产肠毒素大肠杆菌诱导肠上皮细胞凋亡的研究进展

产肠毒素大肠杆菌(enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, ETEC)是引起人和动物腹泻的重要病原菌之一,其中黏附素和肠毒素是其感染引起腹泻的主要毒力因子。首先,黏附素介导ETEC与宿主小肠上皮细胞的黏附和定殖。随后,定殖的细菌产生肠毒素,导致水、电解质代谢紊乱,最终引起水样腹泻。传统的观点认为ETEC属于非侵袭性大肠杆菌,并不会引起肠上皮细胞凋亡和破坏肠道的屏障结构。但是越来越多的研究证据表明,在体外和体内ETEC感染均可诱导肠上皮细胞凋亡,破坏宿主肠黏膜屏障的完整性,促进疾病发展。本文将就ETEC不同毒力因子诱导细胞凋亡的具体机制、细胞凋亡与疾病发展的相关性以及在临床如何利用抗凋亡治疗预防ETEC感染等方面进行综述,旨为进一步深入阐明ETEC的分子致病机制提供参考,为防治ETEC引起的腹泻提供新策略。     

产肠毒素大肠杆菌亚单位疫苗3STaM(G)-K99和3STaM(S)-K99的纯化及其免疫学性质的研究

产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)是一种导致新生犊牛和仔猪腹泻的主要病原体之一.ETEC的毒力因子主要有黏附素(CFs)、不耐热性肠毒素(LT)和耐热性肠毒素(ST)三种.在前期研究中,利用PCR和酶切连接技术成功构建了两种ETEC亚单位疫苗3STaM (G)-K99和3STaM(S)-K99,且在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达.本研究利用阴离子交换层析纯化融合蛋白3STaM (G)-K99 and 3STaM(S)-K99,辅以弗氏佐剂免疫新西兰大白兔,通过Elisa分析其免疫学性质,并利用肠毒素中和实验在昆明系乳鼠中评价其激发抗STa中和抗体的能力.实验结果表明:亚单位疫苗3STaM(G)-K99 and 3STaM (S)-K99能够激发相对较高水平、可针对天然STa、ETEC和融合蛋白STa-K99的特异性抗体.其次,亚单位疫苗中STa突变体(STaM)组分的肠毒素活性显著降低,且其所激发的特异性抗体属于中和抗体,能有效抑制天然STa的肠毒素活性.亚单位疫苗3STaM (G)-K99 and 3STaM(S)-K99为研制预防ETEC感染性腹泻的多价基因工程疫苗提供了基本素材和理论指导.     

动物源产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)黏附素研究进展

动物源产肠毒素大肠杆菌(enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli,ETEC)是引起动物(尤其是幼龄动物)腹泻的主要病原菌。已知黏附素和肠毒素是ETEC中两种重要的毒力因子,在致病性中两者缺一不可。其中黏附素结合到宿主易感肠上皮细胞是ETEC感染的第一步,也是最重要的关键步骤。动物源ETEC的菌毛黏附素主要包括K88、K99、987P、F18、F17和F41等。人们从20世纪60年代就开始了ETEC菌毛黏附素的相关研究,包括菌毛的基因、结构组成、生物合成、菌毛表达的调控机制以及黏附素和宿主受体相互作用等,这些研究基础有助于我们深入了解ETEC病原菌的感染机理;并且在疾病诊断和新疫苗的开发中具有重大意义。     

肠产毒性大肠杆菌分子生物学及基因工程疫苗的研究进展

综述了肠产毒性大肠杆菌(ETEC)的分子生物学和基因工程疫苗的最新进展。ETEC的肠毒素基因和菌毛蛋白基因对于ETEC的致病性起主要作用,肠毒素基因工程疫苗为预防ETEC引起的腹泻开辟了新的途径。     

应用斑点ELISA检测产肠毒素性大肠杆菌定居因子抗原

产肠毒素性大肠杆菌(ETEC)在发展中国家是引起婴幼儿和旅游者腹泻的最主要病原菌。据WHO预测,全世界每年因ETEC引起腹泻而致死的5岁以下婴幼儿多达80万。该菌的致病机制是,它能粘附并定居到宿主小肠表皮细胞,繁殖产生耐热肠毒素或不耐热肠毒素,前者主要由定居因子抗原(CFA)负责,     

