defined antigens tested were strongly affected by BAFF for IgG antibody production during L. donovani infection. These results suggest degree of BAFF contribution to antibody production during infection is variable depending on the type of infection and even on the type of antigen in a given infection. These results may explain contradictory roles of BAFF in antibody production in previous works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuho Azuma
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoko Omachi
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wakana Hanazawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayako Morimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chizu Sanjoba
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Matsumoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wataru Fujii
- Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Goto
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
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12
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Leishmania infantum recombinant kinesin degenerated derived repeat (rKDDR): A novel potential antigen for serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211719. [PMID: 30703138 PMCID: PMC6355020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar, the most severe form of leishmaniasis, can lead to death if not properly diagnosed and treated. Correct identification of infected patients and reservoirs is vital for controlling the spread of leishmaniasis. Current diagnostic kits for leishmaniasis show high sensitivity and specificity, but can also result in false negatives and cross reactions with related parasitic infections. New diagnostic methods with greater accuracy are urgently needed for diagnosis of leishmaniasis. In this study, we aimed to uncover a new highly effective antigen for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs and humans, aiming to improve the accuracy compared with those of current methods of diagnosis. Initially, in-silico epitope prediction analyses identified several potential B-cell epitopes in the repetitive region of Leishmania infantum kinesin, which co-localized with predicted structural disordered regions, suggesting high potential for antigenicity. Based on this analysis, 8.5 genomic motifs, which encode the repetitive sequence of 39 degenerate amino acids, were selected for recombinant expression. BLASTn analysis of this repetitive region indicated that it is absent in the T. cruzi parasite, which is closely related to Leishmania, indicating the specificity of this region. This potentially antigenic protein, named recombinant kinesin degenerated derived repeat (rKDDR), was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli BL21-Star using the pET28a-TEV expression vector. We then evaluated the performance of rKDDR in correctly diagnosing Leishmania infection and compared this new assay with currently used diagnostic tests for leishmaniasis. rKDDR showed greater sensitivity and specificity in correctly diagnosing leishmaniasis both in human (sensitivity 92.86% and specificity 100%) and canine (sensitivity 88.54% and specificity 97.30%) sera compared with those of rK39 (human: sensitivity 90.48% and specificity 97.92%; canine: sensitivity 78.13% and specificity 90.09%). In addition, the rKDDR-ELISA outperformed the EIE-LVC kit, which is the serologic kit recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis. These results indicate that rKDDR is a highly promising candidate for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis, and is more accurate than the currently used gold-standard antigens.
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13
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Cheng N, Xu XN, Zhou Y, Dong YT, Bao YF, Xu B, Hu W, Feng Z. Cs1, a Clonorchis sinensis-derived serodiagnostic antigen containing tandem repeats and a signal peptide. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006683. [PMID: 30070987 PMCID: PMC6091968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Clonorchiasis, caused by the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis, remains a serious public health issue in Asia, especially in China, and its relationship with cholangiocarcinoma has highlighted the importance of C. sinensis infection. Proteins containing tandem repeats (TRs) are found in a variety of parasites and, as targets of B-cell responses, are valuable for the serodiagnosis of parasite infections. Here, we identified a novel C. sinensis-specific antigen, Cs1, containing TRs, and investigated its diagnostic value, other immunological properties, and tissue distribution. Methodology/Principal findings A partial Cs1 cDNA sequence was cloned by screening an adult C. sinensis cDNA expression library. The full-length Cs1 cDNA was obtained by 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The deduced Cs1 protein consists of a signal peptide and five TRs of 21 amino acids. The recombinant Cs1 (rCs1) was constructed and purified. rCs1 showed higher sensitivity (94.3%) and specificity (94.4%) than the C. sinensis excretory–secretory products (ESPs) according to ELISA of 114 serum samples. Native Cs1 was identified in C. sinensis ESPs and crude antigens of adult C. sinensis by western blotting using an anti-rCs1 monoclonal antibody. ELISA of recombinant peptides of different Cs1 regions demonstrated that the TR region was immunodominant in Cs1. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed that Cs1 is located in a granule-like structure surrounding the acetabulum of C. sinensis adults that has not previously been described. Conclusions/Significance We identified a novel C. sinensis-specific TR protein, Cs1, which is an antigen of high serological significance, compared with C. sinensis ESPs. The deduced features of Cs1 show a unique structure containing TRs and a signal peptide and the TR region is immunodominant in Cs1. This provides a basis for targeted screens of other antigens. The novel structure in which Cs1 is located also deserves further investigation. Clonorchiasis is a neglected tropical disease. The major factor that prevents the effective management of clonorchiasis is a lack of effective diagnostic tools. Proteins containing tandem repeats (TRs), which have been found in a variety of parasites, are known targets of B-cell responses and can be useful for the serodiagnosis of parasite infections. Here we identified a novel C. sinensis-specific cDNA, which we named Cs1. This cDNA encodes a protein that has a unique structure, containing TRs and a signal peptide. A recombinant Cs1 protein (rCs1) was expressed and purified. rCs1 showed a high sensitivity and specificity in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and lower cross-reactivity with Paragonimus westermani compared with C. sinensis excretory–secretory products. Our results also indicated that the TR region was immunodominant in the Cs1 protein. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed that Cs1 was located in a granule-like structure surrounding the acetabulum of adult worms that has not been previously described in C. sinensis. These results show that Cs1 is a promising antigen for serodiagnosis of clonorchiasis and its features provide a basis for future targeted screens of entire proteomes based on the likelihood of seroreactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Cheng
