脑膜炎奈瑟菌外膜蛋白NhhA研究进展

脑膜炎奈瑟菌(Neisseria meningitides,Nm,以下简称脑膜炎球菌),是引起流行性脑脊髓膜炎疾病的主要病原体。NhhA(Neisseria hia homologue)是Nm的一种寡聚外膜蛋白。研究表明,NhhA在宿主-病原体相互作用中具有重要功能,如参与Nm无症状鼻咽黏膜定植,诱导巨噬细胞凋亡,具有免疫刺激功能等。该蛋白表面暴露,并在许多Nm菌株中都能表达,表明它有希望作为候选疫苗。现对NhhA的分子结构、在宿主-病原体相互作用中的功能以及作为疫苗候选物的研究现状等作一概述。     

脑膜炎奈瑟球菌外膜蛋白NhhA研究进展

脑膜炎奈瑟球菌(Neisseriameningitides,Nm, 以下简称脑膜炎球菌),是引起流行性脑脊髓膜炎疾病的主要病原体。NhhA(Neisseria hia homologue)是Nm的一种寡聚外膜蛋白。研究表明,NhhA在宿主-病原体相互作用中具有重要功能,如参与Nm无症状鼻咽黏膜定植,诱导巨噬细胞凋亡,具有免疫刺激功能等。该蛋白表面暴露,并在许多Nm菌株中都能表达,表明它有希望作为候选疫苗。现对NhhA的分子结构、宿主-病原体相互作用中的功能以及作为疫苗候选物的研究现状等作一概述。     

人对荚膜和无芙膜奈瑟氏脑膜炎球菌表面抗原的类特异性杀菌抗体

<正>杀菌抗体是脑膜炎球菌引起的败血症和脑膜炎的主要保护性抗体,它是由脑膜炎球菌带菌者或隐性感染者接触脑膜炎球菌的荚膜多糖或外膜表面抗原产生的,也可由奈瑟氏Lactamica菌或具有与脑膜炎球菌表面多糖抗原有交叉的细菌产生,为大肠杆菌KI—SB群脑膜炎菌有一样的荚膜多糖。     

我国脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌不同血清群菌株DNA G Cmo1％含量的测定

本文采用热变性温度法Tm测定了我国自行分离和建立的脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌10个血清群菌株的DNAG Cmol％,其含量范围在50.3～52.4之间。结果表明10个血清群菌株的DNAG Cmol％含量符合脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌种的特性。数据的建立为进一步脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌的标准化提供了可靠的依据。     

流脑防治的微生态学的实验研究

本文初探人咽部正常菌群对Ａ群、Ｂ群脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌生长的影响。结果显示,调查人群中２４１７％的人咽部存在可抑制Ａ群脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌生长的细菌;一般健康者、流脑病人密切接触者和流脑病人之间差异不显著。对４１株抑制Ａ群脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌生长的细菌的检测可见,有２３株（占５６１０％）对Ｂ群脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌生长有抑制作用;有５株菌对８种实验标准致病菌的生长都有抑制作用,表明人咽部正常菌群对致病菌拮抗作用的非特异性和多重性。部分人咽部正常菌群细菌的代谢产物亦可抑制Ａ、Ｂ群脑膜炎奈瑟氏菌生长     

疫苗

960592 脑膜炎奈瑟氏球菌5C外膜蛋白的克隆和表达[英]/Guillen, G.…∥Acta Biotechnol.-1995,15(1).-97～106[译自DBA,1995,14(12),95-06948] 脑膜炎奈瑟氏球菌5类蛋白之一的5C外膜蛋     

疫苗

961792 脑膜炎奈瑟氏球菌P64k外膜蛋白的克隆、表达及鉴别[英]/Guillen, G.…//Biotechnol.Apl.-1995,12(2).-72[译自DBA,1995,14(25),95-15046] 从构建于载体EMBL-3中的脑膜炎奈瑟氏球菌菌株B385基因组文库中分离出编码高分子量蛋     

