Synthesis of Haemophilus influenzae carbohydrate surface antigens

The pathogenic bacteria Haemophilus influenzae, causing, i.a., meningitis and otitis, contain both capsular and lipopolysaccharide surface antigens. The syntheses of several oligosaccharides corresponding to native H. influenzae polysaccharide structures is outlined with an emphasis on synthetically challenging features. Hence, the synthesis of a branched inner core lipopolysaccharide tetrasaccharide structure, α- , -Hepp-(13)-[β- -Glcp-(14)]-α- , -Hepp-(15)-αKdo, containing the unusual higher carbon sugars -glycero- -manno-heptose and Kdo is described, as well as the assembly of di- and trimers of the repeating unit of the capsular polysaccharides of serotype c,[−4)-3-OAc-β- -GlcpNAc-(13)-α- -Galp-(1-PO⁻₃−] and serotype f[−3)-β- -GalpNAc-(14)-3-OAc-α- -GalpNAc-(1-PO⁻₃], both linked via anomeric phospodiester linkages. Also efforts towards the synthesis of the repeating unit of the capsular polysaccharide of serotype e,3)-β- -GlcpNAc-(14)-[β- -Fruf-(23)]-β- -ManpNAcA-(1, containing a β-fructofuranosidic residue, is discussed. All synthetic derivates are spacer-equipped to allow formation of glycoconjugates for biological applications.     

Molecular determinants of the pathogenesis of disease due to non-typable Haemophilus influenzae

Non-typable Haemophilus influenzae is a common commensal organism in the human upper respiratory tract and an important cause of localized respiratory tract disease. The pathogenesis of disease begins with bacterial colonization of the nasopharynx, a process that involves establishment on the mucosal surface and evasion of local immune mechanisms. Under the proper circumstances, the organism spreads contiguously to the middle ear, the sinuses, or the lungs, and then stimulates a brisk inflammatory response, producing symptomatic infection. In this review, we summarize our present understanding of the molecular determinants of this sequence of events. Continued investigation of the molecular mechanism of non-typable H. influenzae pathogenicity should facilitate development of novel approaches to the treatment and prevention of H. influenzae disease.     

Presence of multiple copies of capsulation loci in invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) strains in Japan before introduction of the Hib conjugate vaccine

Despite the effectiveness of the Hib vaccine, multiple amplification of the capb locus contributes to vaccine failure. However, there has been no report on the effect of Hib locus amplification in Japan. We examined 24 Hib strains from Japanese children with invasive diseases due to Hib. Although all strains showed the same capb sequence, Southern blot analysis showed that four strains (16.7%) harbored multiple copies (more than two) of the capb locus. Careful analysis of the locus in circulating Hib strains is necessary now that the Hib vaccine has been introduced into Japan.     

儿童肺炎链球菌和流感嗜血杆菌耐药及感染特征分析

目的 了解儿童呼吸道感染肺炎链球菌(Streptococcus pneumonia,SP)和流感嗜血杆菌(Haemophilus influenzae,Hi)的分布特征、耐药情况,及耐药菌抗生素间的相互影响,以更合理地指导临床用药.方法 对2009-2010年临床呼吸道感染患儿进行痰、咽拭子或肺泡灌洗液培养分离Hi和SP.因子需求试验鉴定Hi,头孢硝噻酚法检测β-内酰胺酶;奥普托辛和胆汁溶菌试验确认SP.两菌均采用K-B法检测常用对抗生素的耐药性.结果 收集SP 495株,Hi 515株,多见于3岁以下儿童,以呼吸科分离率最高.SP对红霉素、四环素、阿奇霉素、复方新诺明的耐药率分别为98.4％、66.1％、98％和81.6％,其对青霉素敏感性仅为9.5％.Hi有42.7％产生β-内酰胺酶,Hi对氯霉素、复方新诺明、氨苄青霉素、阿奇霉素的耐药率分别为22.1％、21.6％、36.7％和62.7％.与青霉素敏感SP和β-内酰胺酶阴性Hi相比,耐药SP和阳性Hi更易对氯霉素、四环素和复方新诺明耐药.结论 SP和Hi以婴幼儿为主,多见于呼吸科.其耐药情况严峻,青霉素耐药和产β-内酰胺酶菌株会诱导其他抗生素耐药,引发多重耐药.合理使用抗生素以及对两菌的耐药监测应引起高度重视.     