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue-Nian Xu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: (XNX); (WH)
| | - Yan Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu-Ting Dong
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi-Fang Bao
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin Xu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Hu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: (XNX); (WH)
| | - Zheng Feng
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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Fathi S, Jalousian F, Hosseini SH, Najafi A, Darabi E, Koohsar F. Design and construction of a new recombinant fusion protein (2b2t+EPC1) and its assessment for serodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis. APMIS 2018; 126:428-439. [PMID: 29696723 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The immunodiagnostic tests for cystic echinococcosis (CE) are mostly serological tests based on ELISA that use hydatid cyst antigens for primary screening because of its simple preparation and availability. The challenge to develop new serological methods (as compared to those based on the hydatid cyst fluid antigens) to meet the gold standard remains. Appropriate sources of antigenic material are necessary for application to improve the efficacy of immunodiagnostic tests at a population level. In the current study, a fusion protein containing the coding sequence of antigen B2t and two sequences of EPC1 antigen with some modifications was reconstructed. Using bioinformatics tools, these sequences were joined together by applying the sequence of a rigid α-helix-forming linker to obtain an appropriate structure of a fusion protein. Synthetic recombinant fusion protein was expressed using pET28a as a vector and evaluated by indirect ELISA test for sera from patients with hepatic CE and other parasitic infections. The sensitivity of the fusion protein was lower (88.46%) than the available ELISA kit (96.15%). However, the differences in sensitivity were not statistically significant as compared to the recombinant fusion peptide with the commercial kit (p = 0.269). The specificity of the recombinant fusion protein (95.45%) was not significantly lower than the commercial kit (96.59%; p = 1.000). Moreover, surprisingly there was no difference in the cross-reactivity values of performance between the recombinant-ELISA and commercial kit. The positive and negative predictive values of the recombinant antigen were achieved as 92% and 93.33%, respectively, while for the commercial kit, they were obtained as 94.33% and 97.70%, respectively. In conclusion, as an early evaluation of these antigens the performance of our recombinant fusion protein in ELISA is relatively promising. Although, it seemed that this peptide with specific antigenic epitopes might be more appropriate for the serological evaluation of CE by use of bioinformatics tools, our findings showed that cross-reactions and a negative reaction could occur in clinical performance. This fusion protein may have utility for diagnosis in humans, but further evaluation is needed using the WHO ultrasound classification for CE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeid Fathi
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Jalousian
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Hossein Hosseini
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Najafi
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisoning Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Enayat Darabi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faramarz Koohsar
- Paramedical Faculty, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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15
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Toro Acevedo CA, Valente BM, Burle-Caldas GA, Galvão-Filho B, Santiago HDC, Esteves Arantes RM, Junqueira C, Gazzinelli RT, Roffê E, Teixeira SMR. Down Modulation of Host Immune Response by Amino Acid Repeats Present in a Trypanosoma cruzi Ribosomal Antigen. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2188. [PMID: 29176965 PMCID: PMC5686100 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several antigens from Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD), contain amino acid repeats identified as targets of the host immune response. Ribosomal proteins containing an Ala, Lys, Pro-rich repeat domain are among the T. cruzi antigens that are strongly recognized by antibodies from CD patients. Here we investigated the role of amino acid repeats present in the T. cruzi ribosomal protein L7a, by immunizing mice with recombinant versions of the full-length protein (TcRpL7a), as well as with truncated versions containing only the repetitive (TcRpL7aRep) or the non-repetitive domains (TcRpL7aΔRep). Mice immunized with full-length TcRpL7a produced high levels of IgG antibodies against the complete protein as well as against the repeat domain, whereas mice immunized with TcRpL7aΔRep or TcRpL7aRep produced very low levels or did not produce IgG antibodies against this antigen. Also in contrast to mice immunized with the full-length TcRpL7a, which produced high levels of IFN-γ, only low levels of IFN-γ or no IFN-γ were detected in cultures of splenocytes derived from mice immunized with truncated versions of the protein. After challenging with trypomastigotes, mice immunized with the TcRpL7a were partially protected against the infection whereas immunization with TcRpL7aΔRep did not alter parasitemia levels compared to controls. Strikingly, mice immunized with TcRpL7aRep displayed an exacerbated parasitemia compared to the other groups and 100% mortality after infection. Analyses of antibody production in mice that were immunized with TcRpL7aRep prior to infection showed a reduced humoral response to parasite antigens as well as against an heterologous antigen. In vitro proliferation assays with mice splenocytes incubated with different mitogens in the presence of TcRpL7aRep resulted in a drastic inhibition of B-cell proliferation and antibody production. Taken together, these results indicate that the repeat domain of TcRpL7a acts as an immunosuppressive factor that down regulates the host B-cell response against parasite antigens favoring parasite multiplication in the mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A. Toro Acevedo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Bruna M. Valente