产肠毒素大肠杆菌、空肠弯曲菌和志贺痢疾杆菌结合疫苗平台的研究

<正>产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)、空肠弯曲杆菌(CJ)和志贺杆菌是全球细菌性腹泻的主要原因,但是目前还没有针对这些病原体的疫苗。目前大多数ETEC疫苗的途径都是基于与毒力相关的重组蛋白,尤其是黏附蛋白。相比之下,志贺杆菌疫苗和CJ疫苗的研发途径包括结合疫苗,其中志贺杆菌脂多糖(LPS)或CJ荚膜多糖与蛋白质发生化学结合。作者已经探索了利用ETEC蛋白作为CJ和志贺菌     

产肠毒素大肠杆菌Ⅳ型菌毛尖端黏附素单克隆抗体的交叉反应性、表位定位和效价

正产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)是资源受限地区的旅行者和儿童腹泻的主要致病菌。ETEC致病的关键一步是ETEC菌毛介导细菌黏附到宿主肠细胞。这些菌毛根据序列相似性进行分类,其中Ⅳ型菌毛家族成员最具有特征性。ETEC的Ⅳ型菌毛家族有八个相关成员,可分为三个亚类(5a,5b和5c),它们具有相似的结构排列,都有1个菌毛尖端黏附素。     

用于预防牛肠炎的商品菌苗中K_(99)(F_5)纤毛粘附素的鉴定

<正>产肠毒素大肠杆菌(ETEC)是犊牛、羔羊和仔猪新生期腹泻的重要病因。从犊牛分离的ETEC大多数菌株表面具有K_(99)纤毛粘附素,它促进对小肠微绒毛的粘附与定居。腹泻犊牛中ETEC的分离率一般在4—30%范围内,看来有地区性差异。 用含有纤毛抗原的菌苗免疫母畜,通过其初乳的免疫力,可对ETEC引起的新生期腹泻提供保护。如今一些厂家已把有纤毛抗原的ETEC菌株纳入他     

肠毒素大肠杆菌疫苗研究进展

肠毒素大肠杆菌是导致发展中国家婴幼儿及到这些国家旅游者腹泻的主要致病菌。致病机制是由ETEC表面的菌毛定居因子和肠毒素共同作用的结果。目前在研制和评价预防ETEC腹泻的修选菌苗方面已了得重大进展。本文对已研制的和正在研制的ETEC疫苗进行了概述,其中包括早期的亚单位疫苗、载体疫苗、减毒活菌苗、DNA疫苗和植物疫苗等。     

产肠毒素型大肠杆菌F41黏附素是染色体编码并与K88在遗传学上相关

<正> 产肠毒素型大肠杆菌(ETEC)寄居人类及动物宿主的小肠,产生肠毒素导致液体与电解质的分泌。是通过一种命名为黏附素(adhesin)的繖状结构的细菌蛋白介导寄居于小肠。人与动物ETBC黏附素有几种不同的抗原型。表达这些黏附素的菌体细胞有凝集各种动物红细胞的能力。并与黏附素抗原型有关。黏附素对确定菌株致病性起一定作用。黏附素表达的遗传学基础是与这些抗原型相关的质粒。 最近已确定F41是对牛及猪有致病性的ETEC黏附素。θ9及0101血清型ETEC菌株的另一种黏附素K99的产生与其有关,但最近提及的某些菌株不产K99也产F41。F41在甘露糖存在的条件下可介导凝集人红细     

Role of heat-stable enterotoxins in the induction of early immune responses in piglets after infection with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains that produce heat-stable (ST) and/or heat-labile (LT) enterotoxins are cause of post-weaning diarrhea in piglets. However, the relative importance of the different enterotoxins in host immune responses against ETEC infection has been poorly defined. In the present study, several isogenic mutant strains of an O149:F4ac(+), LT(+) STa(+) STb(+) ETEC strain were constructed that lack the expression of LT in combination with one or both types of ST enterotoxins (STa and/or STb). The small intestinal segment perfusion (SISP) technique and microarray analysis were used to study host early immune responses induced by these mutant strains 4 h after infection in comparison to the wild type strain and a PBS control. Simultaneously, net fluid absorption of pig small intestinal mucosa was measured 4 h after infection, allowing us to correlate enterotoxin secretion with gene regulation. Microarray analysis showed on the one hand a non-toxin related general antibacterial response comprising genes such as PAP, MMP1 and IL8. On the other hand, results suggest a dominant role for STb in small intestinal secretion early after post-weaning infection, as well as in the induced innate immune response through differential regulation of immune mediators like interleukin 1 and interleukin 17.     