温度变化触发脑膜炎奈瑟菌的免疫逃逸

<正>脑膜炎奈瑟菌有好几种策略来逃逸补体介导的杀死作用,而这些使其有能力引起败血症和脑膜炎。这种脑膜炎球菌主要是人咽喉部的专性共栖菌,但它为什么进化了精巧的机制来逃逸宿主的免疫力尚不清楚。此文作者阐述了脑膜炎球菌免疫逃逸和对环境温度升高引起的补体增多发生抵抗的机制。作者在荚膜生物合成、H因子结合蛋白表达和脂多糖唾液酸化所需基因的5'非翻译区,鉴定了3个独立的RNA热传感物,它们是脑膜炎球菌抗免疫杀死必需的成分。因而升高的温度(发生在炎症期间)成     

H因子结合蛋白的非功能变异体作为脑膜炎球菌的候选疫苗

<正>脑膜炎奈瑟菌是人类专属病原体,是脑膜炎和败血症的主要病因。H因子结合蛋白(f Hbp)是一种毒力因子,它通过高亲和性地结合人的补体调节因子H(f H)保护脑膜炎奈瑟菌不受天然免疫力的伤害,同时也是正在研发中的预防脑膜炎球菌病疫苗中的关键抗原。f Hbp可分为3个不同的群(V1、V2和V3),都能诱导有限的免疫交叉反应性。f H与f Hbp的相互作用能损害这种抗原的免疫原性,因     

A群奈瑟氏脑膜炎球菌荚膜多糖-破伤风类毒素结合疫苗的制备及其免疫原性研究

采用溴化氰(CNBr)活化多糖,以无水己二酸二肼(ADH)作为连接剂,1乙基13(3二甲基氨基丙基)碳化二亚胺(EDAC)为偶联剂制备A群奈瑟氏脑膜炎球菌荚膜多糖(GAMP)与破伤风类毒素(TT)的结合物,经皮下免疫NIH小鼠,用ELISA检测小鼠血清中抗GAMP及抗载体蛋白的IgG抗体水平。用补体介导的体外杀菌试验检测血清中GAMP抗体的杀菌活性。结果显示,实验中制备的多糖衍生物和多糖蛋白质结合物都具有GAMP抗原特异活性。结合物免疫小鼠后可诱生比多糖单独免疫更高水平的GAMP血清IgG抗体,并能形成免疫记忆,产生再次应答。结合物免疫小鼠所诱生的血清GAMP抗体较之多糖组具有更强的体外杀菌活性。表明此方法制备的结合物可获得优于多糖的、稳定的特异免疫原性。     

Neisseria meningitidis NhhA is a multifunctional trimeric autotransporter adhesin

NhhA, Neisseriahia/hsf homologue, or GNA0992, is an oligomeric outer membrane protein of Neisseria meningitidis, recently included in the family of trimeric autotransporter adhesins. In this study we present the structural and functional characterization of this protein. By expressing in Escherichia coli the full-length gene, deletion mutants and chimeric proteins of NhhA, we demonstrated that the last 72 C-terminal residues are able to allow trimerization and localization of the N-terminal protein domain to the bacterial surface. In addition, we investigated on the possible role of NhhA in bacterial-host interaction events. We assessed in vitro the ability of recombinant purified NhhA to bind human epithelial cells as well as laminin and heparan sulphate. Furthermore, we shown that E. coli strain expressing NhhA was able to adhere to epithelial cells, and observed a reduced adherence in a meningococcal isogenic MC58DeltaNhhA mutant. We concluded that this protein is a multifunctional adhesin, able to promote the bacterial adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix components. Collectively, our results underline a putative role of NhhA in meningococcal pathogenesis and ascertain its structural and functional belonging to the emerging group of bacterial autotransporter adhesins with trimeric architecture.     

Identification and characterisation of a novel conserved outer membrane protein from Neisseria meningitidis

We have identified a homologue of the adhesin AIDA-I of Escherichia coli in Neisseria meningitidis. This gene was designated nhhA (Neisseria hia homologue), as analysis of the complete coding sequence revealed that it is more closely related to the adhesins Hia and Hsf of Haemophilus influenzae. The sequence of nhhA was determined from 10 strains, and found to be highly conserved. Studies of the localisation by Western immunoblot analysis of total cell proteins and outer membrane complex preparations and by immunogold electron microscopy revealed that NhhA is located in the outer membrane. A strain survey showed that nhhA is present in 85/85 strains of N. meningitidis representative of all the major disease-associated serogroups, based on Southern blot analysis. It is expressed in the majority of strains tested by Western immunoblot.     

