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Xie Q, Tang Y, Shen L, Yang D, Zhang J, Luo Q. Immunophenotypic variations in syphilis: insights from Mendelian randomization analysis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1380720. [PMID: 38694502 PMCID: PMC11061532 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1380720] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Infection with Treponema pallidum instigates complex immune responses. Prior research has suggested that persistent Treponema pallidum infection can manipulate host immune responses and circumvent host defenses. However, the precise role of immune cells in Treponema pallidum infection across different stages remains a contentious issue. Methods Utilizing summary data from genome-wide association studies, we employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization method to investigate the association between 731 immunophenotypes and syphilis. Syphilis was categorized into early and late stages in this study to establish a more robust correlation and minimize bias in database sources. Results Our findings revealed that 33, 36, and 27 immunophenotypes of peripheral blood were associated with syphilis (regardless of disease stage), early syphilis and late syphilis, respectively. Subsequent analysis demonstrated significant variations between early and late syphilis in terms of immunophenotypes. Specifically, early syphilis showcased activated, secreting, and resting regulatory T cells, whereas late syphilis was characterized by resting Treg cells. More B cells subtypes emerged in late syphilis. Monocytes in early syphilis exhibited an intermediate and non-classical phenotype, transitioning to classical in late syphilis. Early syphilis featured naive T cells, effector memory T cells, and terminally differentiated T cells, while late syphilis predominantly presented terminally differentiated T cells. Immature myeloid-derived suppressor cells were evident in early syphilis, whereas the dendritic cell immunophenotype was exclusive to late syphilis. Conclusion Multiple immunophenotypes demonstrated associations with syphilis, showcasing substantial disparities between the early and late stages of the disease. These findings hold promise for informing immunologically oriented treatment strategies, paving the way for more effective and efficient syphilis interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Qingqiong Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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De Lay BD, Cameron TA, De Lay NR, Norris SJ, Edmondson DG. Comparison of transcriptional profiles of Treponema pallidum during experimental infection of rabbits and in vitro culture: Highly similar, yet different. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009949. [PMID: 34570834 PMCID: PMC8525777 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, can now be cultured continuously in vitro utilizing a tissue culture system, and the multiplication rates are similar to those obtained in experimental infection of rabbits. In this study, the RNA transcript profiles of the T. pallidum Nichols during in vitro culture and rabbit infection were compared to examine whether gene expression patterns differed in these two environments. To this end, RNA preparations were converted to cDNA and subjected to RNA-seq using high throughput Illumina sequencing; reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR was also performed on selected genes for validation of results. The transcript profiles in the in vivo and in vitro environments were remarkably similar, exhibiting a high degree of concordance overall. However, transcript levels of 94 genes (9%) out of the 1,063 predicted genes in the T. pallidum genome were significantly different during rabbit infection versus in vitro culture, varying by up to 8-fold in the two environments. Genes that exhibited significantly higher transcript levels during rabbit infection included those encoding multiple ribosomal proteins, several prominent membrane proteins, glycolysis-associated enzymes, replication initiator DnaA, rubredoxin, thioredoxin, two putative regulatory proteins, and proteins associated with solute transport. In vitro cultured T. pallidum had higher transcript levels of DNA repair proteins, cofactor synthesis enzymes, and several hypothetical proteins. The overall concordance of the transcript profiles may indicate that these environments are highly similar in terms of their effects on T. pallidum physiology and growth, and may also reflect a relatively low level of transcriptional regulation in this reduced genome organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget D. De Lay
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Todd A. Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nicholas R. De Lay
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Diane G. Edmondson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Luthra A, Montezuma-Rusca JM, La Vake CJ, LeDoyt M, Delgado KN, Davenport TC, Fiel-Gan M, Caimano MJ, Radolf JD, Hawley KL. Evidence that immunization with TP0751, a bipartite Treponema pallidum lipoprotein with an intrinsically disordered region and lipocalin fold, fails to protect in the rabbit model of experimental syphilis. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008871. [PMID: 32936831 PMCID: PMC7521688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Deconvolution of syphilis pathogenesis and selection of candidate syphilis vaccinogens requires detailed knowledge of the molecular architecture of the Treponema pallidum outer membrane (OM). The T. pallidum OM contains a low density of integral OM proteins, while the spirochete's many lipoprotein immunogens are periplasmic. TP0751, a lipoprotein with a lipocalin fold, is reportedly a surface-exposed protease/adhesin and protective antigen. The rapid expansion of calycin/lipocalin structures in the RCSB PDB database prompted a comprehensive reassessment of TP0751. Small angle X-ray scattering analysis of full-length protein revealed a bipartite topology consisting of an N-terminal, intrinsically disordered region (IDR) and the previously characterized C-terminal lipocalin domain. A DALI server query using the lipocalin domain yielded 97 hits, 52 belonging to the calycin superfamily, including 15 bacterial lipocalins, but no Gram-negative surface proteins. Surprisingly, Tpp17 (TP0435) was identified as a structural ortholog of TP0751. In silico docking predicted that TP0751 can bind diverse ligands along the rim of its eight-stranded β-barrel; high affinity binding of one predicted ligand, heme, to the lipocalin domain was demonstrated. qRT-PCR and immunoblotting revealed very low expression of TP0751 compared to other T. pallidum lipoproteins. Immunoblot analysis of immune rabbit serum failed to detect TP0751 antibodies, while only one of five patients with secondary syphilis mounted a discernible TP0751-specific antibody response. In opsonophagocytosis assays, neither TP0751 nor Tpp17 antibodies promoted uptake of T. pallidum by rabbit peritoneal macrophages. Rabbits immunized with intact, full-length TP0751 showed no protection against local or disseminated infection following intradermal challenge with T. pallidum. Our data argue that, like other lipoprotein lipocalins in dual-membrane bacteria, TP0751 is periplasmic and binds small molecules, and we propose that its IDR facilitates ligand binding by and offloading from the lipocalin domain. The inability of TP0751 to elicit opsonic or protective antibodies is consistent with a subsurface location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Luthra
