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Strnad M, Koizumi N, Nakamura S, Vancová M, Rego ROM. It's not all about flagella - sticky invasion by pathogenic spirochetes. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:378-385. [PMID: 38523038 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic spirochetes cause a range of serious human diseases such as Lyme disease (LD), syphilis, leptospirosis, relapsing fever (RF), and periodontal disease. Motility is a critical virulence factor for spirochetes. From the mechanical perspective of the infection, it has been widely believed that flagella are the sole key players governing the migration and dissemination of these pathogens in the host. Here, we highlight the important contribution of spirochetal surface-exposed adhesive molecules and their dynamic interactions with host molecules in the process of infection, specifically in spirochetal swimming and crawling migration. We believe that these recent findings overturn the prevailing view depicting the spirochetal body to be just an inert elastic bag, which does not affect spirochetal cell locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Strnad
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Nobuo Koizumi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Marie Vancová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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2
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Azevedo IR, Amamura TA, Isaac L. Human leptospirosis: In search for a better vaccine. Scand J Immunol 2023; 98:e13316. [PMID: 39008520 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a neglected disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira and is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. This pathogen infects humans and other animals, responsible for the most widespread zoonosis in the world, estimated to be responsible for 60 000 deaths and 1 million cases per year. To date, commercial vaccines against human leptospirosis are available only in some countries such as Japan, China, Cuba and France. These vaccines prepared with inactivated Leptospira (bacterins) induce a short-term and serovar-specific immune response, with strong adverse side effects. To circumvent these limitations, several research groups are investigating new experimental vaccines in order to ensure that they are safe, efficient, and protect against several pathogenic Leptospira serovars, inducing sterilizing immunity. Most of these protocols use attenuated cultures, preparations after LPS removal, recombinant proteins or DNA from pathogenic Leptospira spp. The aim of this review was to highlight several promising vaccine candidates, considering their immunogenicity, presence in different pathogenic Leptospira serovars, their role in virulence or immune evasion and other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabela Resende Azevedo
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais Akemi Amamura
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Fernandes LGV, Teixeira AF, Nascimento ALTO. Evaluation of Leptospira interrogans knockdown mutants for LipL32, LipL41, LipL21, and OmpL1 proteins. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1199660. [PMID: 37426019 PMCID: PMC10326724 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1199660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic and virulent species of the genus Leptospira, whose pathophysiology and virulence factors remain widely unexplored. Recently, the application of CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) has allowed the specific and rapid gene silencing of major leptospiral proteins, favoring the elucidation of their role in bacterial basic biology, host-pathogen interaction and virulence. Episomally expressed dead Cas9 from the Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR/Cas system (dCas9) and single-guide RNA recognize and block transcription of the target gene by base pairing, dictated by the sequence contained in the 5' 20-nt sequence of the sgRNA. Methods In this work, we tailored plasmids for silencing the major proteins of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130, namely LipL32, LipL41, LipL21 and OmpL1. Double- and triple-gene silencing by in tandem sgRNA cassettes were also achieved, despite plasmid instability. Results OmpL1 silencing resulted in a lethal phenotype, in both L. interrogans and saprophyte L. biflexa, suggesting its essential role in leptospiral biology. Mutants were confirmed and evaluated regarding interaction with host molecules, including extracellular matrix (ECM) and plasma components, and despite the dominant abundance of the studied proteins in the leptospiral membrane, protein silencing mostly resulted in unaltered interactions, either because they intrinsically display low affinity to the molecules assayed or by a compensation mechanism, where other proteins could be upregulated to fill the niche left by protein silencing, a feature previously described for the LipL32 mutant. Evaluation of the mutants in the hamster model confirms the augmented virulence of the LipL32 mutant, as hinted previously. The essential role of LipL21 in acute disease was demonstrated, since the LipL21 knockdown mutants were avirulent in the animal model, and even though mutants could still colonize the kidneys, they were found in markedly lower numbers in the animals' liver. Taking advantage of higher bacterial burden in LipL32 mutant-infected organs, protein silencing was demonstrated in vivo directly in leptospires present in organ homogenates. Discussion CRISPRi is now a well-established, attractive genetic tool that can be applied for exploring leptospiral virulence factors, leading to the rational for designing more effective subunit or even chimeric recombinant vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G. V. Fernandes
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F. Teixeira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L. T. O. Nascimento
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, São Paulo, Brazil
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4
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Shaughnessy J, Chabeda A, Lewis LA, Ram S. Alternative pathway amplification and infections. Immunol Rev 2023; 313:162-180. [PMID: 36336911 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The alternative pathway (AP) is the phylogenetically oldest arm of the complement system and may have evolved to mark pathogens for elimination by phagocytes. Studies using purified AP proteins or AP-specific serum showed that C3b amplification on bacteria commenced following a lag phase of about 5 min and was highly dependent on the concentration of complement. Most pathogens have evolved several elegant mechanisms to evade complement, including expressing proteases that degrade AP proteins and secreting proteins that block function of C3 convertases. In an example of convergent evolution, many microbes recruit the AP inhibitor factor H (FH) using molecular mechanisms that mimic FH interactions with host cells. In most instances, the AP serves to amplify C3b deposited on microbes by the classical pathway (CP). The role of properdin on microbes appears to be restricted to stabilization of C3 convertases; scant evidence exists for its role as an initiator of the AP on pathogens in the context of serum. Therapeutic complement inhibition carries with it an increased risk of infection. Antibody (Ab)-dependent AP activation may be critical for complement activation by vaccine-elicited Ab when the CP is blocked, and its molecular mechanism is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutamas Shaughnessy
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aleyo Chabeda
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lisa A Lewis
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Lauretti-Ferreira F, Teixeira AAR, Giordano RJ, da Silva JB, Abreu PAE, Barbosa AS, Akamatsu MA, Ho PL. Characterization of a virulence-modifying protein of Leptospira interrogans identified by shotgun phage display. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1051698. [PMID: 36519163 PMCID: PMC9742253 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1051698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic species of Leptospira are etiologic agents of leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease of worldwide extent and endemic in tropical regions. The growing number of identified leptospiral species sheds light to their genetic diversity and unique virulence mechanisms, many of them still remain unknown. Toxins and adhesins are important virulence factors in several pathogens, constituting promising antigens for the development of vaccines with cross-protection and long-lasting effect against leptospirosis. For this aim, we used the shotgun phage display technique to unravel new proteins with adhesive properties. A shotgun library was constructed using fragmented genomic DNA from Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130 and pG8SAET phagemid vector. Selection of phages bearing new possible cell-binding antigens was performed against VERO cells, using BRASIL biopanning methodology. Analysis of selected clones revealed the hypothetical protein LIC10778, a potentially exposed virulence factor that belongs to the virulence-modifying (VM) protein family (PF07598), composed of 13 members in the leptospiral strain Fiocruz L1-130. Prediction of LIC10778 tertiary structure indicates that the protein contains a cellular-binding domain (N-terminal portion) and an unknown domain of no assigned activity (C-terminal portion). The predicted N-terminal domain shared structural similarities with the cell-binding and internalization domain of toxins like Ricin and Abrin, as well as to the Community-Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin in Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Interestingly, recombinant portions of the N-terminal region of LIC10778 protein showed binding to laminin, collagens I and IV, vitronectin, and plasma and cell fibronectins using overlay blotting technique, especially regarding the binding site identified by phage display. These data validate our preliminary phage display biopanning and support the predicted three-dimensional models of LIC10778 protein and other members of PF07598 protein family, confirming the identification of the N-terminal cell-binding domains that are similar to ricin-like toxins. Moreover, fluorescent fused proteins also confirmed that N-terminal region of LIC10778 is capable of binding to VERO and A549 cell lines, further highlighting its virulence role during host-pathogen interaction in leptospirosis probably mediated by its C-terminal domain. Indeed, recent results in the literature confirmed this assumption by demonstrating the cytotoxicity of a closely related PF07598 member.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Lauretti-Ferreira
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo José Giordano
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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6
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Lai WY, Wong Z, Chang CH, Samian MR, Watanabe N, Teh AH, Noordin R, Ong EBB. Identifying Leptospira interrogans putative virulence factors with a yeast protein expression screen. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:6567-6581. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12160-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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7
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Meganathan Y, Vishwakarma A, Mohandass R. Biofilm formation and social interaction of Leptospira in natural and artificial environments. Res Microbiol 2022; 173:103981. [PMID: 35926730 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2022.103981] [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: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
In the recent decades, there has been increased interest in the study on social interactions of pathogenic bacteria and biofilm-forming microbes. Leptospira is a zoonotic pathogen that causes human leptospirosis. Biofilm formation by pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira has been documented in various biotic and abiotic environments. Biofilm supports cell growth and protects them from a variety of environmental stress. Pathogenic bacterial biofilm might increase the virulence and pathogenesis. However, research on the social behaviour and biofilm production by Leptospira is limited. This review discusses the interplay between the different species in the biofilm formation of saprophytic and pathogenic Leptospira and potential future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesan Meganathan
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Chengalapattu, TN, India
| | - Archana Vishwakarma
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Chengalapattu, TN, India
| | - Ramya Mohandass
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Chengalapattu, TN, India.