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Gabriela A. Burle-Caldas
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Bruno Galvão-Filho
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Helton da C. Santiago
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rosa M. Esteves Arantes
- Departamento de Patologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Caroline Junqueira
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo T. Gazzinelli
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ester Roffê
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Santuza M. R. Teixeira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Mu J, Andersen JF, Valenzuela JG, Wellems TE. High-Sensitivity Assays for Plasmodium falciparum Infection by Immuno-Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of PfIDEh and PfLDH Antigens. J Infect Dis 2017; 216:713-722. [PMID: 28934434 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rapid diagnostic tests based on Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II (PfHRP-II) and P. falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) antigens are widely deployed for detection of P. falciparum infection; however, these tests often miss cases of low-level parasitemia, and PfHRP-II tests can give false-negative results when P. falciparum strains do not express this antigen. Methods We screened proteomic data for highly expressed P. falciparum proteins and compared their features to those of PfHRP-II and PfLDH biomarkers. Search criteria included high levels of expression, conservation in all parasite strains, and good correlation of antigen levels with parasitemia and its clearance after drug treatment. Different assay methods were compared for sensitive detection of parasitemia in P. falciparum cultures. Results Among potential new biomarkers, a P. falciparum homolog of insulin-degrading enzyme (PfIDEh) met our search criteria. Comparative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with monoclonal antibodies against PfLDH or PfIDEh showed detection limits of 100-200 parasites/µL and 200-400 parasites/µL, respectively. Detection was dramatically improved by use of real-time immuno-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to parasitemia limits of 0.02 parasite/µL and 0.78 parasite/µL in PfLDH- and PfIDEh-based assays, respectively. Conclusions The ability of PfLDH- or PfIDEh-based immuno-PCR assays to detect <1 parasite/µL suggests that improvements of bound antibody sensor technology may greatly increase the sensitivity of malaria rapid diagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbing Mu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - John F Andersen
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Thomas E Wellems
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Magalhães FB, Castro Neto AL, Nascimento MB, Santos WJT, Medeiros ZM, Lima Neto AS, Costa DL, Costa CHN, dos Santos WLC, Pontes de Carvalho LC, Oliveira GGS, de Melo Neto OP. Evaluation of a new set of recombinant antigens for the serological diagnosis of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184867. [PMID: 28957332 PMCID: PMC5619722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Current strategies for the control of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) rely on its efficient diagnosis in both human and canine hosts. The most promising and cost effective approach is based on serologic assays with recombinant proteins. However, no single antigen has been found so far which can be effectively used to detect the disease in both dogs and humans. In previous works, we identified Leishmania infantum antigens with potential for the serodiagnosis of VL. Here, we aimed to expand the panel of the available antigens for VL diagnosis through another screening of a genomic expression library. Seven different protein-coding gene fragments were identified, five of which encoding proteins which have not been previously studied in Leishmania and rich in repetitive motifs. Poly-histidine tagged polypeptides were generated from six genes and evaluated for their potential for diagnosis of VL by ELISA (Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) with sera from infected humans and dogs. None of those was valid for the detection of human VL (26–52% sensitivity) although their performance was increased in the canine sera (48–91% sensitivity), with one polypeptide useful for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis. Next, we assayed a mixture of three antigens, found to be best for human or canine VL, among 13 identified through different screenings. This “Mix” resulted in similar levels of sensitivity for both human (84%) and canine (88%) sera. With improvements, this validates the use of multiple proteins, including antigens identified here, as components of a single system for the diagnosis of both forms of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artur L. Castro Neto
- Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Pernambuco), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Marilia B. Nascimento
- Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Pernambuco), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Wagner J. T. Santos
- Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Pernambuco), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Zulma M. Medeiros
- Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Pernambuco), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - Dorcas L. Costa
- Instituto de Doenças Tropicais Natan Portella (IDTNP), Teresina, Piaui, Brazil
| | - Carlos H. N. Costa
- Instituto de Doenças Tropicais Natan Portella (IDTNP), Teresina, Piaui, Brazil
| | | | | | - Geraldo G. S. Oliveira
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Osvaldo P. de Melo Neto
- Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz-Pernambuco), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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De Pablos LM, Díaz Lozano IM, Jercic MI, Quinzada M, Giménez MJ, Calabuig E, Espino AM, Schijman AG, Zulantay I, Apt W, Osuna A. The C-terminal region of Trypanosoma cruzi MASPs is antigenic and secreted via exovesicles. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27293. [PMID: 27270330 PMCID: PMC4897614 DOI: 10.1038/srep27293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, a neglected and emerging tropical disease, endemic to South America and present in non-endemic regions due to human migration. The MASP multigene family is specific to T. cruzi, accounting for 6% of the parasite’s genome and plays a key role in immune evasion. A common feature of MASPs is the presence of two conserved regions: an N-terminal region codifying for signal peptide and a C-terminal (C-term) region, which potentially acts as GPI-addition signal peptide. Our aim was the analysis of the presence of an immune response against the MASP C-term region. We found that this region is highly conserved, released via exovesicles (EVs) and has an associated immune response as revealed by epitope affinity mapping, IFA and inhibition of the complement lysis assays. We also demonstrate the presence of a fast IgM response in Balb/c mice infected with T. cruzi. Our results reveal the presence of non-canonical secreted peptides in EVs, which can subsequently be exposed to the immune system with a potential role in evading immune system targets in the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Miguel De Pablos
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.,Center for Immunology and Infection (CII), Biology Department, University of York, York, UK
| | - Isabel María Díaz Lozano
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Jercic
- Parasitology Reference Laboratory, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Avenida Marathon 1000, 7780050 Santiago, Chile
| | - Markela Quinzada
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Maria José Giménez
- Servicio de Microbiología Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eva Calabuig
- Servicio de Microbiología Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Margarita Espino
- Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine. PO BOX 365067, San Juan, 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Inés Zulantay
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Werner Apt
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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Guy AJ, Irani V, MacRaild CA, Anders RF, Norton RS, Beeson JG, Richards JS, Ramsland PA. Insights into the Immunological Properties of Intrinsically Disordered Malaria Proteins Using Proteome Scale Predictions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141729. [PMID: 26513658 PMCID: PMC4626106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a significant global health burden. The development of an effective malaria vaccine remains as a major challenge with the potential to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. While Plasmodium spp. have been shown to contain a large number of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or disordered protein regions, the relationship of protein structure to subcellular localisation and adaptive immune responses remains unclear. In this study, we employed several computational prediction algorithms to identify IDPs at the proteome level of six Plasmodium spp. and to investigate the potential impact of protein disorder on adaptive immunity against P. falciparum parasites. IDPs were shown to be particularly enriched within nuclear proteins, apical proteins, exported proteins and proteins localised to the parasitophorous vacuole. Furthermore, several leading vaccine candidates, and proteins with known roles in host-cell invasion, have extensive regions of disorder. Presentation of peptides by MHC molecules plays an important role in adaptive immune responses, and we show that IDP regions are predicted to contain relatively few MHC class I and II binding peptides owing to inherent differences in amino acid composition compared to structured domains. In contrast, linear B-cell epitopes were predicted to be enriched in IDPs. Tandem repeat regions and non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms were found to be strongly associated with regions of disorder. In summary, immune responses against IDPs appear to have characteristics distinct from those against structured protein domains, with increased antibody recognition of linear epitopes but some constraints for MHC presentation and issues of polymorphisms. These findings have major implications for vaccine design, and understanding immunity to malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Guy
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Vashti Irani
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher A. MacRaild
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Robin F. Anders
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Raymond S. Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - James G. Beeson
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jack S. Richards
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- * E-mail: (JSR); (PAR)
| | - Paul A. Ramsland
- Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Surgery Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- * E-mail: (JSR); (PAR)
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Bartholomeu DC, de Paiva RMC, Mendes TAO, DaRocha WD, Teixeira SMR. Unveiling the intracellular survival gene kit of trypanosomatid parasites. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004399. [PMID: 25474314 PMCID: PMC4256449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are unicellular protozoans of medical and economical relevance since they are the etiologic agents of infectious diseases in humans as well as livestock. Whereas Trypanosoma cruzi and different species of Leishmania are obligate intracellular parasites, Trypanosoma brucei and other trypanosomatids develop extracellularly throughout their entire life cycle. After their genomes have been sequenced, various comparative genomic studies aimed at identifying sequences involved with host cell invasion and intracellular survival have been described. However, for only a handful of genes, most of them present exclusively in the T. cruzi or Leishmania genomes, has there been any experimental evidence associating them with intracellular parasitism. With the increasing number of published complete genome sequences of members of the trypanosomatid family, including not only different Trypanosoma and Leishmania strains and subspecies but also trypanosomatids that do not infect humans or other mammals, we may now be able to contemplate a slightly better picture regarding the specific set of parasite factors that defines each organism's mode of living and the associated disease phenotypes. Here, we review the studies concerning T. cruzi and Leishmania genes that have been implicated with cell invasion and intracellular parasitism and also summarize the wealth of new information regarding the mode of living of intracellular parasites that is resulting from comparative genome studies that are based on increasingly larger trypanosomatid genome datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rita Marcia Cardoso de Paiva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tiago A. O. Mendes