Strategies to overexpress enterotoxigenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> (ETEC) colonization factors for the construction of oral whole-cell inactivated ETEC vaccine candidates

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of diarrheal disease and deaths among children in developing countries and the major cause of traveler's diarrhea (TD). Since surface protein colonization factors (CFs) of ETEC are important for pathogenicity and immune protection is mainly mediated by locally produced IgA antibodies in the gut, much effort has focused on the development of an oral CF-based vaccine. The most extensively studied ETEC candidate vaccine is the rCTB-CF ETEC vaccine, containing recombinantly produced cholera B subunit and the most commonly encountered ETEC CFs on the surface of whole inactivated bacteria. Initial clinical trials with this vaccine showed significant immune responses against the key antigens in different age groups in Bangladesh and Egypt and protection against more severe TD in Western travelers. However, when tested in a phase-III trial in Egyptian infants, the protective efficacy of the vaccine was found to be low, indicating the need to improve the immunogenicity of the vaccine, e.g., by increasing the levels of the protective antigens. This review describes different strategies for the construction of recombinant nontoxigenic E. coli and Vibrio cholerae candidate vaccine strains over-expressing higher amounts of ETEC CFs than clinical ETEC isolates selected to produce high levels of the respective CF, e.g., those ETEC strains which have been used in the rCTB-CF ETEC vaccine. Several different expression vectors containing the genes responsible for the expression and assembly of the examined CFs, all downstream of the powerful tac promoter, which could be maintained either with or without antibiotic selection, were constructed. Expression from the tac promoter was under the control of the lacI ^q repressor present on the plasmids. Following induction with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside, candidate vaccine strains over-expressing single CFs, unnatural combinations of two CFs, and also hybrid forms of ETEC CFs were produced. Specific monoclonal antibodies against the major subunits of the examined CF were used to quantify the amount of the surface-expressed CF by a dot-blot assay and inhibition ELISA. Oral immunization with formalin- or phenol-inactivated recombinant bacteria over-expressing the CFs was found to induce significantly higher antibody responses compared to immunization with the previously used vaccine strains. We therefore conclude that our constructs may be useful as candidate strains in an oral whole-cell inactivated CF ETEC vaccine.     

Toxicity and Immunogenicity of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Heat-Labile and Heat-Stable Toxoid Fusion 3xSTaA14Q-LTS63K/R192G/L211A in a Murine Model

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death to young children. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are the most common bacteria causing diarrhea. Adhesins and enterotoxins are the virulence determinants in ETEC diarrhea. Adhesins mediate bacterial attachment and colonization, and enterotoxins including heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable type Ib toxin (STa) disrupt fluid homeostasis in host cells that leads to fluid hyper-secretion and diarrhea. Thus, adhesins and enterotoxins have been primarily targeted in ETEC vaccine development. A recent study reported toxoid fusions with STa toxoid (STa_P13F) fused at the N- or C-terminus, or inside the A subunit of LT_R192G elicited neutralizing antitoxin antibodies, and suggested application of toxoid fusions in ETEC vaccine development (Liu et al., Infect. Immun. 79:4002-4009, 2011). In this study, we generated a different STa toxoid (STa_A14Q) and a triple-mutant LT toxoid (LT_{S63K/R192G/L211A}, tmLT), constructed a toxoid fusion (3xSTa_A14Q-tmLT) that carried 3 copies of STa_A14Q for further facilitation of anti-STa immunogenicity, and assessed antigen safety and immunogenicity in a murine model to explore its potential for ETEC vaccine development. Mice immunized with this fusion antigen showed no adverse effects, and developed antitoxin antibodies particularly through the IP route. Anti-LT antibodies were detected and were shown neutralizing against CT in vitro. Anti-STa antibodies were also detected in the immunized mice, and serum from the IP immunized mice neutralized STa toxin in vitro. Data from this study indicated that toxoid fusion 3xSTa_A14Q-tmLT is safe and can induce neutralizing antitoxin antibodies, and provided helpful information for vaccine development against ETEC diarrhea.     