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8
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Hota S, Hussain MS, Kumar M. ErpY-like Lipoprotein of Leptospira Outsmarts Host Complement Regulation by Acquiring Complement Regulators, Activating Alternative Pathways, and Intervening in the Membrane Attack Complex. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:982-997. [PMID: 35422118 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The survival of pathogenic Leptospira in the host depends on its proficiency to circumvent the immune response. These pathogens evade the complement system in serum by enticing and amassing the serum complement regulators onto their surface. ErpY-like lipoprotein, a surface-exposed protein of Leptospira spp., is conserved in the pathogenic Leptospira serovars. The recombinant form of this protein interacts with multiple extracellular matrix (ECM) components and serum proteins such as soluble complement regulators factor H (FH) and factor I (FI). Here, we document that the supplementation of rErpY-like protein (10 μg/mL) in human serum inhibits complement-mediated bacterial cell lysis and augments the viability of Escherichia coli and saprophytic Leptospira biflexa by more than two-fold. Complement regulators FH and FI, when bound to rErpY-like protein, preserve their respective cofactor and protease activity and cleave the complement component C3b. The supplementation of rErpY-like protein (40 μg/mL) in serum ensued in an ∼90% reduction of membrane attack complex (C5b-9/MAC) deposition through the alternative pathway (AP) of complement activation. However, rErpY-like protein could moderately reduce (∼16%) MAC deposition in serum through the classical pathway (CP). In addition, the rErpY-like protein solely initiated the AP, suggesting its role in the rapid consumption and depletion of the complement components. Blocking the pathogenic Leptospira interrogans surface with anti-rErpY-like antibodies resulted in an increase in MAC formation on the bacterial surface, indicating a specific role of the ErpY-like lipoprotein in complement-mediated immune evasion. This study underscores the role of the ErpY-like lipoprotein of Leptospira in complement evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saswat Hota
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Md Saddam Hussain
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
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9
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Kumar A, Varma VP, Faisal SM. Screening of Surface-Exposed Lipoproteins of Leptospira Involved in Modulation of Host Innate Immune Response. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:761670. [PMID: 35401498 PMCID: PMC8988195 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.761670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira, a zoonotic pathogen, is capable of causing both chronic and acute infection in a susceptible host. Surface-exposed lipoproteins play a major role in modulating the host immune response by activating the innate cells like macrophages and dendritic cells or evading complement attack and killing by phagocytes like neutrophils to favor pathogenesis and establish infection. In this study, we screened some surface-exposed lipoproteins known to be involved in pathogenesis to assess their possible role in immune modulation (innate immune activation or evasion). Surface proteins of the Len family (LenB, LenD, and LenE), Lsa30, Loa22, and Lipl21 were purified in recombinant form and then tested for their ability to activate macrophages of the different host (mouse, human, and bovine). These proteins were tested for binding with complement regulators like Factor H (FH), C4 Binding Protein (C4BP), and host protease Plasminogen (PLG) and also as nucleases to access their possible role in innate immune evasion. Our results show that, of various proteins tested, Loa22 induced strong innate activation and Lsa30 was least stimulatory, as evident from the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor–α) and expression of surface markers [CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII)]. All the tested proteins were able to bind to FH, C4BP, and PLG; however, Loa22 showed strong binding to PLG correlating to plasmin activity. All the proteins except Loa22 showed nuclease activity, albeit with a requirement of different metal ions. The nuclease activity of these proteins correlated to in vitro degradation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET). In conclusion, our results indicate that these surface proteins are involved in innate immune modulation and may play a critical role in assisting the bacteria in invading and colonizing the host tissue for persistent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Regional Center for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
| | - Vivek P Varma
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Syed M Faisal
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Regional Center for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
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10
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Huang J, Chen J, Xie Y, Liu Z. Subversion of the immune response of human pathogenic spirochetes. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24414. [PMID: 35403248 PMCID: PMC9102653 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jielite Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China Hengyang China
| | - Jinlin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China Hengyang China
| | - Yafeng Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China Hengyang China
- Institution of Pathogenic Biology Medical College Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study University of South China Hengyang China
| | - Zhuoran Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China Hengyang China
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11
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Kumar A, Varma VP, Sridhar K, Abdullah M, Vyas P, Ashiq Thalappil M, Chang YF, Faisal SM. Deciphering the Role of Leptospira Surface Protein LigA in Modulating the Host Innate Immune Response. Front Immunol 2022; 12:807775. [PMID: 34975922 PMCID: PMC8716722 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.807775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospira, a zoonotic pathogen, is known to infect various hosts and can establish persistent infection. This remarkable ability of bacteria is attributed to its potential to modulate (activate or evade) the host immune response by exploiting its surface proteins. We have identified and characterized the domain of the variable region of Leptospira immunoglobulin-like protein A (LAV) involved in immune modulation. The 11th domain (A11) of the variable region of LigA (LAV) induces a strong TLR4 dependent innate response leading to subsequent induction of humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. A11 is also involved in acquiring complement regulator FH and binds to host protease Plasminogen (PLG), there by mediating functional activity to escape from complement-mediated killing. The deletion of A11 domain significantly impaired TLR4 signaling and subsequent reduction in the innate and adaptive immune response. It also inhibited the binding of FH and PLG thereby mediating killing of bacteria. Our study discovered an unprecedented role of LAV as a nuclease capable of degrading Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs). This nuclease activity was primarily mediated by A11. These results highlighted the moonlighting function of LigA and demonstrated that a single domain of a surface protein is involved in modulating the host innate immune defenses, which might allow the persistence of Leptospira in different hosts for a long term without clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Vivek P Varma
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Kavela Sridhar
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Mohd Abdullah
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India.,Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow, India
| | - Pallavi Vyas
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Syed M Faisal
- Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
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12
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Nakamura S. Motility of the Zoonotic Spirochete Leptospira: Insight into Association with Pathogenicity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031859. [PMID: 35163781 PMCID: PMC8837006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
If a bacterium has motility, it will use the ability to survive and thrive. For many pathogenic species, their motilities are a crucial virulence factor. The form of motility varies among the species. Some use flagella for swimming in liquid, and others use the cell-surface machinery to move over solid surfaces. Spirochetes are distinguished from other bacterial species by their helical or flat wave morphology and periplasmic flagella (PFs). It is believed that the rotation of PFs beneath the outer membrane causes transformation or rolling of the cell body, propelling the spirochetes. Interestingly, some spirochetal species exhibit motility both in liquid and over surfaces, but it is not fully unveiled how the spirochete pathogenicity involves such amphibious motility. This review focuses on the causative agent of zoonosis leptospirosis and discusses the significance of their motility in liquid and on surfaces, called crawling, as a virulence factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
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13
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Daroz BB, Fernandes LGV, Cavenague MF, Kochi LT, Passalia FJ, Takahashi MB, Nascimento Filho EG, Teixeira AF, Nascimento ALTO. A Review on Host- Leptospira Interactions: What We Know and Future Expectations. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:777709. [PMID: 34900757 PMCID: PMC8657130 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.777709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. It is considered a neglected infectious disease of human and veterinary concern. Our group has been investigating proteins annotated as hypothetical, predicted to be located on the leptospiral surface. Because of their location, these proteins may have the ability to interact with various host components, which could allow establishment of the infection. These proteins act as adherence factors by binding to host receptor molecules, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM) components laminin and glycosaminoglycans to help bacterial colonization. Leptospira also interacts with the host fibrinolytic system, which has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for invasion mechanisms. The interaction with fibrinogen and thrombin has been shown to reduce fibrin clot formation. Additionally, the degradation of coagulation cascade components by secreted proteases or by acquired surface plasmin could also play a role in reducing clot formation, hence facilitating dissemination during infection. Interaction with host complement system regulators also plays a role in helping bacteria to evade the immune system, facilitating invasion. Interaction of Leptospira to cell receptors, such as cadherins, can contribute to investigate molecules that participate in virulence. To achieve a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction, leptospiral mutagenesis tools have been developed and explored. This work presents several proteins that mediate binding to components of the ECM, plasma, components of the complement system and cells, to gather research achievements that can be helpful in better understanding the mechanisms of leptospiral-host interactions and discuss genetic manipulation for Leptospira spp. aimed at protein function validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda B Daroz
