Pathogenic Factors of Vibrios with Special Emphasis on Vibrio vulnificus

Critical evaluation of the interaction of special proteins with human stratum corneum via terahertz scanning reflectometry and spectrometry

Many patients with chronic skin disease develop hemostatic abnormalities. The blood coagulation factor XII is a multifunctional protease, which is involved in thrombosis, fibrinolysis, and inflammatory processes. The aim of this investigation was to assess the autoactivation of FXII that leads to the generation of FXII fragments and their subsequent cell penetration compared to UM8190, a lipophilic selective prolyl carboxypeptidase inhibitor compound. Terahertz scanning reflectometry (TSR) and terahertz spectrometry (TS) were used to study the surface-mediated FXII activation, as well as penetration of the FXII and UM8190, their retardant property, diffusion kinetics and fragmentation profiles into human stratum corneum (SC). From the diffusion kinetics and profiling experiments it was found that FXII does not penetrate the SC but remains mostly on the surface. Compound UM8190 indicates penetration into the SC, as indicated by the increased reflected intensity of T-ray. The terahertz spectral analysis via absorbance spectra indicates that at a low frequency of 0.56 THz a prominent peak occurs due to water or moisture for the SC alone. This peak, however, exhibits a shift for post-diffusion samples of both FXII saturated SC and UM8190-saturated SC. This is indicative of adhesion of these proteins onto the SC. Though this process corroborates the binding of FXII to the cell membrane surface as reported in the in vitro findings, it does not appear to be activated and degraded. It was also found that there are a number of absorbance peaks characteristic for each molecule and these peaks are uniquely shifted relative to each other when compared with the SC alone. Thus, these absorbance peaks may be utilized for assigning identifying features of the protein and peptides in this present study. Further investigation will be conducted for assigning the absorbance peaks to the specific proteins and their resonances.

The enhanced permeability retention effect: a new paradigm for drug targeting in infection

Multidrug-resistant, Gram-negative infection is a major global determinant of morbidity, mortality and cost of care. The advent of nanomedicine has enabled tailored engineering of macromolecular constructs, permitting increasingly selective targeting, alteration of volume of distribution and activity/toxicity. Macromolecules tend to passively and preferentially accumulate at sites of enhanced vascular permeability and are then retained. This enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, whilst recognized as a major breakthrough in anti-tumoral targeting, has not yet been fully exploited in infection. Shared pathophysiological pathways in both cancer and infection are evident and a number of novel nanomedicines have shown promise in selective, passive, size-mediated targeting to infection. This review describes the similarities and parallels in pathophysiological pathways at molecular, cellular and circulatory levels between inflammation/infection and cancer therapy, where use of this principle has been established.

Putative virulence factors identified in Vibrio vulnificus strains isolated from oysters and seawater in Mexico

The presence of Vibrio vulnificus was analyzed in oyster and estuarine water samples from Mexico by PCR amplification of the vvhA gene and some putative virulence factors were tested. Samples were collected from 12 different sampling points over a one-year period; 31% samples were positive for V. vulnificus and all isolates were identified as biotype 1. All strains were cytotoxic and proteolytic, 98% showed adherence to epithelial cells, 91.4% were DNase-positive, 77.6% were mucinase-positive, 97.8% were lecithinase-positive and 79.8% were lipase positive. Regarding colony morphology, 51% strains were opaque, 20% were translucid, 28% were both opaque and translucid, and 80.8% showed a capsule. This is the first report on the isolation of V. vulnificus strains from environmental samples in Mexico, which may pose a health risk for local fisherman and seafood consumers.

Hemochromatosis and Vibrio vulnificus wound infections

There are several reports of persons with hemochromatosis and Vibrio vulnificus primary septicemia, but few accounts of persons with hemochromatosis and V. vulnificus wound infection. A 58-year-old white man developed infection of a forearm injury exposed to seawater in the Gulf of Mexico near the Alabama coast. At age 66, he was diagnosed to have hemochromatosis. Transferrin saturation was 89% and serum ferritin was 4761 pmol/L. HFE genotype was C282Y/C282Y. Serum levels of hepatic enzymes, glucose, IgG, IgA, and IgM, and blood levels of T, B, and natural killer cells were normal. We identified previous reports of only 2 similar cases: a woman from Alabama and a man from northern Australia. Mean age of the 3 subjects was 51 years at diagnosis of infection. Each had elevated serum iron measures or iron overload complications; both men were diagnosed to have hemochromatosis after they developed infection. Each of the 3 had recent exposure of a wound on an extremity to seawater, rapid development of a necrotizing soft tissue infection that required debridement and skin grafting, and positive wound or blood cultures. Each subject survived the infection. V. vulnificus wound infection occurs in some persons with hemochromatosis, but the risk of infection may be small. All patients with V. vulnificus infections should be evaluated for hemochromatosis, iron overload, and liver disorders.