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wanderson D. DaRocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Santuza M. R. Teixeira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Comparative in-silico genome analysis of Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani: A step towards its species specificity. Meta Gene 2014; 2:782-98. [PMID: 25606461 PMCID: PMC4287845 DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative genome analysis of recently sequenced Leishmania (L.) donovani was unexplored so far. The present study deals with the complete scanning of L. (L.) donovani genome revealing its interspecies variations. 60 distinctly present genes in L. (L.) donovani were identified when the whole genome was compared with Leishmania (L.) infantum. Similarly 72, 159, and 265 species specific genes were identified in L. (L.) donovani when compared to Leishmania (L.) major, Leishmania (L.) mexicana and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis respectively. The cross comparison of L. (L.) donovani in parallel with the other sequenced species of leishmanial led to the identification of 55 genes which are highly specific and expressed exclusively in L. (L.) donovani. We found mainly the discrepancies of surface proteins such as amastins, proteases, and peptidases. Also 415 repeat containing proteins in L. (L.) donovani and their differential distribution in other leishmanial species were identified which might have a potential role during pathogenesis. The genes identified can be evaluated as drug targets for anti-leishmanial treatment, exploring the scope for extensive future investigations. Comparative genome analysis identifies 55 species specific L. (L.) donovani genes. Discrepancies of surface proteins such as amastins, proteases, and peptidases are identified in L. (L.) donovani. Apical Membrane Antigen (AMA1) might be a novel factor which helps L. (L.) donovani invasion. Novel A2 and amastin genes in L. (L.) donovani genome are identified. Our study identifies differential gene distribution in L. (L.) donovani with respect to other leishmanial species.
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Wang S, Hu W. Development of "-omics" research in Schistosoma spp. and -omics-based new diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:313. [PMID: 25018752 PMCID: PMC4072072 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by dioecious flatworms in the genus Schistosoma, is torturing people from many developing countries nowadays and frequently leads to severe morbidity and mortality of the patients. Praziquantel based chemotherapy and morbidity control for this disease adopted currently necessitate viable and efficient diagnostic technologies. Fortunately, those “-omics” researches, which rely on high-throughput experimental technologies to produce massive amounts of informative data, have substantially contributed to the exploitation and innovation of diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis. In its first section, this review provides a concise conclusion on the progresses pertaining to schistosomal “-omics” researches to date, followed by a comprehensive section on the diagnostic methods of schistosomiasis, especially those innovative ones based on the detection of antibodies, antigens, nucleic acids, and metabolites with a focus on those achievements inspired by “-omics” researches. Finally, suggestions about the design of future diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis are proposed, in order to better harness those data produced by “-omics” studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqi Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai, China ; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Diseases Control and Prevention Shanghai, China
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Trypanosoma vivax GM6 antigen: a candidate antigen for diagnosis of African animal trypanosomosis in cattle. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78565. [PMID: 24205263 PMCID: PMC3808341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diagnosis of African animal trypanosomosis is vital to controlling this severe disease which hampers development across 10 million km2 of Africa endemic to tsetse flies. Diagnosis at the point of treatment is currently dependent on parasite detection which is unreliable, and on clinical signs, which are common to several other prevalent bovine diseases. Methodology/Principle Findings the repeat sequence of the GM6 antigen of Trypanosoma vivax (TvGM6), a flagellar-associated protein, was analysed from several isolates of T. vivax and found to be almost identical despite the fact that T. vivax is known to have high genetic variation. The TvGM6 repeat was recombinantly expressed in E. coli and purified. An indirect ELISA for bovine sera based on this antigen was developed. The TvGM6 indirect ELISA had a sensitivity of 91.4% (95% CI: 91.3 to 91.6) in the period following 10 days post experimental infection with T. vivax, which decreased ten-fold to 9.1% (95% CI: 7.3 to 10.9) one month post treatment. With field sera from cattle infected with T. vivax from two locations in East and West Africa, 91.5% (95% CI: 83.2 to 99.5) sensitivity and 91.3% (95% CI: 78.9 to 93.1) specificity was obtained for the TvGM6 ELISA using the whole trypanosome lysate ELISA as a reference. For heterologous T. congolense field infections, the TvGM6 ELISA had a sensitivity of 85.1% (95% CI: 76.8 to 94.4). Conclusion/Significance this study is the first to analyse the GM6 antigen of T. vivax and the first to test the GM6 antigen on a large collection of sera from experimentally and naturally infected cattle. This study demonstrates that the TvGM6 is an excellent candidate antigen for the development of a point-of-treatment test for diagnosis of T. vivax, and to a lesser extent T. congolense, African animal trypanosomosis in cattle.