Differential utilization by Haemophilus influenzae of haemoglobin complexed to the three human haptoglobin phenotypes

Haemophilus influenzae has an absolute requirement for heme, which may be supplied as the haemoglobin-haptoglobin complex. Utilization of haemoglobin-haptoglobin by H. influenzae is mediated by a family of proteins termed the haemoglobin-haptoglobin binding proteins (Hgps), of which a given strain may contain up to four genes. Human haptoglobin occurs in three phenotypes (1-1, 2-1 and 2-2). Using mutant derivatives of an H. influenzae type b strain that expressed single Hgps we analysed the ability of each Hgp to utilize haemoglobin complexed to the various haptoglobin phenotypes. A strain expressing only HgpB was able to utilize haemoglobin bound to all haptoglobin phenotypes significantly better than strains expressing either HgpA or HgpC.     

Binding of human hemoglobin by Haemophilus influenzae

Abstract Binding of biotinylated human hemoglobin to Haemophilus influenzae was detected when organisms were grown in heme-deplete, but not heme-replete, conditions. Hemoglobin binding was completely inhibited by a 100-fold excess of unlabelled human hemoglobin or human hemoglobin complexed with human haptoglobin. Binding was only partially inhibited by rat hemoglobin, bovine hemoglobin, human globin, and bovine globin, and not at all by heme, human serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, human transferrin, or myoglobin. Hemoglobin binding was saturable at 16–20 ng of hemoglobin per 10⁹ cfu. Binding of human hemoglobin was detected in serotypes a-f and serologically non-typable strains of H. influenzae , as well as Haemophilus haemolyticus but not Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Haemophilus aphrophilus, Haemophilus parahaemolyticus , or Escherichia coli .     

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae-binding gangliosides of human respiratory (HEp-2) cells have a requisite lacto/neolacto core structure

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) are a major cause of human infections. We previously demonstrated high affinity and high specificity binding of NTHI to minor gangliosides of human respiratory (HEp-2) cells and macrophages, but not to brain gangliosides. We further identified the NTHI-binding ganglioside of human macrophages as alpha2,3-sialylosylparagloboside (IV3NeuAc-nLcOse4Cer, nLM1), which possesses a neolacto core structure that is absent in brain gangliosides. This supported a hypothesis that lacto/neolacto core carbohydrates are critical for NTHI-ganglioside binding. To investigate, we determined the core carbohydrate structure of NTHI-binding gangliosides of HEp-2 cells, through multiple approaches, including specific enzymatic degradation, mass spectral analysis and gas-liquid chromatography. Our analyses denote the following critical structural attributes of NTHI-binding gangliosides: (1) a conserved lacto/neolacto core structure; (2) requisite sialylation, which may be either internal or external, with alpha2,3 (human macrophages) or alpha2,6 (HEp-2 cells) anomeric linkages; (3) internalized galactose residues. Mass spectral and gas chromatographic analyses confirm that NTHI-binding gangliosides of HEp-2 cells possess lacto/neolacto carbohydrate cores and identify the structure of the major peak as NeuAcalpha2-6Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glcbeta1-1Cer (alpha2,6-sialosylparagloboside, nLM1). Collectively, our studies denote NTHI-binding gangliosides as lacto/neolacto series structures.     

Occurrence of the Fimbria Gene hifA in clinical isolates of nonencapsulated Haemophilus influenzae

The adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to epithelial cells plays a crucial role in infections. However, little is known about the occurrence of fimbriae. In this study, we examined the distribution of the fimbria gene (hifA) by PCR among 167 H. influenzae strains isolated from patients with respiratory infections. Almost all (163; 98%) of the isolates were nonencapsulated strains. The carriage rate of hifA by the nonencapsulated strains was 18.4%. Electron microscopy showed that fimbriae were abundantly present on the cell surface of hifA-positive strains tested. Only four (2.4%) isolates were encapsulated, all of which were type b and did not possess hifA. The present work suggests that fimbriae may play a considerable role as adhesins in nonencapsulated H. influenzae strains.     

Influence of iron restriction on growth and the expression of outer membrane proteins by Haemophilus influenzae and H. parainfluenzae

Abstract The growth of both Haemophilus influenzae and H. parainfluenzae was progressively inhibited in media containing increasing concentrations of the iron chelator desferrioxamine. Iron restriction had little effect on the outer-membrane (OM) protein profiles of type b or non-typable H. influenzae although replacement of haemin with protoporphyrin IX resulted in the induction of an M _r 73 000 protein in the type b strains. H. parainfluenzae , however, responded to iron restriction by inducing several new proteins in the range of M _r 70 000 to 86 000.     