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | - Jairo M. Montezuma-Rusca
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | - Carson J. La Vake
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | - Morgan LeDoyt
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | | | | | - Mary Fiel-Gan
- Department of Pathology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, United States of America
| | - Melissa J. Caimano
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | - Justin D. Radolf
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
| | - Kelly L. Hawley
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Connecticut Children’s, Hartford, United States of America
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Vrbová E, Grillová L, Mikalová L, Pospíšilová P, Strnadel R, Dastychová E, Kojanová M, Kreidlová M, Vaňousová D, Rob F, Procházka P, Krchňáková A, Vašků V, Woznicová V, Dvořáková Heroldová M, Kuklová I, Zákoucká H, Šmajs D. MLST typing of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum in the Czech Republic during 2004-2017: Clinical isolates belonged to 25 allelic profiles and harbored 8 novel allelic variants. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217611. [PMID: 31150464 PMCID: PMC6544256 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A recently introduced Multilocus Sequence Typing scheme for Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum was applied to clinical samples collected from 2004 to 2017 from the two largest cities (Prague and Brno) in the Czech Republic. Altogether, a total of 675 samples were tested in this study and 281 of them were found PCR-positive for treponemal DNA and typeable. Most of the typed samples (n = 281) were swabs from primary or secondary syphilis lesions (n = 231), and only a minority were whole blood or tissue samples (n = 50). Swab samples from patients with rapid plasma regain (RPR) values of 1–1024 were more frequently PCR-positive (84.6%) compared to samples from patients with non-reactive RPR test (46.5%; p-value = 0.0001). Out of 281 typeable samples, 136 were fully-typed at all TP0136, TP0548, and TP0705 loci. Among the fully and partially typed samples, 25 different allelic profiles were identified. Altogether, eight novel allelic variants were found among fully (n = 5) and partially (n = 3) typed samples. The distribution of TPA allelic profiles identified in the Czech Republic from 2004 to 2017 revealed a dynamic character with allelic profiles disappearing and emerging over time. While the number of samples with the A2058G mutation was seen to increase (86.7% in 2016/2017), the number of samples harboring the A2059G mutation was found to have decreased over time (3.3% in 2016/2017). In addition, we found several allelic profile associations with macrolide resistance or susceptibility, the gender of patients, as well as patient residence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliška Vrbová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Linda Grillová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Strnadel
- Department of Dermatovenerology, Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Dastychová
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's Hospital and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Kojanová
- Department of Dermatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miluše Kreidlová
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics of the General University Hospital, The First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Vaňousová
- Department of Dermatovenerology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Rob
- Department of Dermatovenerology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Alena Krchňáková
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's Hospital and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Vašků
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's Hospital and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladana Woznicová
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's Hospital and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Dvořáková Heroldová
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's Hospital and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Kuklová
- Department of Dermatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Zákoucká
- National Reference Laboratory for Diagnostics of the Syphilis, National Institute for Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Djokic V, Giacani L, Parveen N. Analysis of host cell binding specificity mediated by the Tp0136 adhesin of the syphilis agent Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007401. [PMID: 31071095 PMCID: PMC6529012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Syphilis affects approximately 11 million people each year globally, and is the third most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States. Inability to independently culture and genetically manipulate Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, the causative agent of this disease, has hindered our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of syphilis pathogenesis. Here, we used the non-infectious and poorly adherent B314 strain of the Lyme disease-causing spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, to express two variants of a known fibronectin-binding adhesin, Tp0136, from T. pallidum SS14 and Nichols strains. Using this surrogate system, we investigated the ability of Tp0136 in facilitating differential binding to mammalian cell lines offering insight into the possible role of this virulence factor in colonization of specific tissues by T. pallidum during infection. Principal findings Expression of Tp0136 could be detected on the surface of B. burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescence assay using sera from a secondary syphilis patient