A Chimeric protein of CFA/I,CS6 subunits and LTB/STa toxoid protects immunized mice against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (ETEC) strains are the commonest bacteria causing diarrhea in children in developing countries and travelers to these areas. Colonization factors (CFs) and enterotoxins are the main virulence determinants in ETEC pathogenesis. Heterogeneity of CFs is commonly considered the bottleneck to developing an effective vaccine. It is believed that broad spectrum protection against ETEC would be achieved by induced anti‐CF and anti‐enterotoxin immunity simultaneously. Here, a fusion antigen strategy was used to construct a quadrivalent recombinant protein called 3CL and composed of CfaB, a structural subunit of CFA/I, and CS6 structural subunits, LTB and STa toxoid of ETEC. Its anti‐CF and antitoxin immunogenicity was then assessed. To achieve high‐level expression, the 3CL gene was synthesized using E. coli codon bias. Female BALB/C mice were immunized with purified recombinant 3CL. Immunized mice developed antibodies that were capable of detecting each recombinant subunit in addition to native CS6 protein and also protected the mice against ETEC challenge. Moreover, sera from immunized mice also neutralized STa toxin in a suckling mouse assay. These results indicate that 3CL can induce anti‐CF and neutralizing antitoxin antibodies along with introducing CFA/I as a platform for epitope insertion.

     

In vivo expression of the heat stable (estA) and heat labile (eltB) toxin genes of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) colonize the intestine and adhere to the epithelium by means of different host specific colonization factors (CFs). Colonizing ETEC produce one or both of two enterotoxins; the heat stable (ST) and heat labile (LT) toxins which are both able to cause diarrhoea. The regulation of virulence genes in ETEC during infection of the human intestine is mainly unknown. In this study we analysed the level of mRNA expression of estA, coding for ST, and eltB, coding for the B subunit of LT, during human infection. The expressions of the toxins in ETEC strains expressing both ST and LT were investigated in bacteria isolated directly from patient stool without sub-culturing, (in vivo) and compared to the expression pattern of the corresponding ST/LT strains grown in liquid broth (in vitro) by quantitative competitive RT-PCR using fluorescent primers. We found that estA and eltB are expressed in the in vivo samples but no significant up-or down regulation of the expression levels of either estA or eltB could be determined in vivo as compared to in vitro.     

Immunogenicity of nuclear-encoded LTB:ST fusion protein from Escherichia coli expressed in tobacco plants

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the main causative agents of diarrhea in infants and for travelers. Inclusion of a heat-stable (ST) toxin into vaccine formulations is mandatory as most ETEC strains can produce both heat-labile (LT) and ST enterotoxins. In this study, a genetic fusion gene encoding for an LTB:ST protein has been constructed and transferred into tobacco via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Transgenic tobacco plants carrying the LTB:ST gene are then subjected to GM1-ELISA revealing that the LTB:ST has assembled into pentamers and displays antigenic determinants from both LTB and ST. Protein accumulation of up to 0.05% total soluble protein is detected. Subsequently, mucosal and systemic humoral responses are elicited in mice orally dosed with transgenic tobacco leaves. This has suggested that the plant-derived LTB:ST is immunogenic via the oral route. These findings are critical for the development of a plant-based vaccine capable of eliciting broader protection against ETEC and targeting both LTB and ST. Features of this platform in comparison to transplastomic approaches are discussed.     

