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Barazesh M, Abbasi M, Mohammadi M, Nasiri MN, Rezaei F, Mohammadi S, Kavousipour S. Bioinformatics analysis to design a multi-epitope mRNA vaccine against S. agalactiae exploiting pathogenic proteins. Sci Rep 2024; 14:28294. [PMID: 39550419 PMCID: PMC11569170 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79503-y] [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: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 11/11/2024] [Indexed: 11/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogen infections is a growing global issue that occurs due to their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, producing an efficient vaccine as an alternative approach can improve the immune system, eradicate related pathogens, and overcome this growing problem. Streptococcus agalactiae belongs to group B Streptococcus (GBS). Colonization of GBS during pregnancy is a significant risk factor for infants and young children. S. agalactiae infected population exhibits resistance to beta-lactams, including penicillin and the second-line antibiotics erythromycin and clindamycin. On the other hand, there are currently no commercial vaccines against this pathogen. Vaccination of pregnant women is a highly effective method to protect newborns and infants from S. agalactiae infection, and it has been identified as an urgent demand by the World Health Organization. This study employed various immunoinformatic tools to develop an effective vaccine that could trigger both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and prevent disease. For this purpose, three conserved antigenic proteins of the main pathogenic strains of S. agalactiae were utilized to predict CTL, HTL, and B-cell epitopes for producing an mRNA vaccine against different strains of S. agalactiae. The selected epitopes were fused using proper linkers. The Resuscitation promoting factor E (RpfE) sequence was incorporated in the designed vaccine construct as an adjuvant to boost its immune response. Different physicochemical characteristics of the final designed vaccine, modeling of the three-dimensional structure, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and immunological response simulation were screened following vaccine administration in an in vivo model. Computational immune simulation data identified that IgG1, IgM, INF γ, IL-2, T helper, and B-cell populations increased significantly after vaccination. These findings suggested that the vaccine candidate may provide good protection against S. agalactiae infection. However, experimental and animal model studies are required for additional validation and implementation in human vaccination programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Barazesh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedical, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran
| | - Maryam Abbasi
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Mohsen Mohammadi
- Hepatitis Research Center and Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Naser Nasiri
- Department of Clinical pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Faranak Rezaei
- Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Shiva Mohammadi
- Hepatitis Research Center, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
| | - Soudabeh Kavousipour
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, BandarAbbas, Iran
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Zeng Z, Li M, Zhu S, Zhang K, Wu Y, Zheng M, Cao Y, Huang Z, Liao Q, Zhang L. Strain-level genomic analysis of serotype, genotype and virulence gene composition of group B streptococcus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1396762. [PMID: 39569407 PMCID: PMC11576427 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1396762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 10/09/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction GBS (group B streptococcus) is an opportunistic pathogen that can colonize healthy individuals but presents significant challenges in clinical obstetrics and gynecology, as it can cause miscarriage, preterm birth, and invasive infections in newborns. To develop specific and personalized preventative strategies, a better understanding of the epidemiological characteristics and pathogenic features of GBS is essential. Methods We conducted a comprehensive strain-level genomic analysis of GBS, examining serotype and genotype distributions, as well as the composition and correlations of virulence genes using the blastn-short mode of the BLAST program(v2.10.0+), mlstsoftware (https://github.com/tseemann/mlst), Snippy (v4.6.0), FastTree (v2.1.11) and iTOL. The coding sequence region of virulence factors was annotated by Prodigal (v2.6.3) and Glimmer(v3.02b). We further identified host protein interacting with Srr2 by mass spectrometry analysis. Results While certain genotypes showed strong serotype consistency, there was no significant association between overall serotypes and genotypes. However, the composition of virulence genes was more closely related to the phylogeny of GBS, among which simultaneous presence of Srr2 and HygA exhibit significant association with hypervirulence. Tubulin emerged as the most distinct and abundant hit. The specific interaction of Tubulin with Srr2-BR, rather than Srr1-BR, was further confirmed by immunoblotting. Discussion Considering the impact of cytoskeleton rearrangement on GBS pathogenesis, this observation offers a plausible explanation for the hypervirulence triggered by Srr2. Collectively, our findings indicate that in the future clinical practice, virulence gene detection should be given more attention to achieve precise GBS surveillance and disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Simin Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Minzi Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qinping Liao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Institute for Precision Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Liu Y, Ai H. Current research update on group B streptococcal infection related to obstetrics and gynecology. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1395673. [PMID: 38953105 PMCID: PMC11215423 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1395673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Group B streptococcal (GBS) is a Gram-positive bacterium that is commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and urogenital tract. GBS infestation during pregnancy is a significant contributor to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality globally. This article aims to discuss the infectious diseases caused by GBS in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, as well as the challenges associated with the detection, treatment, and prevention of GBS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hao Ai
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Follicular Development and Reproductive Health, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