that does not react with intact B314 spirochetes transformed with the empty vector. Increase in Tp0136-mediated adherence of B314 strain to human epithelial HEK293 cells was observed with comparable levels of binding exhibited by both Tp0136 alleles. Adherence of Tp0136-expressing B314 was highest to epithelial HEK293 and C6 glioma cells. Gain in binding of B314 strain expressing Tp0136 to purified fibronectin and poor binding of these spirochetes to the fibronectin-deficient cell line (HEp-2) indicated that Tp0136 interaction with this host receptor plays an important role in spirochetal attachment to mammalian cells. Furthermore, preincubation of these cell lines with fibronectin-binding peptide from Staphylococcus aureus FnbA-2 protein significantly inhibited binding of B314 expressing Tp0136. Conclusions Our results show that Tp0136 facilitates differential level of binding to cell lines representing various host tissues, which highlights the importance of this protein in colonization of human organs by T. pallidum and resulting syphilis pathogenesis. Syphilis is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections that affect millions of people around the world. The causative bacterium, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, can be transmitted from mother to fetus during maternal infection, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although timely treatment of syphilis is highly effective, untreated infection causes late syphilis that affects virtually every organ and leads to serious clinical manifestations. Therefore, syphilis remains a serious healthcare problem. T. pallidum cannot be grown in laboratory using traditional methods, which has slowed the progress in understanding this pathogen biology and pathogenesis. We employed a novel approach of using a related bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, to express Tp0136 protein from two different T. pallidum isolates to study the function of this protein. This strategy enabled us to demonstrate the ability of this protein to bind to fibronectin and laminin receptors present on the surface of various host cells. We showed that Tp0136 facilitates binding to only those host cells that produce fibronectin. In addition, we found that Tp0136-mediated binding is not equivalent in all host cell types, suggesting that the protein could help in colonization of specific human organs and tissues during infection by T. pallidum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitomir Djokic
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Lorenzo Giacani
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nikhat Parveen
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Bondarenko G, Unuchko S, Nikitenko I, Sherbakova I. [SOME PECULIARITIES OF SYPHILIS MORPHOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY (REVIEW)]. Georgian Med News 2019:105-110. [PMID: 31101787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the research was to study the pathomorphosis of syphilis under modern conditions. The morbidity, clinical and epidemiological peculiarities of syphilis were analyzed both domestically (in Ukraine) and internationally. It has been established that in the pattern of syphilis morbidity, latent forms vary between 20% and 40%. Latent syphilis is detected in almost a half of the elderly patients. There has been a marked increase in the incidence of syphilis among homosexualists, prostitutes, alcoholics and drug addicts. In Ukraine from 2008 to 2014 there was a general decrease in the incidence of all forms of syphilis by 2.5 times, but the disease patterns are also changing - the number of latent diseases, late and unspecified forms with particular damage to the nervous system, visceral organs significantly increase. In examining the immunogenetic features of syphilis in the Eastern region of Ukraine, types a, b, c, d, g, i, p of the tp gene were found. Five types of arp T. pallidum gene were identified. The main aim of T. Pallidum detection in the samples is PCR, during late and latent forms of TPHA. Penicillin drugs remain the main plank of the therapy. Thus, in the case of syphilis, nosological entity and clinical disease evidence have been blurred. To ensure the prompt diagnosis and treatment of the disease, it is necessary to consider serology, immunogenetic peculiarities, neurological, and therapeutic status of the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Bondarenko
- SE "Institute of Dermatology and Venerology of the NAMS of Ukraine", Charkiv, Ukraine
| | - S Unuchko
- SE "Institute of Dermatology and Venerology of the NAMS of Ukraine", Charkiv, Ukraine
| | - I Nikitenko
- SE "Institute of Dermatology and Venerology of the NAMS of Ukraine", Charkiv, Ukraine
| | - I Sherbakova
- SE "Institute of Dermatology and Venerology of the NAMS of Ukraine", Charkiv, Ukraine
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Luo X, Zhang X, Gan L, Zhou C, Zhao T, Zeng T, Liu S, Xiao Y, Yu J, Zhao F. The outer membrane protein Tp92 of Treponema pallidum induces human mononuclear cell death and IL-8 secretion. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 22:6039-6054. [PMID: 30596396 PMCID: PMC6237608 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Treponema pallidum is the pathogen that causes syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease; however, the pathogenic mechanism of this organism remains unclear. Tp92 is the only T. pallidum outer membrane protein that has structural features similar to the outer membrane proteins of other Gram-negative bacteria, but the exact functions of this protein remain unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that the recombinant Tp92 protein can induce human mononuclear cell death. Tp92 mediated the human monocytic cell line derived from an acute monicytic leukemia patient (THP-1) cell death by recognizing CD14 and/or TLR2 on cell surfaces. After the stimulation of THP-1 cells by the Tp92 protein, Tp92 may induce atypical pyroptosis of THP-1 cells via the pro-caspase-1 pathway. Meanwhile, this protein caused the apoptosis of THP-1 cells via the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/caspase-8/aspase-3 pathway. Tp92 reduced the number of monocytes among peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Interestingly, further research showed that Tp92 failed to increase the tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP)-1 levels but slightly elevated the IL-8 levels via the Nuclear Factor (NF)-κB pathway in THP-1 cells. The data suggest that Tp92 recognizes CD14 and TLR2, transfers the signal to a downstream pathway, and activates NF-κB to mediate the production of IL-8. This mechanism may help T. pallidum escape recognition and elimination by the host innate immune system.