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Mendes T, Lobo F, Rodrigues T, Rodrigues-Luiz G, daRocha W, Fujiwara R, Teixeira S, Bartholomeu D. Repeat-Enriched Proteins Are Related to Host Cell Invasion and Immune Evasion in Parasitic Protozoa. Mol Biol Evol 2013; 30:951-63. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mst001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Falconar AKI. Epitope reactions can be gauged by relative antibody discriminating specificity (RADS) values supported by deletion, substitution and cysteine bridge formation analyses: potential uses in pathogenesis studies. BMC Res Notes 2012; 5:208. [PMID: 22546090 PMCID: PMC3392722 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Epitope-mapping of infectious agents is essential for pathogenesis studies. Since polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are always polyspecific and can react with multiple epitopes, it is important to distinguish between specific and non-specific reactions. Relative antibody discriminating specificity (RADS) values, obtained from their relative ELISA reactions with L-amino acid peptides prepared in the natural versus reverse orientations (x-fold absorbance natural/absorbance reverse = RADS value) may be valuable for this purpose. PAbs generated against the dengue type-2 virus (DENV-2) nonstructural-1 (NS1) glycoprotein candidate vaccine also reacted with both DENV envelope (E) glycoproteins and blood-clotting proteins. New xKGSx/xSGKx amino acid motifs were identified on DENV-2 glycoproteins, HIV-1 gp41 and factor IXa. Their potential roles in DENV and HIV-1 antibody-enhanced replication (AER) and auto-immunity were assessed. In this study, a) RADS values were determined for MAbs and PAbs, generated in congeneic (H2: class II) mice against DENV NS1 glycoprotein epitopes, to account for their cross-reaction patterns, and b) MAb 1G5.3 reactions with xKGSx/xSGKx motifs present in the DENV-4 NS1, E and HIV-1 glycoproteins and factor IXa were assessed after the introduction of amino acid substitutions, deletions, or intra-/inter-cysteine (C-C) bridges. Results MAbs 1H7.4, 5H4.3, 3D1.4 and 1G5.3 had high (4.23- to 16.83-fold) RADS values against single epitopes on the DENV-2 NS1 glycoprotein, and MAb 3D1.4 defined the DENV complex-conserved LX1 epitope. In contrast, MAbs 1G5.4-A1-C3 and 1C6.3 had low (0.47- to 1.67-fold) RADS values against multiple epitopes. PAb DENV complex-reactions occurred through moderately-high (2.77- and 3.11-fold) RADS values against the LX1 epitope. MAb 1G5.3 reacted with xSGKx motifs present in DENV-4 NS1 and E glycoproteins, HIV-1 gp41 and factor IXa, while natural C-C bridge formations or certain amino acid substitutions increased its binding activity. Conclusions These results: i) were readily obtained using a standard 96-well ELISA format, ii) showed the LX1 epitope to be the immuno-dominant DENV complex determinant in the NS1 glycoprotein, iii) supported an antigenic co-evolution of the DENV NS1 and E glycoproteins, and iv) identified methods that made it possible to determine the role of anti-DENV PAb reactions in viral pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K I Falconar
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Enfermedades Tropicales, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad del Norte, Km5 Antigua via Puerto Colombia, Barranquilla, Colombia.
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Improved serodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis using the new recombinant 2B2t antigen. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1714. [PMID: 22802975 PMCID: PMC3389031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 05/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A standardized test for the serodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is still needed, because of the low specificity and sensitivity of the currently available commercial tools and the lack of proper evaluation of the existing recombinant antigens. In a previous work, we defined the new ELISA-B2t diagnostic tool for the detection of specific IgGs in CE patients, which showed high sensitivity and specificity, and was useful in monitoring the clinical evolution of surgically treated CE patients. Nevertheless, this recombinant antigen gave rise to false-negative results in a percentage of CE patients. Therefore, in an attempt to improve its sensitivity, we constructed B2t-derived recombinant antigens with two, four and eight tandem repeat of B2t units, and tested them by ELISA on serum samples of CE patients and patients with related parasites. The best diagnostic values were obtained with the two tandem repeat 2B2t antigen. The influence of several clinical variables on the performance of the tests was also evaluated. Finally, the diagnostic performance of the 2B2t-ELISA was compared with that of an indirect haemagglutination commercial test. The 2B2t recombinant antigen performed better than the HF and B2t antigens, and the IHA commercial kit. Therefore, this new 2B2t-ELISA is a promising candidate test for the serodiagnosis of CE in clinical settings. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a widespread zoonotic disease. Its complex clinical presentation precludes a “one-size-fits-all” approach to clinical management, particularly with regard to serodiagnosis. While CE is often detected incidentally by imaging, imaging findings may be inconclusive. Therefore, there is a need for standardised and approachable diagnostic tools that may complement imaging data. In this regard, serological tests based in the use of native antigens like hydatid fluid present a low specificity and sensitivity. Although recombinant antigens with potential to replace native antigens have been proposed in the literature, none has been systematically tested for diagnostic performance. Here, we describe the new recombinant antigen 2B2t, derived from the previously described recombinant B2t, and determine its usefulness for the serodiagnosis of CE by ELISA in patients with a complete set of clinical data. The influence of clinical variables on the performance of 2B2t was evaluated and compared with the hydatid fluid (the most commonly used antigen for CE serology) and a commercial diagnostic kit based on the haemagglutination reaction. Our results show that the 2B2t antigen has potential to be routinely used for the standardised diagnosis of CE in clinical settings.