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Goh KGK, Desai D, Thapa R, Prince D, Acharya D, Sullivan MJ, Ulett GC. An opportunistic pathogen under stress: how Group B Streptococcus responds to cytotoxic reactive species and conditions of metal ion imbalance to survive. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae009. [PMID: 38678005 PMCID: PMC11098048 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae009] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS; also known as Streptococcus agalactiae) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that causes sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, and skin and soft tissue infections in neonates and healthy or immunocompromised adults. GBS is well-adapted to survive in humans due to a plethora of virulence mechanisms that afford responses to support bacterial survival in dynamic host environments. These mechanisms and responses include counteraction of cell death from exposure to excess metal ions that can cause mismetallation and cytotoxicity, and strategies to combat molecules such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that are generated as part of innate host defence. Cytotoxicity from reactive molecules can stem from damage to proteins, DNA, and membrane lipids, potentially leading to bacterial cell death inside phagocytic cells or within extracellular spaces within the host. Deciphering the ways in which GBS responds to the stress of cytotoxic reactive molecules within the host will benefit the development of novel therapeutic and preventative strategies to manage the burden of GBS disease. This review summarizes knowledge of GBS carriage in humans and the mechanisms used by the bacteria to circumvent killing by these important elements of host immune defence: oxidative stress, nitrosative stress, and stress from metal ion intoxication/mismetallation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin G K Goh
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Devika Desai
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Ruby Thapa
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Darren Prince
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Dhruba Acharya
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Matthew J Sullivan
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Glen C Ulett
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
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Dobrut A, Skibiński J, Bekier A, Drożdż K, Rudnicka K, Płociński P, Siemińska I, Brzychczy-Włoch M. Development of a prototypic, field-usable diagnostic tool for the detection of gram-positive cocci-induced mastitis in cattle. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:169. [PMID: 38698383 PMCID: PMC11064325 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-04028-5] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bovine mastitis is one of the most widespread diseases affecting cattle, leading to significant losses for the dairy industry. Currently, the so-called gold standard in mastitis diagnosis involves determining the somatic cell count (SCC). Apart from a number of advantages, this method has one serious flaw: It does not identify the etiological factor causing a particular infection, making it impossible to introduce targeted antimicrobial therapy. This can contribute to multidrug-resistance in bacterial species. The diagnostic market lacks a test that has the advantages of SCC and also recognizes the species of pathogen causing the inflammation. Therefore, the aim of our study was to develop a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on elongation factor Tu for identifying most prevalent Gram-positive cocci responsible for causing mastitis including Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus. RESULTS As a result, we showed that the assay for S. uberis detection demonstrated a specificity of 89.02%, a sensitivity of 43.59%, and an accuracy of 80.3%. In turn, the second variant - assay for Gram-positive cocci reached a specificity of 95.59%, a sensitivity of 43.28%, and an accuracy of 78.33%. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that EF-Tu is a promising target for LFIA and we have delivered evidence that further evaluation could improve test parameters and fill the gap in the mastitis diagnostics market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Dobrut
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Jakub Skibiński
- BioMedChem Doctoral School of University of Lodz and Lodz Institutes of The Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Adrian Bekier
- Department of Immunology and Allergy, Chair of Pulmonology, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Kamil Drożdż
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Rudnicka
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Przemysław Płociński
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Izabela Siemińska
- Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University Center of Veterinary Medicine JU-AU, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Monika Brzychczy-Włoch
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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Root-Bernstein R, Huber J, Ziehl A, Pietrowicz M. SARS-CoV-2 and Its Bacterial Co- or Super-Infections Synergize to Trigger COVID-19 Autoimmune Cardiopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12177. [PMID: 37569555 PMCID: PMC10418384 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512177] [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] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune cardiopathies (AC) following COVID-19 and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 occur at significant rates but are of unknown etiology. This study investigated the possible roles of viral and bacterial mimicry, as well as viral-bacterial co-infections, as possible inducers of COVID-19 AC using proteomic methods and enzyme-linked immunoadsorption assays. BLAST and LALIGN results of this study demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 shares a significantly greater number of high quality similarities to some cardiac protein compared with other viruses; that bacteria such as Streptococci, Staphylococci and Enterococci also display very significant similarities to cardiac proteins but to a different set than SARS-CoV-2; that the importance of these similarities is largely validated by ELISA experiments demonstrating that polyclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19-associated bacteria recognize cardiac proteins with high affinity; that to account for the range of cardiac proteins targeted by autoantibodies in COVID-19-associated autoimmune myocarditis, both viral and bacterial triggers are probably required; that the targets of the viral and bacterial antibodies are often molecularly complementary antigens such as actin and myosin, laminin and collagen, or creatine kinase and pyruvate kinase, that are known to bind to each other; and that the corresponding viral and bacterial antibodies recognizing these complementary antigens also bind to each other with high affinity as if they have an idiotype-anti-idiotype relationship. These results suggest that AC results from SARS-CoV-2 infections or vaccination complicated by bacterial infections. Vaccination against some of these bacterial infections, such as Streptococci and Haemophilus, may therefore decrease AC risk, as may the appropriate and timely use of antibiotics among COVID-19 patients and careful screening of vaccinees for signs of infection such as fever, diarrhea, infected wounds, gum disease, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Root-Bernstein
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (J.H.); (A.Z.); (M.P.)