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MESH Headings
- Antigens, Surface/genetics
- Bacterial Proteins/genetics
- Caspase 1/genetics
- Cell Death/genetics
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytokines/genetics
- Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics
- Humans
- Interleukin-8/genetics
- Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute/microbiology
- Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute/pathology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/microbiology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/pathology
- Lipopolysaccharide Receptors/genetics
- NF-kappa B/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Signal Transduction/genetics
- Syphilis/genetics
- Syphilis/microbiology
- Syphilis/pathology
- Toll-Like Receptor 2/genetics
- Treponema pallidum/genetics
- Treponema pallidum/pathogenicity
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Luo
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
- Department of Histology and EmbryologySchool of MedicineUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Lin Gan
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Chenglong Zhou
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Tie Zhao
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Tiebing Zeng
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Shuangquan Liu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of University of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Yongjian Xiao
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of University of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Jian Yu
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
| | - Feijun Zhao
- Institute of Pathogenic Biology and Key Laboratory of Special Pathogen Prevention and Control of Hunan ProvinceCollaborative Innovation Center for New Molecular Drug ResearchUniversity of South ChinaHengyangChina
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Guedes L, Dias O, Neto J, Ribeiro da Silva LDP, Mendonça de Souza SMF, Iñiguez AM. First Paleogenetic Evidence of Probable Syphilis and Treponematoses Cases in the Brazilian Colonial Period. Biomed Res Int 2018; 2018:8304129. [PMID: 30406142 PMCID: PMC6199871 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8304129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite interest in the origins of syphilis, paleopathological analysis has not provided answers, and paleogenetic diagnosis remains a challenge. Even venereal syphilis has low infectivity which means there are few circulating bacteria for most of the individual's life. Human remains recovered from the Nossa Senhora do Carmo Church (17th to 19th centuries) and the Praça XV Cemetery (18th to 19th centuries), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were subjected to Treponema paleogenetic analysis. Historical data point to endemic treponemal infections in the city, including venereal syphilis. Based on the physiopathology of Treponema pallidum infection, 25 samples, mostly from skull remains of young adults, with no visible paleopathological evidence of treponematoses, were analyzed. PCR with three molecular targets, tpp47, polA, and tpp15, were applied. Ancient DNA tpp15 sequences were recovered from two young adults from each archaeological site and revealed the polymorphism that characterizes T. p. subsp. pallidum in a female up to 18 years old, suggesting a probable case of syphilis infection. The results indicated that the epidemiological context and the physiopathology of the disease should be considered in syphilis paleogenetic detection. The findings of Treponema sp. aDNA are consistent with historical documents that describe venereal syphilis and yaws as endemic diseases in Rio de Janeiro. Data on the epidemiological characteristics of the disease and its pathophysiology offer new perspectives in paleopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucélia Guedes
- Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos (LABTRIP), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365 – Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Ondemar Dias
- Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira, Estr. Cruz Vermelha, 45 – Vila Santa Teresa, Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 26193-415, Brazil
| | - Jandira Neto
- Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira, Estr. Cruz Vermelha, 45 – Vila Santa Teresa, Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 26193-415, Brazil
| | - Laura da Piedade Ribeiro da Silva
- Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira, Estr. Cruz Vermelha, 45 – Vila Santa Teresa, Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 26193-415, Brazil
| | - Sheila M. F. Mendonça de Souza
- Departamento de Endemias Samuel Pessoa, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, R. Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480 Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Alena Mayo Iñiguez
- Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos (LABTRIP), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365 – Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil
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Grillová L, Giacani L, Mikalová L, Strouhal M, Strnadel R, Marra C, Centurion-Lara A, Poveda L, Russo G, Čejková D, Vašků V, Oppelt J, Šmajs D. Sequencing of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum from isolate UZ1974 using Anti-Treponemal Antibodies Enrichment: First complete whole genome sequence obtained directly from human clinical material. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202619. [PMID: 30130365 PMCID: PMC6103504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA) is the infectious agent of syphilis, a disease that infects more than 5 million people annually. Since TPA is an uncultivable bacterium, most of the information on TPA genetics comes from genome sequencing and molecular typing studies. This study presents the first complete TPA genome (without sequencing gaps) of clinical isolate (UZ1974), which was obtained directly from clinical material, without multiplication in rabbits. Whole genome sequencing was performed using a newly developed Anti-Treponemal Antibody Enrichment technique combined with previously reported Pooled Segment Genome Sequencing. We identified the UW074B genome, isolated from a sample previously propagated in rabbits, to be the closest relative of the UZ1974 genome and calculated the TPA mutation rate as 2.8 x 10(-10) per site per generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Grillová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lorenzo Giacani
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Strnadel
- Department of Dermatovenerology, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Christina Marra
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Arturo Centurion-Lara
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Lucy Poveda
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giancarlo Russo
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Darina Čejková
- Department of Immunology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Vašků
- 1 Dermatovenereological Clinic St. Anne´s University Hospital Brno, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Oppelt