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Angeles JM, Goto Y, Kirinoki M, Leonardo L, Tongol-Rivera P, Villacorte E, Inoue N, Chigusa Y, Kawazu SI. Human antibody response to thioredoxin peroxidase-1 and tandem repeat proteins as immunodiagnostic antigen candidates for Schistosoma japonicum infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 85:674-9. [PMID: 21976571 PMCID: PMC3183776 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.11-0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis continues to be a public health problem in many tropical and subtropical countries. Improving the diagnostic tools for surveillance and monitoring in areas that have reached elimination level will help hasten the possible elimination of this disease. This study therefore aims to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay through the use of recombinant proteins such as thioredoxin peroxidase-1 (SjTPx-1) and four tandem repeat proteins (Sj1TR, Sj2TR, Sj4TR, and Sj7TR). Cutoff values were calculated using 38 serum samples from healthy Japanese volunteers. Sera from 35 schistosomiasis-confirmed patients, four cured from the disease by chemotherapy, and 15 endemic negative controls were used to assess these antigens. SjTPx-1 and Sj7TR both had 85.71% sensitivity. Furthermore, these antigens were also tested against human sera positive for other parasitic infections and showed no or very minimal cross-reaction. These results suggest the potential defined antigens for development of an accurate diagnostic test for schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Ma Angeles
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
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Tandem repeat protein as potential diagnostic antigen for Trypanosoma evansi infection. Parasitol Res 2011; 110:733-9. [PMID: 21927872 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2632-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2011] [Accepted: 07/01/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma evansi infection (surra) causes significant losses in livestock production in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The current ELISA recommended by OIE for diagnosis of the disease is based on trypanosome lysate antigen. However, antigenic variation and unstable nature of cell lysate antigen make it difficult to standardize the assay. Thus, there are needs to develop recombinant antigen-based ELISA that improve stability, sensitivity, and specificity of the test. Since tandem repeat (TR) proteins of trypanosomatid parasites generally possess high antigenicity, they have been considered to be the promising antigens for trypanosomosis and leishmaniosis. In this study, IgG responses against 14 recombinant TR proteins of trypanosomes were examined by ELISA. Serum samples were obtained from three water buffaloes experimentally infected with T. evansi. Since Trypanosoma congolense GM6 (TcoGM6) elicited highest IgG responses to all water buffaloes, we further bioinformatically and molecular biologically identified Trypanosoma brucei brucei GM6 (TbbGM6) and T. evansi GM6 (TeGM6) TR genes, respectively. As expected, predicted amino acid sequences of TbbGM6 and TeGM6 were identical while the nucleic acid sequence homology between TbbGM6 and TcoGM6 was 63.8%. All buffaloes became clearly positive in recombinant TbbGM6 (rTbbGM6)-based ELISA at 48 days post-infection, suggesting that rTbbGM6 is usable as a serodiagnostic antigen for chronic T. evansi infection.
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Goto Y, Duthie MS, Kawazu SI, Inoue N, Carter D. Biased cellular locations of tandem repeat antigens in African trypanosomes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2011; 405:434-8. [PMID: 21241659 PMCID: PMC3042534 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei subspecies cause African trypanosomiasis in humans and animals. These parasites possess genes encoding proteins with large tandem repeat (TR) domains as do the other trypanosomatid parasites. We have previously demonstrated that TR protein of Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi are often targets of B-cell responses. However, African trypanosomes are susceptible to antibody-mediated immunity, and it may be detrimental for the parasites to have such B-cell antigens on the cell surface. Here we show TR proteins of T. brucei subspecies are also antigenic: recombinant TR proteins of these parasites detect antibodies in sera from mice infected with the parasites by ELISA. Analysis of amino acid sequences revealed that, different from TR proteins of Leishmania species or T. cruzi, the presence of predicted signal peptides, trans-membrane domains and GPI anchor signals in T. brucei TR proteins are significantly lower than those of the whole proteome. Many of the T. brucei TR proteins are specific in the species or conserved only in the closely related species, as is the same case for Leishmania major and T. cruzi. These results suggest that, despite their sharing some common characteristics, such abundance in large TR domains and immunological dominance, TR genes have evolved independently among the trypanosomatid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Goto
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
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Effect of repetitiveness on the immunogenicity and antigenicity of Trypanosoma cruzi FRA protein. Exp Parasitol 2010; 127:672-9. [PMID: 21118687 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2010] [Revised: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive proteins (RP) of Trypanosoma cruzi are highly present in the parasite and are strongly recognized by sera from Chagas' disease patients. Flagelar Repetitive Antigen (FRA), which is expressed in all steps of the parasite life cycle, is the RP that displays the greatest number of aminoacids per repeat and has been indicated as one of the most suitable candidate for diagnostic test because of its high performance in immunoassays. Here we analyzed the influence of the number of repeats on the immunogenic and antigenic properties of the antigen. Recombinant proteins containing one, two, and four tandem repeats of FRA (FRA1, FRA2, and FRA4, respectively) were obtained and the immune response induced by an equal amount of repeats was evaluated in a mouse model. The reactivity of specific antibodies present in sera from patients naturally infected with T. cruzi was also assessed against FRA1, FRA2, and FRA4 proteins, and the relative avidity was analyzed. We determined that the number of repeats did not increase the humoral response against the antigen and this result was reproduced when the repeated motifs were alone or fused to a non-repetitive protein. By contrast, the binding affinity of specific human antibodies increases with the number of repeated motifs in FRA antigen. We then concluded that the high ability of FRA to be recognized by specific antibodies from infected individuals is mainly due to a favorable polyvalent interaction between the antigen and the antibodies. In accordance with experimental results, a 3D model was proposed and B epitope in FRA1, FRA2, and FRA4 were predicted.