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Dobrut A, Wójcik-Grzybek D, Młodzińska A, Pietras-Ożga D, Michalak K, Tabacki A, Mroczkowska U, Brzychczy-Włoch M. Detection of immunoreactive proteins of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from cows with diagnosed mastitis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:987842. [PMID: 36844415 PMCID: PMC9950269 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.987842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mastitis is a widespread mammary gland disease of dairy cows that causes severe economic losses to dairy farms. Mastitis can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and algae. The most common species isolated from infected milk are, among others, Streptococcus spp., and Escherichia coli. The aim of our study was protein detection based on both in silico and in vitro methods, which allowed the identification of immunoreactive proteins representative of the following species: Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Escherichia coli. Methods The study group included 22 milk samples and 13 serum samples obtained from cows with diagnosed mastitis, whereas the control group constituted 12 milk samples and 12 serum samples isolated from healthy animals. Detection of immunoreactive proteins was done by immunoblotting, while amino acid sequences from investigated proteins were determined by MALDI-TOF. Then, bioinformatic analyses were performed on detected species specific proteins in order to investigate their immunoreactivity. Results As a result, we identified 13 proteins: 3 (molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis protein B, aldehyde reductase YahK, outer membrane protein A) for E. coli, 4 (elongation factor Tu, tRNA uridine 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl modification enzyme MnmG, GTPase Obg, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) for S. uberis, and 6 (aspartate carbamoyltransferase, elongation factor Tu, 60 kDa chaperonin, elongation factor G, galactose-6-phosphate isomerase subunit LacA, adenosine deaminase) for S. agalactiae, which demonstrated immunoreactivity to antibodies present in serum from cows with diagnosed mastitis. Discussion Due to the confirmed immunoreactivity, specificity and localization in the bacterial cell, these proteins can be considered considered potential targets in innovative rapid immunodiagnostic assays for bovine mastitis, however due to the limited number of examined samples, further examination is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Dobrut
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland,*Correspondence: Anna Dobrut,
| | - Dagmara Wójcik-Grzybek
- Department of Experimental Physiology, Chair of Physiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Dorota Pietras-Ożga
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Michalak
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | | | | | - Monika Brzychczy-Włoch
- Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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Janžič L, Repas J, Pavlin M, Zemljić-Jokhadar Š, Ihan A, Kopitar AN. Macrophage polarization during Streptococcus agalactiae infection is isolate specific. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1186087. [PMID: 37213504 PMCID: PMC10192866 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1186087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS), a Gram-positive commensal in healthy adults, remains a major cause of neonatal infections, usually manifesting as sepsis, meningitis, or pneumonia. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has greatly reduced the incidence of early-onset disease. However, given the lack of effective measures to prevent the risk of late-onset disease and invasive infections in immunocompromised individuals, more studies investigating the GBS-associated pathogenesis and the interplay between bacteria and host immune system are needed. Methods Here, we examined the impact of 12 previously genotyped GBS isolates belonging to different serotypes and sequence types on the immune response of THP-1 macrophages. Results Flow cytometry analysis showed isolate-specific differences in phagocytic uptake, ranging from 10% for isolates of serotype Ib, which possess the virulence factor protein β, to over 70% for isolates of serotype III. Different isolates also induced differential expression of co-stimulatory molecules and scavenger receptors with colonizing isolates inducing higher expression levels of CD80 and CD86 compared to invasive isolates. In addition, real-time measurements of metabolism revealed that macrophages enhanced both glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration after GBS infection, with isolates of serotype III being the most potent activators of glycolysis and glycolytic ATP production. Macrophages also showed differential resistance to GBS-mediated cell cytotoxicity as measured by LDH release and real-time microscopy. The differences were evident both between serotypes and between isolates obtained from different specimens (colonizing or invasive isolates) demonstrating the higher cytotoxicity of vaginal compared with blood isolates. Conclusions Thus, the data suggest that GBS isolates differ in their potential to become invasive or remain colonizing. In addition, colonizing isolates appear to be more cytotoxic, whereas invasive isolates appear to exploit macrophages to their advantage, avoiding the immune recognition and antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Janžič