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Kubanov AA, Vorob'ev DV, Obukhov AP, Obraztsova OA, Deryabin DG. MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF TREPONEMA PALLIDUM IN BORDER REGION OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION (TUVA REPUBLIC). Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol 2017; 35:26-30. [PMID: 30561941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The 111 strains of T. pallidum subsp. pallidum collected in Tuva Republic in 2013-2016 were typed by the arp, tpr (E, G, J) and tp0548 genes. The 7 subtypes were identified, in which the 14 d/f type was predominant (90.1%). The minor subtypes 14 b/f, 14 c/f, 14 d/g and 14 i/f constituted 0.9-1.8%. Single strains of 4 d/f H 9 d/f types (each 0.9%) previously described in China were detected in 2015. Both 9 and 14 arp gene variants were found in 3 clinical specimens for the first time in 2015-2016. Similarities in the molecular epidemiology of syphilis in Tuva Republic and Russia were demonstrated as well as differences from the T. pallidum subsp. pallidum population in China and Western Europe.
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12
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Pětrošová H, Pospíšilová P, Strouhal M, Čejková D, Zobaníková M, Mikalová L, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Šmajs D. Resequencing of Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum strains Nichols and SS14: correction of sequencing errors resulted in increased separation of syphilis treponeme subclusters. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74319. [PMID: 24058545 PMCID: PMC3769245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (TPA), the causative agent of syphilis, is a highly clonal bacterium showing minimal genetic variability in the genome sequence of individual strains. Nevertheless, genetically characterized syphilis strains can be clearly divided into two groups, Nichols-like strains and SS14-like strains. TPA Nichols and SS14 strains were completely sequenced in 1998 and 2008, respectively. Since publication of their complete genome sequences, a number of sequencing errors in each genome have been reported. Therefore, we have resequenced TPA Nichols and SS14 strains using next-generation sequencing techniques. Methodology/Principal Findings The genomes of TPA strains Nichols and SS14 were resequenced using the 454 and Illumina sequencing methods that have a combined average coverage higher than 90x. In the TPA strain Nichols genome, 134 errors were identified (25 substitutions and 109 indels), and 102 of them affected protein sequences. In the TPA SS14 genome, a total of 191 errors were identified (85 substitutions and 106 indels) and 136 of them affected protein sequences. A set of new intrastrain heterogenic regions in the TPA SS14 genome were identified including the tprD gene, where both tprD and tprD2 alleles were found. The resequenced genomes of both TPA Nichols and SS14 strains clustered more closely with related strains (i.e. strains belonging to same syphilis treponeme subcluster). At the same time, groups of Nichols-like and SS14-like strains were found to be more distantly related. Conclusion/Significance We identified errors in 11.5% of all annotated genes and, after correction, we found a significant impact on the predicted proteomes of both Nichols and SS14 strains. Corrections of these errors resulted in protein elongations, truncations, fusions and indels in more than 11% of all annotated proteins. Moreover, it became more evident that syphilis is caused by treponemes belonging to two separate genetic subclusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Pětrošová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Genetics, The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Darina Čejková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Marie Zobaníková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Genetics, The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Erica Sodergren
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Silver AC, Dunne DW, Zeiss CJ, Bockenstedt LK, Radolf JD, Salazar JC, Fikrig E. MyD88 deficiency markedly worsens tissue inflammation and bacterial clearance in mice infected with Treponema pallidum, the agent of syphilis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71388. [PMID: 23940747 PMCID: PMC3734110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the non-cultivatable spirochete Treponema pallidum, has been hampered by the lack of an inbred animal model. We hypothesized that Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent responses are essential for clearance of T. pallidum and, consequently, compared infection in wild-type (WT) mice and animals lacking MyD88, the adaptor molecule required for signaling by most TLRs. MyD88-deficient mice had significantly higher pathogen burdens and more extensive inflammation than control animals. Whereas tissue infiltrates in WT mice consisted of mixed mononuclear and plasma cells, infiltrates in MyD88-deficient animals were predominantly neutrophilic. Although both WT and MyD88-deficient mice produced antibodies that promoted uptake of treponemes by WT macrophages, MyD88-deficient macrophages were deficient in opsonophagocytosis of treponemes. Our results demonstrate that TLR-mediated responses are major contributors to the resistance of mice to syphilitic disease and that MyD88 signaling and FcR-mediated opsonophagocytosis are linked to the macrophage-mediated clearance of treponemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Silver
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Dana W. Dunne
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Caroline J. Zeiss
- Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Linda K. Bockenstedt
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Justin D. Radolf
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Juan C. Salazar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Grimes M, Sahi SK, Godornes BC, Tantalo LC, Roberts N, Bostick D, Marra CM, Lukehart SA. Two mutations associated with macrolide resistance in Treponema pallidum: increasing prevalence and correlation with molecular strain type in Seattle, Washington. Sex Transm Dis 2012; 39:954-8. [PMID: 23191949 PMCID: PMC3668457 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0b013e31826ae7a8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although azithromycin promised to be a safe and effective single-dose oral treatment of early syphilis, azithromycin treatment failure has been documented and is associated with mutations in the 23S rDNA of corresponding Treponema pallidum strains. The prevalence of strains harboring these mutations varies throughout the United States and the world. We examined T. pallidum strains circulating in Seattle, Washington, from 2001 to 2010 to determine the prevalence of 2 mutations associated with macrolide resistance and to determine whether these mutations were associated with certain T. pallidum strain types. METHODS Subjects were enrolled in a separate ongoing study of cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in patients with syphilis. T. pallidum DNA purified from blood and T. pallidum strains isolated from blood or cerebrospinal fluid were analyzed for two 23S rDNA mutations and for the molecular targets used in an enhanced molecular stain typing system. RESULTS Nine molecular strain types of T. pallidum were identified in Seattle from 2001 to 2010. Both macrolide resistance mutations were identified in Seattle strains, and the prevalence of resistant T. pallidum exceeded 80% in 2005 and increased through 2010. Resistance mutations were associated with discrete molecular strain types of T. pallidum. CONCLUSIONS Macrolide-resistant T. pallidum strains are highly prevalent in Seattle, and each mutation is associated with discrete strain types. Macrolides should not be considered for treatment of syphilis in regions where prevalence of the mutations is high. Combining the resistance mutations with molecular strain typing permits a finer analysis of the epidemiology of syphilis in a community.