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria F Cavenague
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro T Kochi
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe J Passalia
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria B Takahashi
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edson G Nascimento Filho
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aline F Teixeira
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratorio de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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14
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Philip N, Jani J, Azhari NN, Sekawi Z, Neela VK. In vivo and in silico Virulence Analysis of Leptospira Species Isolated From Environments and Rodents in Leptospirosis Outbreak Areas in Malaysia. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:753328. [PMID: 34803975 PMCID: PMC8602918 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.753328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The zoonotic disease leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. With the advancement of studies in leptospirosis, several new species are being reported. It has always been a query, whether Leptospira species, serovars, and strains isolated from different geographical locations contribute to the difference in the disease presentations and severity. In an epidemiological surveillance study performed in Malaysia, we isolated seven novel intermediate and saprophytic species (Leptospira semungkisensis, Leptospira fletcheri, Leptospira langatensis, Leptospira selangorensis, Leptospira jelokensis, Leptospira perdikensis, Leptospira congkakensis) from environments and three pathogenic species from rodents (Leptospira borgpetersenii strain HP364, Leptospira weilii strain SC295, Leptospira interrogans strain HP358) trapped in human leptospirosis outbreak premises. To evaluate the pathogenic potential of these isolates, we performed an in vivo and in silico virulence analysis. Environmental isolates and strain HP364 did not induce any clinical manifestations in hamsters. Strain SC295 caused inactivity and weight loss with histopathological changes in kidneys, however, all hamsters survived until the end of the experiment. Strain HP358 showed a high virulent phenotype as all infected hamsters died or were moribund within 7 days postinfection. Lungs, liver, and kidneys showed pathological changes with hemorrhage as the main presentation. In silico analysis elucidated the genome size of strain HP358 to be larger than strains HP364 and SC295 and containing virulence genes reported in Leptospira species and a high number of specific putative virulence factors. In conclusion, L. interrogans strain HP358 was highly pathogenic with fatal outcome. The constituent of Leptospira genomes may determine the level of disease severity and that needs further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noraini Philip
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jaeyres Jani
- Borneo Medical and Health Research Center, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Natasya Azhari
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zamberi Sekawi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Vasantha Kumari Neela
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
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15
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Ho JD, Takara LEM, Monaris D, Gonçalves AP, Souza-Filho AF, de Souza GO, Heinemann MB, Ho PL, Abreu PAE. GroEL protein of the Leptospira spp. interacts with host proteins and induces cytokines secretion on macrophages. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:99. [PMID: 33789603 PMCID: PMC8011160 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02162-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with spirochetes from Leptospira genus. It has been classified into at least 17 pathogenic species, with more than 250 serologic variants. This wide distribution may be a result of leptospiral ability to colonize the renal tubules of mammalian hosts, including humans, wildlife, and many domesticated animals. Previous studies showed that the expression of proteins belonging to the microbial heat shock protein (HSP) family is upregulated during infection and also during various stress stimuli. Several proteins of this family are known to have important roles in the infectious processes in other bacteria, but the role of HSPs in Leptospira spp. is poorly understood. In this study, we have evaluated the capacity of the protein GroEL, a member of HSP family, of interacting with host proteins and of stimulating the production of cytokines by macrophages. RESULTS The binding experiments demonstrated that the recombinant GroEL protein showed interaction with several host components in a dose-dependent manner. It was also observed that GroEL is a surface protein, and it is secreted extracellularly. Moreover, two cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) were produced when macrophages cells were stimulated with this protein. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that GroEL protein may contribute to the adhesion of leptospires to host tissues and stimulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines during infection. These features might indicate an important role of GroEL in the pathogen-host interaction in the leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Dias Ho
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Denize Monaris
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Antonio Francisco Souza-Filho
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisele Oliveira de Souza
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bryan Heinemann
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Lee Ho
- Bioindustrial Division, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
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16
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Moore SR, Menon SS, Cortes C, Ferreira VP. Hijacking Factor H for Complement Immune Evasion. Front Immunol 2021; 12:602277. [PMID: 33717083 PMCID: PMC7947212 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.602277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement system is an essential player in innate and adaptive immunity. It consists of three pathways (alternative, classical, and lectin) that initiate either spontaneously (alternative) or in response to danger (all pathways). Complement leads to numerous outcomes detrimental to invaders, including direct killing by formation of the pore-forming membrane attack complex, recruitment of immune cells to sites of invasion, facilitation of phagocytosis, and enhancement of cellular immune responses. Pathogens must overcome the complement system to survive in the host. A common strategy used by pathogens to evade complement is hijacking host complement regulators. Complement regulators prevent attack of host cells and include a collection of membrane-bound and fluid phase proteins. Factor H (FH), a fluid phase complement regulatory protein, controls the alternative pathway (AP) both in the fluid phase of the human body and on cell surfaces. In order to prevent complement activation and amplification on host cells and tissues, FH recognizes host cell-specific polyanionic markers in combination with complement C3 fragments. FH suppresses AP complement-mediated attack by accelerating decay of convertases and by helping to inactivate C3 fragments on host cells. Pathogens, most of which do not have polyanionic markers, are not recognized by FH. Numerous pathogens, including certain bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminths, and fungi, can recruit FH to protect themselves against host-mediated complement attack, using either specific receptors and/or molecular mimicry to appear more like a host cell. This review will explore pathogen complement evasion mechanisms involving FH recruitment with an emphasis on: (a) characterizing the structural properties and expression patterns of pathogen FH binding proteins, as well as other strategies used by pathogens to capture FH; (b) classifying domains of FH important in pathogen interaction; and (c) discussing existing and potential treatment strategies that target FH interactions with pathogens. Overall, many pathogens use FH to avoid complement attack and appreciating the commonalities across these diverse microorganisms deepens the understanding of complement in microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara R Moore
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Smrithi S Menon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Claudio Cortes
- Department of Foundational Medical Sciences, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester, MI, United States
| | - Viviana P Ferreira
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States
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17
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Samrot AV, Sean TC, Bhavya KS, Sahithya CS, Chan-drasekaran S, Palanisamy R, Robinson ER, Subbiah SK, Mok PL. Leptospiral Infection, Pathogenesis and Its Diagnosis-A Review. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020145. [PMID: 33535649 PMCID: PMC7912936 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a perplexing conundrum for many. In the existing literature, the pathophysiological mechanisms pertaining to leptospirosis is still not understood in full. Considered as a neglected tropical zoonotic disease, leptospirosis is culminating as a serious problem worldwide, seemingly existing as co-infections with various other unrelated diseases, including dengue and malaria. Misdiagnosis is also common as non-specific symptoms are documented extensively in the literature. This can easily lead to death, as the severe form of leptospirosis (Weil's disease) manifests as a complex of systemic complications, especially renal failure. The virulence of Leptospira sp. is usually attributed to the outer membrane proteins, including LipL32. With an armament of virulence factors at their disposal, their ability to easily adhere, invade and replicate within cells calls for a swift refinement in research progress to establish their exact pathophysiological framework. As an effort to reconstitute the current knowledge on leptospirosis, the basis of leptospiral infection, including its risk factors, classification, morphology, transmission, pathogenesis, co-infections and clinical manifestations are highlighted in this review. The various diagnostic techniques are also outlined with emphasis on their respective pros and cons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony V. Samrot
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
| | - Tan Chuan Sean
- School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Selangor 42610, Malaysia;
| | - Karanam Sai Bhavya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Chamarthy Sai Sahithya
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - SaiPriya Chan-drasekaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Raji Palanisamy
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 627 011, India; (K.S.B.); (C.S.S.); (S.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Emilin Renitta Robinson
- Department of Food Processing Technology, Karunya Institute of Technology and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641 114, India;
| | - Suresh Kumar Subbiah
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia;
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
| | - Pooi Ling Mok
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Selaiyur, Tamil Nadu 600 073, India
- Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka P.O. Box 2014, Aljouf Province, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.V.S.); (P.L.M.)