Evaluating the A-Subunit of the Heat-Labile Toxin (LT) As an Immunogen and a Protective Antigen Against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)

Diarrheal illness contributes to malnutrition, stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and high morbidity rates in children worldwide. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major contributor to this diarrheal disease burden. ETEC cause disease in the small intestine by means of colonization factors and by production of a heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) and/or a small non-immunogenic heat-stable enterotoxin (ST). Overall, the majority of ETEC produce both ST and LT. LT induces secretion via an enzymatically active A-subunit (LT-A) and a pentameric, cell-binding B-subunit (LT-B). The importance of anti-LT antibodies has been demonstrated in multiple clinical and epidemiological studies, and a number of potential ETEC vaccine candidates have included LT-B as an important immunogen. However, there is limited information about the potential contribution of LT-A to development of protective immunity. In the current study, we evaluate the immune response against the A-subunit of LT as well as the A-subunit’s potential as a protective antigen when administered alone or in combination with the B-subunit of LT. We evaluated human sera from individuals challenged with a prototypic wild-type ETEC strain as well as sera from individuals living in an ETEC endemic area for the presence of anti-LT, anti-LT-A and anti-LT-B antibodies. In both cases, a significant number of individuals intentionally or endemically infected with ETEC developed antibodies against both LT subunits. In addition, animals immunized with the recombinant proteins developed robust antibody responses that were able to neutralize the enterotoxic and cytotoxic effects of native LT by blocking binding and entry into cells (anti-LT-B) or the intracellular enzymatic activity of the toxin (anti-LT-A). Moreover, antibodies to both LT subunits acted synergistically to neutralize the holotoxin when combined. Taken together, these data support the inclusion of both LT-A and LT-B in prospective vaccines against ETEC.     

Acquisition and maintenance of enterotoxin plasmids in wild-type strains of Escherichia coli

Enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) may produce a heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), a heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) or both enterotoxins. Certain serogroups are represented more frequently than others in ETEC isolated from humans. The transfer of three plasmids encoding enterotoxin production (Ent) to 22 non-toxigenic E. coli strains of many different O:H serotypes was studied. The Ent plasmids encoded ST (TP276), or LT (TP277), or ST + LT (TP214), and all carried antibiotic-resistance determinants. Twenty-one recipient strains acquired TP214, 18 acquired TP277 and 14 acquired TP276. Strains of those serotypes to which ETEC in diarrhoeal studies commonly belong neither acquired nor maintained Ent plasmids with a higher frequency than strains of those serotypes to which ETEC rarely belong. The recipient strains, with one exception, all expressed ST, or LT, or ST and LT, when they had acquired the appropriate plasmid; a non-motile strain belonging to O serogroup 88 expressed LT but failed to express ST when it acquired TP214 or TP277.     

肠毒素大肠杆菌定居因子CS3和肠毒素融合抗原基因在减毒鼠伤寒沙门氏菌中的共表达

不耐热肠毒素（LT）和耐热肠毒素（ST）是产肠毒素大肠杆菌的主要致病因素,CS3为该菌的优势定居因子,是定居因子CFA/Ⅱ菌毛抗原的共有抗原组分。采用基因操作技术将编码CS3和融合肠毒素蛋白基因转化到减毒鼠伤寒沙门氏菌疫苗侯选株X4072中进行表达。用重组菌株口服免疫小鼠后,免疫动物能产生抗CS3、LT和ST的血清抗体。特别有意义的是,所产生的抗ST抗体能中和天然ST的生物活性。这一结果为研究载体疫苗防治肠毒素大肠杆菌腹泻疾病奠定了基础。     

Detection of heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxin genes of Escherichia coli in diarrhoeic faecal samples of mithun (Bos frontalis) calves by polymerase chain reaction

Aims:  To find out the prevalence of different serogroups of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and to detect heat-stable (ST) and heat-labile (LT) enterotoxin genes of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) from the faeces of mithun calves with diarrhoea.
Methods and Results:  Faecal samples obtained from 65 diarrhoeic mithun calves of under 2 months of age were examined for E. coli using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fifty-four E. coli isolates were obtained from those samples, which belonged to 38 different serogroups. Out of 54 isolates tested by PCR, two isolates (3·70%) belonging to serogroups O26 and O55 were found to possess gene that code for ST enterotoxin and one isolate (1·85%) belonging to serogroup O125 was found to carry LT enterotoxin gene.
Conclusions:  Escherichia coli isolates from diarrhoeic mithun calves were found to possess ST and LT enterotoxin genes, which are designated as ETEC, and these isolates can be detected through PCR using specific primers.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study reports the isolation of ETEC possessing ST and LT enterotoxin genes for the first time and ETEC could be a cause of diarrhoea in mithun calves leading to calf mortality.