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15
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Montiel R, Solórzano E, Díaz N, Álvarez-Sandoval BA, González-Ruiz M, Cañadas MP, Simões N, Isidro A, Malgosa A. Neonate human remains: a window of opportunity to the molecular study of ancient syphilis. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36371. [PMID: 22567153 PMCID: PMC3342265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 03/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis can be a useful tool in bacterial disease diagnosis in human remains. However, while the recovery of Mycobacterium spp. has been widely successful, several authors report unsuccessful results regarding ancient treponemal DNA, casting doubts on the usefulness of this technique for the diagnosis of ancient syphilis. Here, we present results from an analysis of four newborn specimens recovered from the crypt of "La Ermita de la Soledad" (XVI-XVII centuries), located in the province of Huelva in the southwest of Spain. We extracted and analyzed aDNA in three independent laboratories, following specific procedures generally practiced in the aDNA field, including cloning of the amplified DNA fragments and sequencing of several clones. This is the most ancient case, reported to date, from which detection of DNA from T. pallidum subspecies pallidum has been successful in more than one individual, and we put forward a hypothesis to explain this result, taking into account the course of the disease in neonate individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Montiel
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
- Research Center for Natural Resources (CIRN), Department of Biology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
| | - Eduvigis Solórzano
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Nancy Díaz
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Brenda A. Álvarez-Sandoval
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Mercedes González-Ruiz
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mari Pau Cañadas
- Departament de Biologia Molecular, General Lab, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nelson Simões
- Research Center for Natural Resources (CIRN), Department of Biology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
| | - Albert Isidro
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Servei de Cirurgia Ortopèdica i Traumatologia (COT), Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Assumpció Malgosa
- Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- * E-mail:
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16
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Luthra A, Zhu G, Desrosiers DC, Eggers CH, Mulay V, Anand A, McArthur FA, Romano FB, Caimano MJ, Heuck AP, Malkowski MG, Radolf JD. The transition from closed to open conformation of Treponema pallidum outer membrane-associated lipoprotein TP0453 involves membrane sensing and integration by two amphipathic helices. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:41656-41668. [PMID: 21965687 PMCID: PMC3308875 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.305284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2011] [Revised: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular architecture and composition of the outer membrane (OM) of Treponema pallidum (Tp), the noncultivable agent of venereal syphilis, differ considerably from those of typical Gram-negative bacteria. Several years ago we described TP0453, the only lipoprotein associated with the inner leaflet of the Tp OM. Whereas polypeptides of other treponemal lipoproteins are hydrophilic, non-lipidated TP0453 can integrate into membranes, a property attributed to its multiple amphipathic helices (AHs). Furthermore, membrane integration of the TP0453 polypeptide was found to increase membrane permeability, suggesting the molecule functions in a porin-like manner. To better understand the mechanism of membrane integration of TP0453 and its physiological role in Tp OM biogenesis, we solved its crystal structure and used mutagenesis to identify membrane insertion elements. The crystal structure of TP0453 consists of an α/β/α-fold and includes five stably folded AHs. In high concentrations of detergent, TP0453 transitions from a closed to open conformation by lateral movement of two groups of AHs, exposing a large hydrophobic cavity. Triton X-114 phase partitioning, liposome floatation assay, and bis-1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate binding revealed that two adjacent AHs are critical for membrane sensing/integration. Using terbium-dipicolinic acid complex-loaded large unilamellar vesicles, we found that TP0453 increased efflux of fluorophore only at acidic pH. Gel filtration and cross-linking experiments demonstrated that one AH critical for membrane sensing/insertion also forms a dimeric interface. Based on structural dynamics and comparison with Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoproteins LprG and LppX, we propose that TP0453 functions as a carrier of lipids, glycolipids, and/or derivatives during OM biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Luthra
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Guangyu Zhu
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute and Department of Structural Biology, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14203
| | - Daniel C Desrosiers
- Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06536
| | - Christian H Eggers
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut 06518
| | - Vishwaroop Mulay
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Arvind Anand
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Fiona A McArthur
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Fabian B Romano
- Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Melissa J Caimano
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Alejandro P Heuck
- Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Michael G Malkowski
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute and Department of Structural Biology, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14203
| | - Justin D Radolf
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030; Departments of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030; Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030.