Inherited deficiency of the seventh component of complement associated with meningococcal meningitis: lack of serum bactericidal activity against Neisseria meningitidis in a girl with C7 deficiency and HLA studies of a C7-deficient Japanese family

An 8-year-old girl with meningococcal meningitis lacked serum complement activity. The seventh component of complement (C7) could not be detected in her serum by either functional or immunochemical analysis. The levels of the other components were within the normal range. Her serum complement activity was restored by the addition of purified C7. Her fresh serum showed a total absence of bactericidal activity against Neisseria meningitidis, group Y, but her serum bactericidal activity was restored by the addition of purified C7. The restoration of her serum bactericidal activity was completely inhibited in the presence of Mg2+ EGTA. These findings suggest that restoration of the bactericidal activity of her serum against N. meningitidis might be mediated by the specific antibody against N. meningitidis and the reconstituted complement system in her serum. Heterozygous deficiency of C7 was found in 10 of her family members. Genetic studies showed that the mode of inheritance might be an autosomal codominant trait. No genetic linkage between deficiency of C7 and the HLA system was found.     

Meningococcal outer membrane protein NhhA triggers apoptosis in macrophages

Phagocytotic cells play a fundamental role in the defense against bacterial pathogens. One mechanism whereby bacteria evade phagocytosis is to produce factors that trigger apoptosis. Here we identify for the first time a meningococcal protein capable of inducing macrophage apoptosis. The conserved meningococcal outer membrane protein NhhA (Neisseria hia/hsf homologue A, also known as Hsf) mediates bacterial adhesion and interacts with extracellular matrix components heparan sulphate and laminin. Meningococci lacking NhhA fail to colonise nasal mucosa in a mouse model of meningococcal disease. We found that exposure of macrophages to NhhA resulted in a highly increased rate of apoptosis that proceeded through caspase activation. Exposure of macrophages to NhhA also led to iNOS induction and nitric oxide production. However, neither nitric oxide production nor TNF-α signaling was found to be a prerequisite for NhhA-induced apoptosis. Macrophages exposed to wildtype NhhA-expressing meningococci were also found to undergo apoptosis whereas NhhA-deficient meningococci had a markedly decreased capacity to induce macrophage apoptosis. These data provide new insights on the role of NhhA in meningococcal disease. NhhA-induced macrophage apoptosis could be a mechanism whereby meningococci evade immunoregulatory and phagocytotic actions of macrophages.     

Nitric oxide participates in the immune response against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B

The present report explores the role of nitric oxide into the immune response against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. Here we show that NO mediates the alphaTNF increase induced by N. meningitidis derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS), at the same time that participates in the bactericidal activity of resting or gammaIFN activated macrophages and plays a role in the specific DTH and IgG response induced by a commercial anti-meningococcal vaccine. Our findings suggest a positive role for NO at the final effector mechanisms and in the early events driving the immunity against N. meningitidis, suggesting also an insight into its role in endotoxic shock.     

Serum bactericidal activity in a secondary school population following an outbreak of meningococcal disease: effects of carriage and secretor status

Abstract Sera obtained from 106 children following an outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis (B:4:P1.15) were screened for bactericidal antibodies against isolates of meningococci and Neisseria lactamica . Most had high titres of antibodies to N. lactamica and N. meningitidis NG:4:- but not to capsulate isolates: B:4:P1.15; B:15:P1.16; B:4:-; C:4:-. Bactericidal activity was higher for both carriers and secretors but the differences were not significant. Bactericidal activity was not associated with total or specific IgA or IgM. Carriers had significantly higher levels of IgG to N. lactamica but not to NG:4:- in sera with bactericidal activity for each of the capsulate strains. Among non-carriers, higher levels of IgG to N. lactamica were associated with killing of B:4:P1.15 and B:4:-. Secretors' sera with bactericidal activity had significantly higher levels of IgG to N. lactamica compared with sera that were not bactericidal. This was not observed among non-secretors. Antibodies to the outbreak strain were adsorbed by all Neisseria isolates tested and absorption of sera with N. lactamica alone completely removed the bactericidal activity against the outbreak strain.     