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Pattabhi S, Whittle J, Mohamath R, El-Safi S, Moulton GG, Guderian JA, Colombara D, Abdoon AO, Mukhtar MM, Mondal D, Esfandiari J, Kumar S, Chun P, Reed SG, Bhatia A. Design, development and evaluation of rK28-based point-of-care tests for improving rapid diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2010; 4. [PMID: 20856856 PMCID: PMC2939046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2010] [Accepted: 08/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is diagnosed by microscopic confirmation of the parasite in bone marrow, spleen or lymph node aspirates. These procedures are unsuitable for rapid diagnosis of VL in field settings. The development of rK39-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) revolutionized diagnosis of VL by offering high sensitivity and specificity in detecting disease in the Indian subcontinent; however, these tests have been less reliable in the African subcontinent (sensitivity range of 75–85%, specificity of 70–92%). We have addressed limitations of the rK39 with a new synthetic polyprotein, rK28, followed by development and evaluation of two new rK28-based RDT prototype platforms. Methodology/Principal Findings Evaluation of 62 VL-confirmed sera from Sudan provided sensitivities of 96.8% and 93.6% (95% CI = K28: 88.83–99.61%; K39: 84.30–98.21%) and specificities of 96.2% and 92.4% (95% CI = K28: 90.53–98.95%; K39: 85.54–96.65%) for rK28 and rK39, respectively. Of greater interest was the observation that individual VL sera with low rK39 reactivity often had much higher rK28 reactivity. This characteristic of the fusion protein was exploited in the development of rK28 rapid tests, which may prove to be crucial in detecting VL among patients with low rK39 antibody levels. Evaluation of two prototype lateral flow-based rK28 rapid tests on 53 VL patients in Sudan and 73 VL patients in Bangladesh provided promisingly high sensitivities (95.9% [95% CI = 88.46–99.1 in Sudan and 98.1% [95% CI = 89.93–99.95%] in Bangladesh) compared to the rK39 RDT (sensitivities of 86.3% [95% CI = 76.25–93.23%] in Sudan and 88.7% [95% CI = 76.97–95.73%] in Bangladesh). Conclusions/Significance Our study compares the diagnostic accuracy of rK39 and rK28 in detecting active VL cases and our findings indicate that rK28 polyprotein has great potential as a serodiagnostic tool. A new rK28-based RDT will prove to be a valuable asset in simplifying VL disease confirmation at the point-of-care. Visceral Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani is endemic in several parts of South Asia, East Africa, South and Central America. It is a vector-borne disease transmitted by bites of infected sand flies and often fatal in the absence of chemotherapy. Timely diagnosis is an essential first step in providing proper patient care and in controlling transmission. VL diagnosis in East Africa and Latin America are currently based on microscopic confirmation of parasites in tissue aspirates. The Kalazar Detect rapid test is widely used as a confirmatory test in India with very high accuracy, but sensitivity issues have severely limited its usefulness in the African sub-continent. Direct Agglutination Test is another confirmatory test used widely in East Africa and offers high sensitivity but is not field-friendly. We report on the design of a novel synthetic fusion protein capable of sequestering antibodies against three different Leishmania donovani antigens and the development of point-of-care tests for improving VL diagnosis. We believe the ease of use of these rapid tests and their high accuracy in detecting VL cases could make them useful as a first-line test, thereby eliminating the need for painful biopsies and ensuring better patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowmya Pattabhi
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Whittle
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Raodoh Mohamath
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sayda El-Safi
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khartoum University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Garner G. Moulton
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey A. Guderian
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Danny Colombara
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Asem O. Abdoon
- Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Maowia M. Mukhtar
- Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Dinesh Mondal
- Laboratory Sciences Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Javan Esfandiari
- Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Medford, New York, United States of America
| | - Shailendra Kumar
- Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Medford, New York, United States of America
| | - Peter Chun
- Ease-Medtrend, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Steven G. Reed
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ajay Bhatia
- Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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