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17
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Zhuang YL, Zhu CF, Zhang Y, Song YH, Wang DJ, Nie XM, Liu Y, Ren GJ. Association of KIR2DS4 and its variant KIR1D with syphilis in a Chinese Han population. Int J Immunogenet 2011; 39:114-8. [PMID: 22128817 DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-313x.2011.01063.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Y-L Zhuang
- Blood Center of Shandong Province, Jinan, China
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18
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Buffet M, Grange PA, Gerhardt P, Carlotti A, Calvez V, Bianchi A, Dupin N. Diagnosing Treponema pallidum in Secondary Syphilis by PCR and Immunohistochemistry. J Invest Dermatol 2007; 127:2345-50. [PMID: 17554371 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jid.5700888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological aspects of syphilis in Western countries have undergone a significant change with respect to the number of cases. Detection of Treponema pallidum is difficult, and the correct diagnosis of secondary syphilis can be critical. In this study, biopsy samples from skin lesions of 12 patients with secondary syphilis were used. Diagnosis of syphilis was based on clinical presentation, dark-field microscope analysis, and serological tests. Using a polyclonal antibody directed against T. pallidum, we show the presence of T. pallidum in 90% of the samples studied with the bacteria located in the epidermis and the upper dermis. The T. pallidum 47-kDa surface protein gene could be amplified by PCR in 75% of the skin lesions. When combining both techniques, T. pallidum was detected in 92% of the samples from patients with secondary syphilis but not in the control samples. Our work suggests that both immunohistochemistry and PCR could be useful for the diagnosis of secondary syphilis and may be helpful in some rare cases when serological assays failed to detect T. pallidum antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Buffet
- UPRES-EA1833 Laboratoire de Recherche en Dermatologie, Centre National de Référence Syphilis, Paris, France
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19
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Giacani L, Molini B, Godornes C, Barrett L, Van Voorhis W, Centurion-Lara A, Lukehart SA. Quantitative analysis of tpr gene expression in Treponema pallidum isolates: Differences among isolates and correlation with T-cell responsiveness in experimental syphilis. Infect Immun 2006; 75:104-12. [PMID: 17030565 PMCID: PMC1828388 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01124-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional analysis of the tpr genes in Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (referred to here as simply T. pallidum) has been limited to date, and yet the expression of members of this gene family is likely relevant to the pathogenesis of syphilis. Recently, immunological studies and semiquantitative mRNA analysis led to the hypothesis of the modulation of tpr gene transcription during infection and suggested that various strains of T. pallidum might differentially express these genes. In this study we developed a real-time amplification assay to quantify the tpr mRNAs with respect to the 47-kDa lipoprotein message and to compare transcript levels among four different strains of T. pallidum. In addition, we analyzed the lymphocyte responsiveness pattern toward the Tpr antigens in late experimental syphilis to identify tpr genes that had been expressed during the course of infection. The T-cell response has been implicated in clearance of treponemes from early lesions, and some of the Tprs were identified as strong targets of the cellular immune response. We show that message for many of the tpr genes can be detected in treponemes harvested at the peak of early infection. Interestingly, tprK seems to be preferentially expressed in almost every strain, and it is uniformly the target of the strongest cellular immune response. These studies demonstrate the differential expression of certain tpr genes among strains of T. pallidum, and further studies are needed to explore the relationship between tpr gene expression and the clinical course of syphilis in infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Giacani
- Department of Medicine, Box 359779, Harborview Medical Center, 325 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA
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20
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Morand JJ. [Acquired and hereditary syphilis] 1946 [classical article]. Med Trop (Mars) 2004; 64:26-7. [PMID: 15224553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J J Morand
- Service de dermatologie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Laveran, Marseille, France.