- Department of Cell Immunology, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Repas
- Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mojca Pavlin
- Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Group for Nano and Biotechnological Applications, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Zemljić-Jokhadar
- Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alojz Ihan
- Department of Cell Immunology, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Nataša Kopitar
- Department of Cell Immunology, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Andreja Nataša Kopitar,
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Tsai IA, Su Y, Wang YH, Chu C. Alterations in Genes rib, scpB and Pilus Island Decrease the Prevalence of Predominant Serotype V, Not III and VI, of Streptococcus agalactiae from 2008 to 2012. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101145. [PMID: 36297202 PMCID: PMC9611264 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101145] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) can infect newborns, pregnant women and immunocompromised or elderly people. This study aimed to investigate differences in three pilus genes and virulence genes pavA, cfb, rib and scpB and changes in predominant serotypes III, V and VI from 2008 to 2012. The susceptibilities to penicillin, ceftriaxone, azithromycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin of 145 GBS strains of serotype III, V and VI strains from 2008 and 2012 were determined using disc diffusion method. PCR identification of ST-17, the pilus genes and virulence genes; multilocus sequence typing (MLST); and conserved domain and phylogenetic analysis of scpB-1 and scpB-2 proteins were performed. A dramatic number reduction was observed in serotype V, not III and V, from 2008 to 2012. The rate of resistance to azithromycin, clindamycin and erythromycin was the highest in serotype V. ST-17 was only found in serotype III with pilus genes PI-1+PI-2b. The major pilus genotype was PI-1+PI-2a. Serotype V without the rib gene was reduced in number between two studied years. Compared to scpB-1, scpB-2 had a 128-bp deletion in a PA C5a-like peptidase domain and putative integrin-binding motif RGD. In conclusion, reduction in serotype V may be due to presence of scpB-2 or lack of genes scpB and rib.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-An Tsai
- Ph.D. Program of Agriculture Science, College of Agriculture, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan
| | - Yaochi Su
- Ph.D. Program of Agriculture Science, College of Agriculture, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Hsiang Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Puzi City 613, Taiwan
| | - Chishih Chu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-5-2717898
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Pathak RK, Lim B, Kim DY, Kim JM. Designing multi-epitope-based vaccine targeting surface immunogenic protein of Streptococcus agalactiae using immunoinformatics to control mastitis in dairy cattle. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:337. [PMID: 36071517 PMCID: PMC9449294 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03432-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Milk provides energy as well as the basic nutrients required by the body. In particular, milk is beneficial for bone growth and development in children. Based on scientific evidence, cattle milk is an excellent and highly nutritious dietary component that is abundant in vitamins, calcium, potassium, and protein, among other minerals. However, the commercial productivity of cattle milk is markedly affected by mastitis. Mastitis is an economically important disease that is characterized by inflammation of the mammary gland. This disease is frequently caused by microorganisms and is detected as abnormalities in the udder and milk. Streptococcus agalactiae is a prominent cause of mastitis. Antibiotics are rarely used to treat this infection, and other available treatments take a long time to exhibit a therapeutic effect. Vaccination is recommended to protect cattle from mastitis. Accordingly, the present study sought to design a multi-epitope vaccine using immunoinformatics. Results The vaccine was designed to be antigenic, immunogenic, non-toxic, and non-allergic, and had a binding affinity with Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 based on structural modeling, docking, and molecular dynamics simulation studies. Besides, the designed vaccine was successfully expressed in E. coli. expression vector (pET28a) depicts its easy purification for production on a larger scale, which was determined through in silico cloning. Further, immune simulation analysis revealed the effectiveness of the vaccine with an increase in the population of B and T cells in response to vaccination. Conclusion This multi-epitope vaccine is expected to be effective at generating an immune response, thereby paving the way for further experimental studies to combat mastitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Pathak
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeonghwi Lim
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Young Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Mo Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea.
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