Streptococcus pneumoniae proteomics: determinants of pathogenesis and vaccine development

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major pathogen that is responsible for a variety of invasive diseases. The bacteria gain entry initially by establishing a carriage state in the nasopharynx from where they migrate to other sites in the body. The worldwide distribution of the bacteria and the severity of the diseases have led to a significant level of interest in the development of vaccines against the bacteria. Current vaccines, based on the bacterial polysaccharide, have a number of limitations including poor immunogenicity and limited effectiveness against all pneumococcal serotypes. There are many challenges in developing vaccines that will be effective against the diverse range of isolates and serotypes for this highly variable bacterial pathogen. This review considers how proteomic technologies have extended our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of nasopharyngeal colonization and disease development as well as the critical areas in developing protein-based vaccines.     

Structural Analysis of an Extracellular Polysaccharide Bioflocculant of Klebsiella pneumoniae

The glycoside composition and sequence of an extracellular polysaccharide flocculant of Klebsiella pneumoniae H12 was analyzed. GC and HPLC analysis of the acid-hydrolysate identified its constituent monosaccharides as D-Glc, D-Man, D-Gal, and D-GlcA in an approximate molar ratio of 3.9:1.0:2.3:3.6. To analyze the glycoside sequence, the polysaccharide was partially hydrolyzed by acid and enzyme treatment. GC, HPLC, TLC, MALDI-TOF/MS, and 1H- and 13C- NMR spectroscopy characterized the obtained oligosaccharides.

The results clarified the partial structure of H12 polysaccharide as a linear polymer of a unit of pentasaccharide with a side chain of one D-GlcA to D-Glc moiety (see below). Although the existence of other sequences or other constituent glycosides could not be fully excluded, H12 polysaccharide must be a novel types as such a complicated unit for a polymer has not so far been reported. The partial structure of a H12 polysaccharide flocculant is also discussed in this report.

→4)- α-D-Glcp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→3)-4,6-Pyr-β-D- 3 Galp-(1→4)-β-D-Galp-(1→ ↓

1 β-D-GlcpA     

ELISA方法测定血清中Hib多糖抗体含量的条件比较研究

分别以牛血清白蛋白和人血清白蛋白作为封闭液的主要成分测定7份血清中抗b型流感嗜血杆菌荚膜多糖的抗体含量,结果显示,两组数据之间没有显著性差异(P>0.05)。分别用HRP标记的羊抗人IgG和HRP标记的鼠抗人IgG测定该7份血清,结果显示两组结果无显著性差异(P>0.05)。同时,将血清反应的温度和时间由37℃1.5h改为4℃16h(过夜),结果显示两者无显著性差异(P>0.05)。从而优化了该方法。     

~1H-NMR用于肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖质量控制的尝试

纯化的6B、18C血清型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖用生化试验和免疫学试验检测分析后再用一维氢谱核磁共振波谱(1H-NMR)法分析。生化检测其相应多糖的主要化学基团含量是否合格,免疫学检测旨在了解多糖纯化工艺是否影响了多糖的抗原活性,并间接佐证纯化多糖的生化特性是否正确。在此基础上进行1H-NMR分析,可以对纯化多糖的特性有进一步的了解。结果表明,常规的生化检测试验和免疫学检测试验并联合应用1H-NMR分析法后可更好地控制纯化肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖的质量。     

Analysis of immunoglobulin light chain loci in sheep

A sheep kappa cDNA probe was isolated, characterized by sequence analysis and shown to have significant sequence identity to other kappa light chains. This probe and a sheep lambda light chain probe were used to estimate the extent of various sheep immunoglobulin light chain gene loci by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA. The results showed that the sheep has a single hybridizing kappa constant gene and three to five kappa V segment bands. Segregation of three polymorphic bands at the lambda C locus indicated that they were products of separate C segments. Restriction fragment pattern variations were obtained using light chain probes on various sheep breeds, but no pattern or individual band was characteristic for a particular breed.     

Common antigenic determinants of pneumococcal penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1a and Streptococcus pyogenes PBP 2

Abstract Antisera raised against penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1a of Streptococcus pneumoniae reacted with PBP 2 in certain strains of Streptococcus pyogenes . Cross-reactivity could be demonstrated on immunoblots as well as by immunoprecipitation of native solubilised proteins, indicating a similar structural arrangement also in the native form of the two PBPs.     

Rapid detection of Haemophilus influenzae by hel gene polymerase chain reaction

AIMS: To evaluate the efficiency of hel gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Haemophilus influenzae in various clinical/non-clinical samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-four clinical samples (cerebrospinal fluid, blood, sputum, throat and nasal swabs) and throat swabs of 17 asymptomatic carriers were collected. Primers were used to amplify the hel gene of H. influenzae encoding P4 outer membrane protein directly from the processed samples. The samples were also examined by conventional culture methods and the results were compared with those of PCR. The culture methods showed positive results in 60 (65.9%) of 91 samples in contrast to 62 (68.12%) samples tested positive by PCR. None of the culture-positive samples were PCR-negative while two of the culture-negative samples were PCR-positive. The specificity of the products was confirmed by Southern hybridization and failure of various other organisms to amplify the hel gene product. The sensitivity of the PCR assay was found to be 50 pg of DNA. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the hel gene PCR is a rapid, sensitive and a specific new method for direct identification of H. influenzae. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Thus, this PCR test can improve the detection rate of H. influenzae in suspected clinical samples as compared with that of conventional culture methods.     