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21
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Syphilis map is decoded. AIDS Patient Care STDS 1998; 12:805. [PMID: 11362032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
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22
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Pollard DR, Gill P, Day A. The group-specific protein marker: a possible indicator of syphilis, not human immunodeficiency virus infection. CMAJ 1988; 138:1013-5. [PMID: 3370568 PMCID: PMC1267887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We wished to compare the frequency of group-specific (Gc) phenotypes in the general population with that in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to find out whether the Gc protein is a marker for susceptibility to HIV infection. We determined the phenotype frequency in 1083 randomly selected serum samples obtained from the Canadian Influenza Survey Studies and compared it with that in 263 serum samples obtained from the Federal Centre for AIDS and the Syphilis Serology Proficiency Testing Laboratory. No association between Gc phenotype and HIV status was found. However, there was a strong association between the Gc protein 1f/1f phenotype and syphilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Pollard
- Bureau of Microbiology, Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa, Tunney's Pasture, Ont
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Mitriukovskiĭ LS, Datskovskiĭ BM, Fedorov VG. [4 cases of syphilis in a single family]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1985:70-2. [PMID: 4090688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
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Wicher K, Wicher V, Gruhn RF. Differences in susceptibility to infection with Treponema pallidum (Nichols) between five strains of guinea pig. Genitourin Med 1985; 61:21-6. [PMID: 3910539 PMCID: PMC1011749 DOI: 10.1136/sti.61.1.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Groups of 10 young male guinea pigs of inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strains Hartley A, Hartley B, and one deficient in the fourth component of complement (C4D) were infected intradermally with 80 X 10(6) Treponema pallidum (Nichols). The course of infection and production of antitreponemal antibody were examined. Strain C4D guinea pigs were the most susceptible to infection (100%); inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strain Hartley B showed 80-90% symptomatic infection; and the Hartley A strain was the least susceptible to infection (10%). Strain 13 animals responded with the highest antitreponemal antibody activity, and the Hartley A strain with the lowest. The results suggest that genetic factors or complement, or both, may influence the degree of susceptibility to infection with T pallidum in guinea pigs.
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Vasil'ev TV, Vinokurov IN, Suvorov VA. [Causes of the development of tertiary syphilis]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1984:70-2. [PMID: 6485545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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D'iachenko LA, Olovianishnikov OV, Shpikina OA. [Familial false-positive serological reactions in syphilis]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1984:73-4. [PMID: 6730693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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Ovchinnikov NM, Ivlieva MS. [Case of contact syphilis in guinea pigs]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1980:61-2. [PMID: 7193947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Bogdaszewska-Czabanowska J, Szwarc K, Stoczek Z, Prorok I. [Incidence of syphilis within families]. Przegl Dermatol 1979; 66:673-9. [PMID: 523702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Profanter W, Kokoschka EM, Heiss WD. [Syphilis infection in a family with a case of acute progressive paralysis]. Wien Med Wochenschr 1974; 124:675-7. [PMID: 4460397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Bieliński A, Czarnacki P. [Late 3rd generation syphilis]. Przegl Dermatol 1974; 61:165-70. [PMID: 4832859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Suvorova KN, Shelkovskiĭ VI, Toporovskiĭ LM. [Chromosomal diseases in venereological practice]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1973; 47:52-6. [PMID: 4782178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
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Janicka D, Lukowska I. [Acquired syphilis in children as a consequence of environmental syphilis]. Pol Tyg Lek 1972; 27:1795-6. [PMID: 4680422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Milich MV, Sazonova LV, Iavkin VM. [The condition of several children born of parents who had had syphilis]. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1972; 46:56-61. [PMID: 5052790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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Jastrzebska D, Zukowski H. [Acquired syphilis in children. Report of 2 cases]. Przegl Dermatol 1972; 59:33-6. [PMID: 5061216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Kostant GH. Familial chronic biologic false-positive seroreactions for syphilis. Report of two families, one with three generations affected. JAMA 1972; 219:45-8. [PMID: 4536613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Satková V, Bräuerová E. [Juvenile progressive paralysis]. Cesk Pediatr 1971; 26:500-1. [PMID: 5114572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Guerrier Y, Guerrier B, Romieu M. [Syphilis of the ear. Clinical and therapeutical study]. Minerva Otorinolaringol 1970; 20:226-30. [PMID: 5514482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Du Toit JA. Endemic syphilis in the Karoo. S Afr Med J 1969; 43:355-8. [PMID: 5786225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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JUNG HD. [Familial syphilis in the Neubrandeburg area. A cultural history study]. Dtsch Gesundheitsw 1960; 15:1213-7. [PMID: 14408180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
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CAVER CV. Third generation syphilis. Hawaii Med J 1953; 12:448-9. [PMID: 13068792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
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KREIS J. [Heredity of syphilis]. Concours Med 1952; 74:768-72. [PMID: 14954689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
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