1
|
Kern K, Delaroque N, Boysen A, Puder M, Wendt R, Kölsch A, Ehrentreich-Förster E, Stærk K, Andersen TE, Andersen K, Lund L, Szardenings M. Glycosylation of bacterial antigens changes epitope patterns. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1258136. [PMID: 37954588 PMCID: PMC10637626 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1258136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Unlike glycosylation of proteins expressed in mammalian systems, bacterial glycosylation is often neglected in the development of recombinant vaccines. Methods Here, we compared the effects of glycosylation of YghJ, an Escherichia coli protein important for mucus attachment of bacteria causing in urinary tract infections (UTIs). A novel method based on statistical evaluation of phage display for the identification and comparison of epitopes and mimotopes of anti-YghJ antibodies in the sera was used. This is the first time that the effect of glycosylation of a recombinant bacterial antigen has been studied at the peptide epitope level. Results The study identifies differences in the immune response for (non)-glycosylated antigens in rabbits and pigs and compares them to a large group of patients with UTI, which have been diagnosed as positive for various bacterial pathogens. We identified glycosylation-specific peptide epitopes, a large immunological similarity between different UTI pathogens, and a broad peptide epitope pattern in patients and animals, which could result in a variable response in patients upon vaccination. Discussion This epitope analysis indicates that the vaccination of rabbits and pigs raises antibodies that translate well into the human immune system. This study underlines the importance of glycosylation in bacterial vaccines and provides detailed immune diagnostic methods to understand individual immune responses to vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karolin Kern
- Ligand Development Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Epitopic, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicolas Delaroque
- Ligand Development Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Ralph Wendt
- Department of Nephrology, St. Georg Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Kölsch
- MicroDiagnostics Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eva Ehrentreich-Förster
- Molekulare und Zelluläre Bioanalytik Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Golm, Germany
| | - Kristian Stærk
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Research Unit of Clinical Microbiology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Thomas Emil Andersen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Research Unit of Clinical Microbiology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Karin Andersen
- Department of Urology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Lars Lund
- Department of Urology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Michael Szardenings
- Ligand Development Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Epitopic, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|