Structural analysis and chemical depolymerization of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1

NMR spectroscopy can be used to characterize bacterial polysaccharides such as that of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 which is a component of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine in clinical use. This particular polysaccharide gives NMR spectra with wide lines apparently due to restricted molecular mobility and chain flexibility which leads to rapid dipolar T(2) relaxation limiting the possibility of detailed spectral analysis. Removal of O-acetyl groups found on approximately two thirds of the repeating subunits of pneumococcal type 1 capsule leads to narrower NMR lines facilitating a complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Degradation of the polysaccharide by periodate oxidation followed by base treatment leads to an oligosaccharide fragment of approximately three repeating trisaccharide units. This oligosaccharide has narrow NMR lines and 1H and 13C assignments very similar to those of the O-deacetylated polysaccharide. In the native polysaccharide, O-acetyl groups are located on the 2- and 3-positions of the 4-linked galacturonic acid residue providing protection against periodate oxidation. Analysis of NOESY spectra combined with molecular modeling of the oligosaccharide shows that flexibility occurs in certain of the saccharide linkages.     

流感嗜血杆菌ATCC49247来源的IgA酶理化性质及其对低糖基化IgA1的分解作用

【背景】近年来,能够特异性切割人IgA1分子的IgA蛋白酶(IgA酶)被认为是治疗IgA肾病(IgAN)的潜在药物,但各种物理化学因素均可能影响其生物学活性。【目的】研究流感嗜血杆菌(Haemophilus influenzae) ATCC49247 IgA酶的理化性质,确定IgA酶最适的作用条件后观察IgA酶对低糖基化IgA1的作用。【方法】从细菌培养液中分离纯化IgA酶,SDS-PAGE电泳后银染法分别检测多种理化条件下IgA酶的水解活性及其对低糖基化IgA1的消化作用。【结果】H. influenzae ATCC49247IgA酶可耐受的反应温度较广,最适温度为50°C;在高于60°C的环境中,IgA酶便不可逆地丧失了稳定性;IgA酶在pH 6.0-9.0的环境下能够保持完整催化活性;1 mmol/L的PMSF和高于10 mmol/L的SDS能够强烈地抑制IgA酶的活性,DTT和EDTA对IgA酶活性无明显影响;所有浓度的Al~(3+)、Fe~(3+)和高浓度的Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Fe~(2+)对IgA酶均表现出强烈的抑制作用,同时Co~(2+)、Mn~(2+)、Ca~(2+)、Ni~(2+)和Mg~(2+)都对IgA酶活性没有明显影响。选择了最适宜的IgA酶作用条件,发现IgA酶能够有效降解低糖基化IgA1底物。【结论】确定IgA酶最适宜的作用条件能保持良好的酶活性,更好地发挥了IgA酶对低糖基化IgA1的降解作用,为IgA酶的临床研究和药用价值的进一步开发提供一定的依据。     

流感嗜血杆菌致恶性肿瘤患者下呼吸道感染情况与耐药性分析

目的分析流感嗜血杆菌致恶性肿瘤患者下呼吸道感染的情况与耐药状况,以便为临床合理用药提供参考和依据。方法收集2009年7月至2014年6月浙江金华广福医院住院恶性肿瘤患者下呼吸道标本,采用含有X、V因子的巧克力琼脂平板分离培养流感嗜血杆菌,应用梅里埃Vitek2-Compact全自动微生物鉴定仪鉴定菌种,药敏试验采用纸片法(K-B)进行,采用头孢硝噻吩纸片法检测β-内酰胺酶。结果共分离出流感嗜血杆菌102株,分离率为6.1%(102/1672);β-内酰胺酶阳性率为35.3%(36/102);药敏试验表明β-内酰胺酶阳性株与阴性株对氨苄西林、头孢噻肟、复方新诺明、四环素、氨曲南、氯霉素的耐药率差异有统计学意义(P0.05),多数抗菌药物对该菌仍保持良好的抗菌活性。结论从本院恶性肿瘤合并下呼吸道感染患者中分离出的流感嗜血杆菌产β-内酰胺酶阳性率高,大多数抗菌药物对该菌仍保持良好的抗菌活性,临床应重视流感嗜血杆菌感染并根据药敏试验结果合理选用抗菌药物。