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18
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Zilch TJ, Lee JJ, Bressan GC, McDonough SP, Mohammed HO, Divers TJ, Chang YF. Evaluation of new leptospiral antigens for the diagnosis of equine leptospirosis: An approach using pan-genomic analysis, reverse vaccinology and antigenic selection. Equine Vet J 2020; 53:1025-1035. [PMID: 33135163 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13380] [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: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current gold standard diagnostic test for leptospirosis is the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), which has many drawbacks; therefore, the development of a better and easier serological test for leptospirosis is needed. OBJECTIVES To apply reverse vaccinology (RV) and antigenic selection on the assortment of leptospiral targets and evaluate their potential for use as reagents for the diagnosis of equine leptospirosis. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS The antigenic selection parameters were: proteins with antigenicity score ≥0.5 (VaxiJen), at least one B cell epitope and size between 10 and 275 KDa. New leptospiral proteins were cloned, expressed and serologically screened against equine sera (n = 128) on a single analysis and comparative combinations. Sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp), accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. A BLAST with nucleotide and protein sequences was used to identify the serovar or species specificity. MAIN LIMITATIONS This cross-sectional analysis had three main limitations: (a) The equine sera used in these tests were limited to sera submitted to the Animal Health Diagnosis Center and were only tested against seven serovars; (b) MAT results were considered being 'perfect', and the highest titre presented was considered being the infecting serovar, which may not hold true; (c) The strains used to represent the serovars and the limited number of different serovars and species included in the genetic analysis, which leads to the possibility that these proteins might be present in different species or serovars that perhaps would be seroprevalent in another geographic region. CONCLUSIONS The new leptospiral antigens described in this research could increase the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for detection of Leptospira exposure and the detection of leptospirosis in horses along with support from other clinical signs. Some of these new antigens might be used to improve the detection of infecting serovar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago J Zilch
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Jen-Jie Lee
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Gustavo C Bressan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Sean P McDonough
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Hussni O Mohammed
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Thomas J Divers
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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19
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Kędzierska-Mieszkowska S, Arent Z. AAA+ Molecular Chaperone ClpB in Leptospira interrogans: Its Role and Significance in Leptospiral Virulence and Pathogenesis of Leptospirosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6645. [PMID: 32932775 PMCID: PMC7555560 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial ClpB is an ATP-dependent disaggregase that belongs to the Hsp100/Clp subfamily of the AAA+ ATPases and cooperates with the DnaK chaperone system in the reactivation of aggregated proteins, as well as promotes bacterial survival under adverse environmental conditions, including thermal and oxidative stresses. In addition, extensive evidence indicates that ClpB supports the virulence of numerous bacteria, including pathogenic spirochaete Leptospira interrogans responsible for leptospirosis in animals and humans. However, the specific function of ClpB in leptospiral virulence still remains to be fully elucidated. Interestingly, ClpB was predicted as one of the L. interrogans hub proteins interacting with human proteins, and pathogen-host protein interactions are fundamental for successful invasion of the host immune system by bacteria. The aim of this review is to discuss the most important aspects of ClpB's function in L. interrogans, including contribution of ClpB to leptospiral virulence and pathogenesis of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease with a significant impact on public health worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zbigniew Arent
- University Centre of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-059 Krakow, Poland;
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20
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Xu J, Koizumi N, Nakamura S. Crawling Motility on the Host Tissue Surfaces Is Associated With the Pathogenicity of the Zoonotic Spirochete Leptospira. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1886. [PMID: 32849465 PMCID: PMC7419657 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial motility is crucial for many pathogenic species in the process of invasion and/or dissemination. The spirochete bacteria Leptospira spp. cause symptoms, such as hemorrhage, jaundice, and nephritis, in diverse mammals including humans. Although loss-of-motility attenuate the spirochete's virulence, the mechanism of the motility-dependent pathogenicity is unknown. Here, focusing on that Leptospira spp. swim in liquid and crawl on solid surfaces, we investigated the spirochetal dynamics on the host tissues by infecting cultured kidney cells from various species with pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires. We found that, in the case of the pathogenic leptospires, a larger fraction of bacteria attached to the host cells and persistently traveled long distances using the crawling mechanism. Our results associate the kinetics and kinematic features of the spirochetal pathogens with their virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Nobuo Koizumi
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Nakamura
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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21
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Barbosa AS, Isaac L. Strategies used by Leptospira spirochetes to evade the host complement system. FEBS Lett 2020; 594:2633-2644. [PMID: 32153015 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Leptospires are highly invasive spirochetes equipped with efficient strategies for dissemination in the host. The Leptospira genus currently comprises 64 species divided into two major clades: the saprophytes composed of nonpathogenic, free-living organisms, and the pathogens encompassing all the species that cause mild or severe infections in humans and animals. While saprophytes are highly susceptible to the lytic action of the complement system, pathogenic (virulent) strains have evolved virulence strategies that allow efficient colonization of a variety of hosts and target organs, including mechanisms to circumvent hosts' innate and acquired immune responses. Pathogenic Leptospira avoid complement-mediated killing by recruiting host complement regulatory proteins and by targeting complement proteins using own and host-expressed proteases. This review outlines the role of complement in eradicating saprophytic Leptospira and the stratagems adopted by pathogenic Leptospira to maneuver the host complement system for their benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil
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22
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Sun AH, Liu XX, Yan J. Leptospirosis is an invasive infectious and systemic inflammatory disease. Biomed J 2020; 43:24-31. [PMID: 32200953 PMCID: PMC7090314 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic Leptospira species are the causative agents of leptospirosis, a world-spreading zoonotic infectious disease. The pathogens possess a powerful invasiveness by invading human body through mucosal/skin barriers, rapid entry into bloodstream to cause septicemia, diffusion from bloodstream into internal organs and tissues to cause aggravation of disease, and discharge from urine through renal tubules to form natural infectious sources. Leptospirosis patients present severe inflammatory symptoms such as high fever, myalgia and lymphadenectasis. Hemorrhage and jaundice are the pathological features of this disease. Previous studies revealed that some outer membrane proteins of Leptospira interrogans, the most important pathogenic Leptospira species, acted as adherence factors to binding to receptor molecules (fibronectin, laminin and collagens) in extracellular matrix of host cells. Collagenase, metallopeptidases and endoflagellum contributed to the invasiveness of L. interrogans. Except for lipopolysaccharide, multiple hemolysins of L. interrogans displayed a powerful ability to induce pro-inflammatory cytokines and hepatocyte apoptosis. vWA and platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase-like proteins from L. interrogans could induce severe pulmonary hemorrhage in mice. L. interrogans utilized cellular endocytic recycling and vesicular transport systems for intracellular migration and transcellular transport. All the research achievements are helpful for further understanding the virulence of pathogenic Leptospira species and pathogenesis of leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Hua Sun
- Faculty of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xiao-Xiang Liu
- Faculty of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China.
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23
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Regulation of regulators: Role of the complement factor H-related proteins. Semin Immunol 2019; 45:101341. [PMID: 31757608 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2019.101341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The complement system, while being an essential and very efficient effector component of innate immunity, may cause damage to the host and result in various inflammatory, autoimmune and infectious diseases or cancer, when it is improperly activated or regulated. Factor H is a serum glycoprotein and the main regulator of the activity of the alternative complement pathway. Factor H, together with its splice variant factor H-like protein 1 (FHL-1), inhibits complement activation at the level of the central complement component C3 and beyond. In humans, there are also five factor H-related (FHR) proteins, whose function is poorly characterized. While data indicate complement inhibiting activity for some of the FHRs, there is increasing evidence that FHRs have an opposite role compared with factor H and FHL-1, namely, they enhance complement activation directly and also by competing with the regulators FH and FHL-1. This review summarizes the current stand and recent data on the roles of factor H family proteins in health and disease, with focus on the function of FHR proteins.
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24
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Basak SC, Majumdar S, Nandy A, Roy P, Dutta T, Vracko M, Bhattacharjee AK. Computer-Assisted and Data Driven Approaches for Surveillance, Drug Discovery, and Vaccine Design for the Zika Virus. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:E157. [PMID: 31623241 PMCID: PMC6958466 DOI: 10.3390/ph12040157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human life has been at the edge of catastrophe for millennia due diseases which emerge and reemerge at random. The recent outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) is one such menace that shook the global public health community abruptly. Modern technologies, including computational tools as well as experimental approaches, need to be harnessed fast and effectively in a coordinated manner in order to properly address such challenges. In this paper, based on our earlier research, we have proposed a four-pronged approach to tackle the emerging pathogens like ZIKV: (a) Epidemiological modelling of spread mechanisms of ZIKV; (b) assessment of the public health risk of newly emerging strains of the pathogens by comparing them with existing strains/pathogens using fast computational sequence comparison methods; (c) implementation of vaccine design methods in order to produce a set of probable peptide vaccine candidates for quick synthesis/production and testing in the laboratory; and (d) designing of novel therapeutic molecules and their laboratory testing as well as validation of new drugs or repurposing of drugs for use against ZIKV. For each of these stages, we provide an extensive review of the technical challenges and current state-of-the-art. Further, we outline the future areas of research and discuss how they can work together to proactively combat ZIKV or future emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash C Basak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN 55812, USA.
| | | | - Ashesh Nandy
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700068, India.
| | - Proyasha Roy
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700068, India.
| | - Tathagata Dutta
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata 700068, India.
| | - Marjan Vracko
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia.