Mapping of monoclonal antibodies specific to P64k: a common antigen of several isolates of Neisseria meningitidis

P64k is a minor outer membrane protein from Neisseria meningitidis. This protein has been produced at high levels in Escherichia coli. We generated a group of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against recombinant P64k, which recognise four non-overlapping epitopes, as shown using competition assays with biotinylated mAbs. The P64k sequences involved in mAbs binding were mapped with synthetic overlapping peptides derived from the P64k protein, and located in the previously determined three-dimensional structure of the protein. These antibodies were also characterised by whole-cell ELISA and bactericidal tests against N. meningitidis. Only two of the recognised epitopes were exposed on the bacterial surface, and none of the mAbs showed bactericidal activity. The relationship between these results and the structural data on the epitopes bound by the mAbs is discussed.     

Evidence for naturally acquired T cell-mediated mucosal immunity to Neisseria meningitidis

Naturally acquired protective immunity against Neisseria meningitidis is thought to partially explain the disparity between the high levels of carriage in the human nasopharynx and the rare incidence of disease. To investigate this immunity to Neisseria meningitidis at the mucosal level, in vitro cellular responses to outer membrane vesicle preparations derived from this pathogen were examined using mononuclear cells from the palatine tonsils of adults and children. Characterization of these responses was achieved by depletion of CD45RA(+), CD45RO(+), and CD19(+) populations and outer membrane vesicles derived from isogenic mutants expressing different serosubtypes of the major outer membrane protein, porin A (PorA), no PorA and membrane preparations from a mutant with no LPS (LpxA(-)). The magnitude of cellular proliferative responses against the outer membrane vesicles were strongly associated with age and were largely T cell mediated, involving both CD45RO(+) and CD45RA(+) T cell phenotypes. Responses were not dependent on LPS but consisted of both PorA cross-specific and non-PorA-dependent responses. Cellular immunity against Neisseria meningitidis was found to be frequently associated with systemic IgG Abs but was not associated with serum bactericidal Abs. For the first time our results demonstrate an age-associated acquisition of mucosal T effector/memory cell responses to Neisseria meningitidis. This mucosal cellular immunity can be present in the absence of serum bactericidal Abs, a classical marker of protective immunity.     

Characterisation of the lpdA gene from Neisseria meningitidis by polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing

P64k protein from Neisseria meningitidis is well recognised in sera from individuals convalescent from meningococcal disease or vaccinated with the Cuban antimeningococcal vaccine VA-MENGOC-BC. The presence of the protein in more than 80 meningococcal strains has also been verified. It is immunogenic in animal models and the antibodies elicited show bactericidal activity against meningococci. To further investigate at the molecular level whether lpdA, the gene coding for P64k protein, is conserved among different N. meningitidis strains, a total of 20 strains isolated from different geographic areas were differentiated on the basis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the lpdA gene and restriction endonuclease digestion with HpaII. Although a total of five different PCR-RFLP patterns were present, nucleotide sequence determination showed that identity levels were as high as 93-99% among the N. meningitidis strains analysed.     

A comparative study of the immunogenicity of 2 group-B meningococcal vaccines in monkeys

The comparative study of two group B meningococcal vaccines manufactured in the USSR and in Cuba was made. The vaccine manufactured in the USSR contained the noncovalent compound of group B Neisseria meningitidis polysaccharide and outer membrane protein, and the Cuban vaccine contained group B N. meningitidis outer membrane proteins and group C N. meningitidis polysaccharide. The data obtained in this study indicated that both vaccines possessed immunological potency evaluated according to their capacity to stimulate the formation of bactericidal antibodies, whose level was found to increase eightfold after the immunization of monkeys in two injections. Besides, group B meningococcal vaccines did not induce the suppression of nonspecific protective activity characteristics of the body and did not stimulate the formation of autoantibodies to brain and liver tissues, which was indicative of the safety of these vaccines.