| | - Apurba K Bhattacharjee
- Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, Department of Microbiology and Immunology School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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Moreno-Torres A, Malvido-Jiménez IR, de la Peña-Moctezuma A, Castillo Sánchez LO, Fraga TR, Barbosa AS, Isaac L, Sahagún-Ruiz A. Culture-attenuated pathogenic Leptospira lose the ability to survive to complement-mediated-killing due to lower expression of factor H binding proteins. Microbes Infect 2019; 21:377-385. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Techawiwattanaboon T, Barnier-Quer C, Palaga T, Jacquet A, Collin N, Sangjun N, Komanee P, Piboonpocanun S, Patarakul K. Reduced Renal Colonization and Enhanced Protection by Leptospiral Factor H Binding Proteins as a Multisubunit Vaccine Against Leptospirosis in Hamsters. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7030095. [PMID: 31443566 PMCID: PMC6789851 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7030095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Subunit vaccines conferring complete protection against leptospirosis are not currently available. The interactions of factor H binding proteins (FHBPs) on pathogenic leptospires and host factor H are crucial for immune evasion by inhibition of complement-mediated killing. The inhibition of these interactions may be a potential strategy to clear leptospires in the host. This study aimed to evaluate a multisubunit vaccine composed of four known leptospiral FHBPs: LigA domain 7–13 (LigAc), LenA, LcpA, and Lsa23, for its protective efficacy in hamsters. The mono and multisubunit vaccines formulated with LMQ adjuvant, a combination of neutral liposome, monophosphoryl lipid A, and Quillaja saponaria fraction 21, induced high and comparable specific antibody (IgG) production against individual antigens. Hamsters immunized with the multisubunit vaccine showed 60% survival following the challenge by 20× LD50 of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona. No significant difference in survival rate and pathological findings of target organs was observed after vaccinations with multisubunit or mono-LigAc vaccines. However, the multisubunit vaccine significantly reduced leptospiral burden in surviving hamsters in comparison with the monosubunit vaccines. Therefore, the multisubunit vaccine conferred partial protection and reduced renal colonization against virulence Leptospira infection in hamsters. Our multisubunit formulation could represent a promising vaccine against leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teerasit Techawiwattanaboon
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC), Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Tanapat Palaga
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Alain Jacquet
- Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC), Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Nicolas Collin
- Vaccine Formulation Laboratory (VFL), University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Noppadon Sangjun
- Armed Force Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Pat Komanee
- Armed Force Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Surapon Piboonpocanun
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Kanitha Patarakul
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC), Center of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
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Chin VK, Basir R, Nordin SA, Abdullah M, Sekawi Z. Pathology and Host Immune Evasion During Human Leptospirosis: a Review. Int Microbiol 2019; 23:127-136. [DOI: 10.1007/s10123-019-00067-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Cavenague MF, Teixeira AF, Filho AS, Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Heinemann MB, Nascimento ALTO. Characterization of a novel protein of Leptospira interrogans exhibiting plasminogen, vitronectin and complement binding properties. Int J Med Microbiol 2019; 309:116-129. [PMID: 30638770 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a severe zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. This work focuses on a hypothetical protein of unknown function, encoded by the gene LIC13259, and predicted to be a surface protein, widely distributed among pathogenic leptospiral strain. The gene was amplified from L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni, strain Fiocruz L1-130, cloned and the protein expressed using Escherichia coli as a host system. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the protein is surface-exposed. The recombinant protein LIC13259 (rLIC13259) has the ability to interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) laminin, in a dose-dependent manner but saturation was not reach. The rLIC13259 protein is a plasminogen (PLG)-binding protein, generating plasmin, in the presence of urokinase PLG-activator uPA. The recombinant protein is able to mediate the binding to human purified terminal complement route vitronectin, C7, C8 and C9, and to recruit and interact with these components from normal human serum (NHS). These interactions are dose-dependent on NHS increased concentration. The binding of rLIC13259 to C8 and vitronectin was slight and pronounced inhibited in the presence of increasing heparin concentration, respectively, suggesting that the interaction with vitronectin occurs via heparin domain. Most interesting, the interaction of rLIC13259 with C9 protein was capable of preventing C9 polymerization, suggesting that the membrane attack complex (MAC) formation was inhibited. Thus, we tentatively assign the coding sequence (CDS) LIC13259, previously annotated as unknown function, as a novel protein that may play an important role in the host's invasion and immune evasion processes, contributing to the establishment of the leptospiral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Cavenague
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline F Teixeira
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio S Filho
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gisele O Souza
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Silvio A Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas - Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Ghosh KK, Prakash A, Shrivastav P, Balamurugan V, Kumar M. Evaluation of a novel outer membrane surface-exposed protein, LIC13341 of Leptospira, as an adhesin and serodiagnostic candidate marker for leptospirosis. Microbiology (Reading) 2018; 164:1023-1037. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Karukriti Kaushik Ghosh
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aman Prakash
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Prateek Shrivastav
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Vinayagamurthy Balamurugan
- 2Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- 1Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
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Mottin M, Borba JVVB, Braga RC, Torres PHM, Martini MC, Proenca-Modena JL, Judice CC, Costa FTM, Ekins S, Perryman AL, Horta Andrade C. The A-Z of Zika drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1833-1847. [PMID: 29935345 PMCID: PMC7108251 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV), there are still no approved treatments, and early-stage compounds are probably many years away from approval. A comprehensive A-Z review of the recent advances in ZIKV drug discovery efforts is presented, highlighting drug repositioning and computationally guided compounds, including discovered viral and host cell inhibitors. Promising ZIKV molecular targets are also described and discussed, as well as targets belonging to the host cell, as new opportunities for ZIKV drug discovery. All this knowledge is not only crucial to advancing the fight against the Zika virus and other flaviviruses but also helps us prepare for the next emerging virus outbreak to which we will have to respond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Mottin
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Joyce V V B Borba
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Rodolpho C Braga
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Pedro H M Torres
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Matheus C Martini
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses (LEVE), Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Jose Luiz Proenca-Modena
- Laboratory of Emerging Viruses (LEVE), Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Carla C Judice
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Alexander L Perryman
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil; Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-864, Brazil.
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Proteomic approach and expression analysis revealed the differential expression of predicted leptospiral proteases capable of ECM degradation. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2018; 1866:712-721. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Oliveira TL, Schuch RA, Inda GR, Roloff BC, Neto ACPS, Amaral M, Dellagostin OA, Hartwig DD. LemA and Erp Y-like recombinant proteins from Leptospira interrogans protect hamsters from challenge using AddaVax™ as adjuvant. Vaccine 2018; 36:2574-2580. [PMID: 29625765 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.03.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recombinant subunit vaccines have been extensively evaluated as promising alternatives against leptospirosis. Here, we evaluated two proteins in formulations containing the adjuvant AddaVax™ as vaccine candidates for prevention and control of leptospirosis. METHODS Recombinant proteins rErp Y-like and rLemA were characterized by ELISA to assess their ability to bind extracellular matrix (ECM) components and fibrinogen. Groups of eight hamsters were immunized intramuscularly with rErp Y-like or rLemA mixed with a squalene-based adjuvant (AddaVax), and then vaccine efficacy was determined in terms of protection against a lethal challenge. The humoral immune response was determined by ELISA, and the evidence of sub-lethal infection was evaluated by histopathology and kidney culture. RESULTS rLemA protein binds laminin, fibrinogen, and collagen type IV, while rErp Y-like interacts with fibrinogen. Significant protection was achieved for rLemA and rErp Y-like vaccines, which showed 87.5% and 62.5% survivals, respectively. On day 28, the humoral immune response was significantly greater in the vaccine groups as compared to that in the control group, and the response was predominantly based on IgG2/3. The surviving animals showed negative results in culture isolation but presented with tissue lesions in the lungs and kidneys. CONCLUSION Cumulatively, our findings suggest that LemA and Erp Y-like proteins act as adhesins and are able to protect against mortality, but not against tissue lesions. Moreover, AddaVax is a novel adjuvant with potential for improving the immunogenicity of leptospiral vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Larré Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Andrade Schuch
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Roig Inda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Couto Roloff
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Amilton Clair Pinto Seixas Neto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Marta Amaral
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Odir Antonio Dellagostin
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Daiane Drawanz Hartwig
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
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Anu PV, Madanan MG, Nair AJ, Nair GA, Nair GPM, Sudhakaran PR, Satheeshkumar PK. Heterologous Expression, Purification and Characterization of an Oligopeptidase A from the Pathogen Leptospira interrogans. Mol Biotechnol 2018; 60:302-309. [PMID: 29502205 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-018-0073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Oligopeptidases are enzymes involved in the degradation of short peptides (generally less than 30 amino acids in size) which help pathogens evade the host defence mechanisms. Leptospira is a zoonotic pathogen and causes leptospirosis in mammals. Proteome analysis of Leptospira revealed the presence of oligopeptidase A (OpdA) among other membrane proteins. To study the role of oligopeptidase in leptospirosis, the OpdA of L. interrogans was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli with a histidine tag (His-tag). The protein showed maximum expression at 37 °C with 0.5 mM of IPTG after 2 h of induction. Recombinant OpdA protein was purified to homogeneity using Ni-affinity chromatography. The purified OpdA showed more than 80% inhibition with a serine protease inhibitor but the activity was reduced to 30% with the cysteine protease inhibitor. The peptidase activity was increased significantly in the presence of Zn2+ at a neutral pH. Inhibitor assay indicate the presence of more than one active sites for peptidase activity as reported with the OpdA of E. coli and Salmonella. Over-expression of OpdA in E. coli BL21 (DE3) did not cause any negative effects on normal cell growth and viability. The role of OpdA as virulence factor in Leptospira and its potential as a therapeutic and diagnostic target in leptospirosis is yet to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasannan V Anu
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | | | - Ananthakrishnan J Nair
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Gangaprasad A Nair
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Govinda Pillai M Nair
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Perumana R Sudhakaran
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Padikara K Satheeshkumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. .,Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India.
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Catecholamine-Modulated Novel Surface-Exposed Adhesin LIC20035 of Leptospira spp. Binds Host Extracellular Matrix Components and Is Recognized by the Host during Infection. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.02360-17. [PMID: 29269501 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02360-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the effect of the host stress hormone catecholamine on Leptospira gene transcripts encoding outer membrane proteins was investigated. There was no impact of catecholamine supplementation on the in vitro growth pattern of Leptospira interrogans; however, 7 genes out of 41 were differentially transcribed, and the effect was reversed to the basal level in the presence of the antagonist propranolol. Comprehensive analysis of one of the differentially regulated proteins, LIC20035 (in serovar Copenhageni)/LB047 (in serovar Lai) (due to catecholamine supplementation), revealed immunogenicity and ability to adhere to host extracellular matrices. Protease accessibility assay and phase partition of integral membrane proteins of Leptospira showed LIC20035/LB047 to be an outer membrane surface-exposed protein. The recombinant LIC20035 protein can be serologically detected using human/bovine sera positive for leptospirosis. Moreover, the recombinant LIC20035 can bind to diverse host extracellular matrices, with a higher affinity toward collagen and chondroitin sulfate.IMPORTANCE Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease of global importance. This study aimed to identify outer membrane proteins of pathogenic Leptospira responding to host chemical signals like catecholamines, with the potential to serve as virulence factors, new serodiagnostic antigens, and vaccine candidates. This study mimicked the plausible means by which Leptospira during infection and hormonal stress intercepts host catecholamines to disseminate in host tissues.
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35
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Jorge S, Kremer FS, Oliveira NRD, Navarro GDOSV, Guimarães AM, Sanchez CD, Woloski RDDS, Ridieri KF, Campos VF, Pinto LDS, Dellagostin OA. Whole-genome sequencing of Leptospira interrogans from southern Brazil: genetic features of a highly virulent strain. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2018; 113:80-86. [PMID: 29236923 PMCID: PMC5722262 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760170130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonotic disease. It is caused by
infection with pathogenic Leptospira species, of which over
300 serovars have been described. The accurate identification of the
causative Leptospira spp. is required to ascertain the
pathogenic status of the local isolates. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to obtain the complete genome sequence of a virulent
Leptospira interrogans strain isolated from southern
Brazil and to describe its genetic features. METHODS The whole genome was sequenced by next-generation sequencing (Ion Torrent).
The genome was assembled, scaffolded, annotated, and manually reviewed.
Mutations were identified based on a variant calling analysis using the
genome of L. interrogans strain Fiocruz L1-130 as a
reference. FINDINGS The entire genome had an average GC content of 35%. The variant calling
analysis identified 119 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), from which
30 led to a missense mutation. The structural analyses identified potential
evidence of genomic inversions, translocations, and deletions in both the
chromosomes. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The genome properties provide comprehensive information about the local
isolates of Leptospira spp., and thereby, could facilitate
the identification of new targets for the development of diagnostic kits and
vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Jorge
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karine Forster Ridieri
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Vinícius Farias Campos
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - Luciano da Silva Pinto
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
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Satheeshkumar PK, Anu PV, Junaida MI, Madanan MG, Jebasingh T, Nair AJ, Nair GA, Nair GPM, Sudhakaran PR. Expression of Leptospira membrane proteins Signal Peptidase (SP) and Leptospira Endostatin like A (Len A) in BL-21(DE3) is toxic to the host cells. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2018; 16:393-398. [PMID: 30733752 PMCID: PMC6353657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Heterologous expression of Integral Membrane Proteins (IMPs) is reported to be toxic to the host system in many studies. Even though there are reports on various concerns like transformation efficiency, growth properties, protein toxicity, inefficient expression and protein degradation in IMP overexpression, no studies so far addressed these issues in a comprehensive way. In the present study, two transmembrane proteins of the pathogen Leptospira interrogans, namely Signal peptidase (SP), and Leptospira Endostatin like A (Len-A) were taken along with a cytosolic protein Hydrolase (HYD) to assess the differences in transformation efficiency, protein toxicity, and protein stability when over expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Bioinformatics analysis to predict the transmembrane localization indicated that both SP and Len are targeted to the membrane. The three proteins were expressed in full length in the E. coli expression strain, BL 21 (DE3). Significant changes were observed for the strains transformed with IMP genes under the parameters analysed such as, the transformation efficiency, survival of colonies on IPTG-plate, culture growth kinetics and protein expression compared to the strain harbouring the cytosolic protein gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padikara K Satheeshkumar
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Prasannan V Anu
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Mohmed I Junaida
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | | | | | - Ananthakrishnan J Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Gangaprasad A Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Govinda Pillai M Nair
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Perumana R Sudhakaran
- Interuniversity Centre for Genomics and Gene Technology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
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Priya SP, Sakinah S, Sharmilah K, Hamat RA, Sekawi Z, Higuchi A, Ling MP, Nordin SA, Benelli G, Kumar SS. Leptospirosis: Molecular trial path and immunopathogenesis correlated with dengue, malaria and mimetic hemorrhagic infections. Acta Trop 2017; 176:206-223. [PMID: 28823908 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immuno-pathogenesis of leptospirosis can be recounted well by following its trail path from entry to exit, while inducing disastrous damages in various tissues of the host. Dysregulated, inappropriate and excessive immune responses are unanimously blamed in fatal leptospirosis. The inherent abilities of the pathogen and inabilities of the host were debated targeting the severity of the disease. Hemorrhagic manifestation through various mechanisms leading to a fatal end is observed when this disease is unattended. The similar vascular destructions and hemorrhage manifestations are noted in infections with different microbes in endemic areas. The simultaneous infection in a host with more than one pathogen or parasite is referred as the coinfection. Notably, common endemic infections such as leptospirosis, dengue, chikungunya, and malaria, harbor favorable environments to flourish in similar climates, which is aggregated with stagnated water and aggravated with the poor personal and environmental hygiene of the inhabitants. These factors aid the spread of pathogens and parasites to humans and potential vectors, eventually leading to outbreaks of public health relevance. Malaria, dengue and chikungunya need mosquitoes as vectors, in contrast with leptospirosis, which directly invades human, although the environmental bacterial load is maintained through other mammals, such as rodents. The more complicating issue is that infections by different pathogens exhibiting similar symptoms but require different treatment management. The current review explores different pathogens expressing specific surface proteins and their ability to bind with array of host proteins with or without immune response to enter into the host tissues and their ability to evade the host immune responses to invade and their affinity to certain tissues leading to the common squeal of hemorrhage. Furthermore, at the host level, the increased susceptibility and inability of the host to arrest the pathogens' and parasites' spread in different tissues, various cytokines accumulated to eradicate the microorganisms and their cellular interactions, the antibody dependent defense and the susceptibility of individual organs bringing the manifestation of the diseases were explored. Lastly, we provided a discussion on the immune trail path of pathogenesis from entry to exit to narrate the similarities and dissimilarities among various hemorrhagic fevers mentioned above, in order to outline future possibilities of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coinfections, with special reference to endemic areas.
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Hsu SH, Hung CC, Chang MY, Ko YC, Yang HY, Hsu HH, Tian YC, Chou LF, Pan RL, Tseng FG, Yang CW. Active Components of Leptospira Outer Membrane Protein LipL32 to Toll-Like Receptor 2. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8363. [PMID: 28827637 PMCID: PMC5566480 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08743-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins belonging to the toll-like receptor (TLR) family, particularly TLR2, are the major components of innate immunity against Leptospira infection. The ligands for TLR2 harbor several conserved patterns such as lipidation molecules, leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains, TLR2 binding motifs, and TLR2 binding structure. In Leptospira, LipL32 interacts with TLR2 on human kidney cells concomitantly stimulating inflammatory responses. However, the binding mechanism of LipL32 to TLR2 is unknown. The computational prediction suggests that β1β2, loop-α3-loop, and α4 domains of LipL32 play vital roles in LipL32-TLR2 complex formation. To test these predictions, protein truncation experiments revealed that LipL32ΔNβ1β2 significantly decreased the affinity to TLR2 while LipL32ΔCα4 slightly reduced it. Interestingly, LipL32ΔCenα3 retained affinity to TLR2 in the absence of Ca2+ ions, indicating that Cenα3 play a role preventing the interaction between LipL32 and TLR2. Furthermore, the critical residues of LipL32 involved in interacting with TLR2 suggested that V35S, L36S and L263S variants significantly decreased the affinity to TLR2. The results further confirm that LipL32 interacts with TLR2 through Nβ1β2 and Cα4 domains of LipL32 as well as LipL32-TLR2 complex formation results from hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a detailed mechanism of the interaction between LipL32 and TLR2 and the residues involved in complex formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-Hsing Hsu
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Chieh Hung
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Yang Chang
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ching Ko
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Huang-Yu Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsiang-Hao Hsu
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ya-Chung Tian
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Fang Chou
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Rong-Long Pan
- Department of Life Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Fan-Gang Tseng
- Department of Engineering and System Science, College of Nuclear Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chih-Wei Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, 33333, Taiwan, ROC.
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Hsieh CL, Tseng A, He H, Kuo CJ, Wang X, Chang YF. Leptospira Immunoglobulin-Like Protein B Interacts with the 20th Exon of Human Tropoelastin Contributing to Leptospiral Adhesion to Human Lung Cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:163. [PMID: 28536676 PMCID: PMC5422739 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00163] [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: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Leptospira immunoglobulin-like protein B (LigB), a surface adhesin, is capable of mediating the attachment of pathogenic leptospira to the host through interaction with various components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Human tropoelastin (HTE), the building block of elastin, confers resilience and elasticity to lung, and other tissues. Previously identified Ig-like domains of LigB, including LigB4 and LigB12, bind to HTE, which is likely to promote Leptospira adhesion to lung tissue. However, the molecular mechanism that mediates the LigB-HTE interaction is unclear. In this study, the LigB-binding site on HTE was further pinpointed to a N-terminal region of the 20th exon of HTE (HTE20N). Alanine mutants of basic and aromatic residues on HTE20N significantly reduced binding to the LigB. Additionally, HTE-binding site was narrowed down to the first β-sheet of LigB12. On this binding surface, residues F1054, D1061, A1065, and D1066 were critical for the association with HTE. Most importantly, the recombinant HTE truncates could diminish the binding of LigB to human lung fibroblasts (WI-38) by 68%, and could block the association of LigA-expressing L. biflexa to lung cells by 61%. These findings should expand our understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis, particularly in pulmonary manifestations of leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Lin Hsieh
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, USA
| | - Andrew Tseng
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, USA
| | - Hongxuan He
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Chih-Jung Kuo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
| | - Xuannian Wang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, USA.,Research Center for Biotechnology, Xinxiang UniversityXinxiang, China
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, USA
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Lp25 membrane protein from pathogenic Leptospira spp. is associated with rhabdomyolysis and oliguric acute kidney injury in a guinea pig model of leptospirosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005615. [PMID: 28505191 PMCID: PMC5444857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) from leptospirosis is frequently nonoliguric with hypo- or normokalemia. Higher serum potassium levels are observed in non-survivor patients and may have been caused by more severe AKI, metabolic disarrangement, or rhabdomyolysis. An association between the creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level and maximum serum creatinine level has been observed in these patients, which suggests that rhabdomyolysis contributes to severe AKI and hyperkalemia. LipL32 and Lp25 are conserved proteins in pathogenic strains of Leptospira spp., but these proteins have no known function. This study evaluated the effect of these proteins on renal function in guinea pigs. Lp25 is an outer membrane protein that appears responsible for the development of oliguric AKI associated with hyperkalemia induced by rhabdomyolysis (e.g., elevated CPK, uric acid and serum phosphate). This study is the first characterization of a leptospiral outer membrane protein that is associated with severe manifestations of leptospirosis. Therapeutic methods to attenuate this protein and inhibit rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI could protect animals and patients from severe forms of this disease and decrease mortality.
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Cosate MR, Siqueira GH, de Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Nascimento ALTO. Mammalian cell entry (Mce) protein of Leptospira interrogans binds extracellular matrix components, plasminogen and β2 integrin. Microbiol Immunol 2017; 60:586-98. [PMID: 27468683 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A severe re-emergingzoonosis, leptospirosis, is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Several studies have identified leptospiral surface proteins with the ability to bind ECM and plasma components, which could mediate adhesion and invasion through the hosts. It has been shown that Mce of pathogenic Leptospira spp. is an RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-motif-dependent virulence factor, responsible for infection of cells and animals. In the present article, we decided to further study the repertoire of the Mce activities in leptospiral biological properties. We report that the recombinant Mce is a broad-spectrum ECM-binding protein, capable of interacting with laminin, cellular and plasma fibronectin and collagen IV. Dose--r-esponse interaction was observed for all the components, fulfilling ligand--receptor requirements. Mce is a PLG binding protein capable to recruit this component from NHS, generating PLA in the presence of PLG activator. Binding of Mce was also observed with the leukocyte cell receptors αLβ2 [(CD11a/CD18)-LFA-1] and αMβ2 [(CD11b/CD18)-Mac-1], suggesting the involvement of this protein in the host immune response. Indeed, virulent Leptospira L1-130 was capable of binding both integrins, whereas culture-attenuated M-20 strain only bind to αMβ2 [(CD11b/CD18)-Mac-1]. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to describe that Mce surface protein could mediate the attachment of Leptospira interrogans to human cell receptors αLβ2(CD11a/CD18) and αMβ2(CD11b/CD18).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gisele Oliveira de Souza
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, 05508-270 Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Lucia T O Nascimento
- Biotechnology Center, Butantan Institute, 05503-900 Sao Paulo, Brazil. .,Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
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Abstract
The complement system plays an important role in the innate and acquired immune response against pathogens. A sophisticated network of activating and regulating proteins allows the distinction between intact and damaged host and non-host surfaces such as bacteria and other parasites. Non-host structures trigger the alternative pathway which may lead to their elimination by phagocytosis or cell lysis. In addition, complement proteins such as C1q, mannose binding lectin (MBL), and ficolins act as pathogen pattern-recognition molecules. Biological functions such as opsonization, activation of B lymphocytes and production of antibodies, degranulation of mast cells and basophils, and cell lysis that are important for elimination of microorganisms are dependent on complement activation. However, several pathogens including spirochetes have developed several specialized mechanisms to evade the complement system, thereby contributing to survival in the host. In this review, we give a brief overview of complement activation and regulation, and discuss in detail the strategies used by spirochetes from the genera Borrelia, Leptospira, and Treponema to overcome complement activation.
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Fraga TR, Isaac L, Barbosa AS. Complement Evasion by Pathogenic Leptospira. Front Immunol 2016; 7:623. [PMID: 28066433 PMCID: PMC5174078 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a neglected infectious disease caused by spirochetes from the genus Leptospira. Pathogenic microorganisms, notably those which reach the blood circulation such as Leptospira, have evolved multiple strategies to escape the host complement system, which is important for innate and acquired immunity. Leptospira avoid complement-mediated killing through: (i) recruitment of host complement regulators; (ii) acquisition of host proteases that cleave complement proteins on the bacterial surface; and, (iii) secretion of proteases that inactivate complement proteins in the Leptospira surroundings. The recruitment of host soluble complement regulatory proteins includes the acquisition of Factor H (FH) and FH-like-1 (alternative pathway), C4b-binding protein (C4BP) (classical and lectin pathways), and vitronectin (Vn) (terminal pathway). Once bound to the leptospiral surface, FH and C4BP retain cofactor activity of Factor I in the cleavage of C3b and C4b, respectively. Vn acquisition by leptospires may result in terminal pathway inhibition by blocking C9 polymerization. The second evasion mechanism lies in plasminogen (PLG) binding to the leptospiral surface. In the presence of host activators, PLG is converted to enzymatically active plasmin, which is able to degrade C3b, C4b, and C5 at the surface of the pathogen. A third strategy used by leptospires to escape from complement system is the active secretion of proteases. Pathogenic, but not saprophytic leptospires, are able to secrete metalloproteases that cleave C3 (central complement molecule), Factor B (alternative pathway), and C4 and C2 (classical and lectin pathways). The purpose of this review is to fully explore these complement evasion mechanisms, which act together to favor Leptospira survival and multiplication in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Rodrigues Fraga
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Laboratory of Complement, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Buyuktimkin B, Saier MH. Comparative analyses of transport proteins encoded within the genomes of Leptospira species. Microb Pathog 2016; 98:118-31. [PMID: 27296707 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Select species of the bacterial genus Leptospira are causative agents of leptospirosis, an emerging global zoonosis affecting nearly one million people worldwide annually. We examined two Leptospira pathogens, Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai str. 56601 and Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo-bovis str. L550, as well as the free-living leptospiral saprophyte, Leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc str. 'Patoc 1 (Ames)'. The transport proteins of these leptospires were identified and compared using bioinformatics to gain an appreciation for which proteins may be related to pathogenesis and saprophytism. L. biflexa possesses a disproportionately high number of secondary carriers for metabolite uptake and environmental adaptability as well as an increased number of inorganic cation transporters providing ionic homeostasis and effective osmoregulation in a rapidly changing environment. L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii possess far fewer transporters, but those that they all have are remarkably similar, with near-equivalent representation in most transporter families. These two Leptospira pathogens also possess intact sphingomyelinases, holins, and virulence-related outer membrane porins. These virulence-related factors, in conjunction with decreased transporter substrate versatility, indicate that pathogenicity arose in Leptospira correlating to progressively narrowing ecological niches and the emergence of a limited set of proteins responsible for host invasion. The variability of host tropism and mortality rates by infectious leptospires suggests that small differences in individual sets of proteins play important physiological and pathological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Buyuktimkin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA
| | - Milton H Saier
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA.
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Silva LP, Fernandes LGV, Vieira ML, de Souza GO, Heinemann MB, Vasconcellos SA, Romero EC, Nascimento ALTO. Evaluation of two novel leptospiral proteins for their interaction with human host components. Pathog Dis 2016; 74:ftw040. [PMID: 27129366 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftw040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis. Mechanisms involved in leptospiral pathogenesis are not well understood. By data mining the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans we have identified two proteins predicted to be surface exposed, LIC10821 and LIC10064. Immunofluorescence and proteinase K assays confirmed that the proteins are exposed. Reactivity of the recombinant proteins with human sera has shown that rLIC10821, but not rLIC10064, is recognized by antibodies in confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting its expression during infection. The rLIC10821 was able to bind laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion, and was called Lsa37 (leptospiral surface adhesin of 37 kDa). Studies with human plasma components demonstrated that rLIC10821 interacts with plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg). The binding of Lsa37 with PLG generates plasmin when PLG activator was added. Fibrin clotting reduction was observed in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, when Fg was incubated with Lsa37, suggesting that this protein may interfere in the coagulation cascade during the disease. Although LIC10064 protein is more abundant than the corresponding Lsa37, binding activity with all the components tested was not detected. Thus, Lsa37 is a novel versatile adhesin that may mediate Leptospira-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas P Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis G V Fernandes
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Monica L Vieira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gisele O de Souza
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos B Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Silvio A Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliete C Romero
- Centro de Bacteriologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 355, CEP 01246-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Castiblanco-Valencia MM, Fraga TR, Breda LCD, Vasconcellos SA, Figueira CP, Picardeau M, Wunder E, Ko AI, Barbosa AS, Isaac L. Acquisition of negative complement regulators by the saprophyte Leptospira biflexa expressing LigA or LigB confers enhanced survival in human serum. Immunol Lett 2016; 173:61-8. [PMID: 26976804 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2016.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins are surface exposed molecules present in pathogenic but not in saprophytic Leptospira species. We have previously shown that Lig proteins interact with the soluble complement regulators Factor H (FH), FH like-1 (FHL-1), FH related-1 (FHR-1) and C4b Binding Protein (C4BP). In this study, we used the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc as a surrogate host to address the specific role of LigA and LigB proteins in leptospiral complement evasion. L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB was able to acquire FH and C4BP. Bound complement regulators retained their cofactor activities of FI in the proteolytic cleavage of C3b and C4b. Moreover, heterologous expression of ligA and ligB genes in the saprophyte L. biflexa enhanced bacterial survival in human serum. Complement deposition on lig-transformed L. biflexa was assessed by flow cytometry analysis. With regard to MAC deposition, L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB presented an intermediate profile: MAC deposition levels were greater than those found in the pathogenic L. interrogans, but lower than those observed for L. biflexa wildtype. In conclusion, Lig proteins contribute to in vitro control of complement activation on the leptospiral surface, promoting an increased bacterial survival in human serum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tatiana R Fraga
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro C D Breda
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Elsio Wunder
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University, EUA, CT, USA
| | - Albert I Ko
- Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University, EUA, CT, USA
| | - Angela S Barbosa
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lourdes Isaac
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Fernandes LG, Siqueira GH, Teixeira ARF, Silva LP, Figueredo JM, Cosate MR, Vieira ML, Nascimento ALTO. Leptospira spp.: Novel insights into host-pathogen interactions. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2015; 176:50-7. [PMID: 26727033 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. It is an important infectious disease that affects humans and animals. The disease causes economic losses as it affects livestock, with decreased milk production and death. Our group is investigating the genome sequences of L. interrogans targeting surface-exposed proteins because, due to their location, these proteins are capable to interact with several host components that could allow establishment of the infection. These interactions may involve adhesion of the bacteria to extracellular matrix (ECM) components and, hence, help bacterial colonization. The bacteria could also react with the host fibrinolytic system and/or with the coagulation cascade components, such as, plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg), respectively. The binding with the first system generates plasmin (PLA), increasing the proteolytic power of the bacteria, while the second interferes with clotting in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, which may promote hemorrhage foci and increase bacterial dissemination. Interaction with the complement system negative regulators may help bacteria to evade the host immune system, facilitating the invasion. This work compiles the main described leptospiral proteins that could act as adhesins, as PLG and fibrinogen receptors and as complement regulator binding proteins. We present models in which we suggest possible mechanisms of how leptospires might colonize and invade host tissues, causing the disease. Understanding leptospiral pathogenesis will help to identify antigen candidates that would contribute to the development of more effective vaccines and diagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G Fernandes
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriela H Siqueira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline R F Teixeira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas P Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jupciana M Figueredo
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria R Cosate
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Monica L Vieira
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana L T O Nascimento
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1730, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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48
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Buyuktimkin B, Saier MH. Comparative genomic analyses of transport proteins encoded within the genomes of Leptospira species. Microb Pathog 2015; 88:52-64. [PMID: 26247102 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2015.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Select species of the bacterial genus Leptospira are causative agents of leptospirosis, an emerging global zoonosis affecting nearly one million people worldwide annually. We examined two Leptospira pathogens, Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai str. 56601 and Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo-bovis str. L550, as well as the free-living leptospiral saprophyte, Leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc str. 'Patoc 1 (Ames)'. The transport proteins of these leptospires were identified and compared using bioinformatics to gain an appreciation for which proteins may be related to pathogenesis and saprophytism. L. biflexa possesses a disproportionately high number of secondary carriers for metabolite uptake and environmental adaptability as well as an increased number of inorganic cation transporters providing ionic homeostasis and effective osmoregulation in a rapidly changing environment. L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii possess far fewer transporters, but those that they have are remarkably similar, with near-equivalent representation in most transporter families. These two Leptospira pathogens also possess intact sphingomyelinases, holins, and virulence-related outer membrane porins. These virulence-related factors, in conjunction with decreased transporter substrate versatility, indicate that pathogenicity was accompanied by progressively narrowing ecological niches and the emergence of a limited set of proteins responsible for host invasion. The variability of host tropism and mortality rates by infectious leptospires suggests that small differences in individual sets of proteins play important physiological and pathological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Buyuktimkin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA
| | - Milton H Saier
- Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA.
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Eshghi A, Pappalardo E, Hester S, Thomas B, Pretre G, Picardeau M. Pathogenic Leptospira interrogans exoproteins are primarily involved in heterotrophic processes. Infect Immun 2015; 83:3061-73. [PMID: 25987703 PMCID: PMC4496612 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00427-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a life-threatening and emerging zoonotic disease with a worldwide annual occurrence of more than 1 million cases. Leptospirosis is caused by spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. The mechanisms of disease manifestation in the host remain elusive, and the roles of leptospiral exoproteins in these processes have yet to be determined. Our aim in this study was to assess the composition and quantity of exoproteins of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans and to construe how these proteins contribute to disease pathogenesis. Label-free quantitative mass spectrometry of proteins obtained from Leptospira spirochetes cultured in vitro under conditions mimicking infection identified 325 exoproteins. The majority of these proteins are conserved in the nonpathogenic species Leptospira biflexa, and proteins involved in metabolism and energy-generating functions were overrepresented and displayed the highest relative abundance in culture supernatants. Conversely, proteins of unknown function, which represent the majority of pathogen-specific proteins (presumably involved in virulence mechanisms), were underrepresented. Characterization of various L. interrogans exoprotein mutants in the animal infection model revealed host mortality rates similar to those of hosts infected with wild-type L. interrogans. Collectively, these results indicate that pathogenic Leptospira exoproteins primarily function in heterotrophic processes (the processes by which organisms utilize organic substances as nutrient sources) to maintain the saprophytic lifestyle rather than the virulence of the bacteria. The underrepresentation of proteins homologous to known virulence factors, such as toxins and effectors in the exoproteome, also suggests that disease manifesting from Leptospira infection is likely caused by a combination of the primary and potentially moonlight functioning of exoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azad Eshghi
- Institut Pasteur, Biology of Spirochetes Unit, Paris, France
| | - Elisa Pappalardo
- University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Svenja Hester
- University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Thomas
- University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela Pretre
- Institut Pasteur, Biology of Spirochetes Unit, Paris, France
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50
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Raymond BBA, Djordjevic S. Exploitation of plasmin(ogen) by bacterial pathogens of veterinary significance. Vet Microbiol 2015; 178:1-13. [PMID: 25937317 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The plasminogen (Plg) system plays an important homeostatic role in the degradation of fibrin clots, extracellular matrices and tissue barriers important for cellular migration, as well as the promotion of neurotransmitter release. Plg circulates in plasma at physiologically high concentrations (150-200μg ml(-1)) as an inactive proenzyme. Proteins enriched in lysine and other positively charged residues (histidine and arginine) as well as glycosaminoglycans and gangliosides bind Plg. The binding interaction initiates a structural adjustment to the bound Plg that facilitates cleavage by proteases (plasminogen activators tPA and uPA) that activate Plg to the active serine protease plasmin. Both pathogenic and commensal bacteria capture Plg onto their cell surface and promote its conversion to plasmin. Many microbial Plg-binding proteins have been described underpinning the importance this process plays in how bacteria interact with their hosts. Bacteria exploit the proteolytic capabilities of plasmin by (i) targeting the mammalian fibrinolytic system and degrading fibrin clots, (ii) remodeling the extracellular matrix and generating bioactive cleavage fragments of the ECM that influence signaling pathways, (iii) activating matrix metalloproteinases that assist in the destruction of tissue barriers and promote microbial metastasis and (iv) destroying immune effector molecules. There has been little focus on the exploitation of the fibrinolytic system by veterinary pathogens. Here we describe several pathogens of veterinary significance that possess adhesins that bind plasmin(ogen) onto their cell surface and promote its activation to plasmin. Cumulative data suggests that these attributes provide pathogenic and commensal bacteria with a means to colonize and persist within the host environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B A Raymond
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Steven Djordjevic
- The ithree Institute, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
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