肺炎链球菌C多糖含量检测方法的建立

目的使用肺炎链球菌C多糖单克隆抗体(单抗),建立检测荚膜多糖中残留的C多糖含量的方法。方法选择BALB/c雌性小鼠,采用体内诱生单抗腹水,放大生产肺炎链球菌C多糖单抗;使用间接ELISA、抑制性ELISA对其进行特异性鉴定;用特异性和亲和力高的单抗尝试建立肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖中C多糖含量检测的速率比浊法,并对该方法的线性、精密度、特异性进行验证。结果所制4株单抗的抗体类别均为IgM,识别的抗原表位互不相同,亲和力也不同。间接ELISA、抑制性ELISA结果均显示,所获得的单抗能够作用于肺炎链球菌C多糖上的磷酸胆碱位点,具有很好的特异性。选择单抗E8建立速率比浊检测方法的线性、精密度和特异性均良好,检测结果表明肺炎链球菌23个血清型荚膜多糖中C多糖含量不同。结论利用单抗建立了检测肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖中残留的C多糖的含量的速率比浊法。     

Monoclonal antibodies to Streptococcus mutans serotype f polysaccharide cross-react with the 'mutans group' of oral streptococci

Abstract Eleven stable clones producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against serotype polysaccharide f were generated from rat IR 983F myeloma cells and splenocytes from rats immunized with formalin-killed whole Streptococcus mutants OMZ 175. These MAbs were IgG 2b, they had different affinities towards polysaccharide f and all but three were able to inhibit saliva binding to S. mutants OMZ 175 cells. Two specificities were recognized on S. mutans serotype f polysaccharide. One MAb (K24) recognized an epitope on the poly-rhamnose core, as determined by competitive ELISA using different sugars. The ten other MAbs recognized an epitope which seems principally formed of glucose subunits. Purified polysaccharides from other 'mutans streptococci' were able, to different extents, to inhibit the binding of the MAbs to polysaccharide f, confirming the presence of common epitopes in the different strains.     

Streptococcus pneumoniae heat shock protein 70 does not induce human antibody responses during infection

Mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were developed against Streptococcus pneumoniae in search for potential common pneumococcal proteins as vaccine antigens. mAb 230,B-9 (IgG1) reacted by immunoblotting with a 70-kDa protein which was isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography and subsequent preparative electrophoresis. N-terminal amino acid sequencing showed homology to that of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70). The hsp70 epitope reactive with mAb 230,B-9 was found in all the pneumococci examined as well as in other streptococci and enterococci. The epitope was not expressed in several other examined Gram-positive or -negative bacteria. Pneumococcal hsp70 has by other investigators been proposed to be a vaccine candidate. Binding experiments using flow cytometry showed that the epitope was not surface-exposed on live exponential phase grown S. pneumoniae. Human patient sera did not react with affinity-purified pneumococcal hsp70. Therefore the pneumococcal hsp70 does not seem to be of special interest in a vaccine formulation. The human sera contained antibodies to high molecular proteins co-purified with hsp70. Some of these proteins could be the pneumococcal surface protein A.     

~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。     

一种溶菌酶样蛋白对肺炎链球菌毒力及荚膜多糖合成的影响

摘要：【目的】为了研究肺炎链球菌（Streptococcus pneumoniae, S.pn）的一种假想的溶菌酶样蛋白在细菌生物学性状及其致病中的作用。【方法】利用长臂同源PCR对该基因进行敲出,并同时构建带有拯救质粒的缺失菌株,观察D39野生菌、缺失菌与带有拯救质粒的缺失菌株在相关生物学性状及其致病力改变,从而鉴定这种假想溶菌酶样蛋白的功能。【结果】缺失菌与野生菌相比,细菌生长减缓,毒力下降,荚膜多糖合成明显减少。而将拯救质粒转入缺失菌株后,该溶菌酶样蛋白的mRNA表达水平较野生菌高,其毒力及荚膜合成     

Use of FTIR spectroscopy to distinguish between capsular types and capsular quantities in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown remarkable ability in distinguishing between bacterial species and identifying bacterial colony structures, when used in tandem with methods such as cluster analysis, principal component analysis, or linear discriminant analysis. The present work was aimed to evaluate the potential of FTIR-microscopy (FTIR-MSP) to distinguish between different serotypes and capsular quantities of Streptococcus pneumoniae. In general, the results obtained have consistently proven that the spectral information at the region 900-1,185 cm(-1) was sufficient to distinguish between various pneumococcal serotypes. Moreover, the method was able to differentiate between S. pneumoniae phase variants on the basis of their relative carbohydrate content. The unsupervised cluster analysis of the samples showed differences, not only in the carbohydrate content, but also in the region 1,350-1,480 cm(-1), which is dominated by absorptions due to lipids and phospholipids. This approach proved to be useful for the distinction between S. pneumoniae serotypes and between phase variants, which were shown to acquire different pathogenic capacity.     

14型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖纯化工艺中两种去除蛋白方法的比较

目的苯酚抽提法和脱氧胆酸钠沉淀法去除14型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖中蛋白质的效果比较。方法将3批次14型肺炎链球菌发酵培养液经超滤、乙醇沉淀等方法初步纯化后,平分成两份,分别采用苯酚抽提法和脱氧胆酸钠沉淀法去除蛋白,通过比较多糖收获量、多糖组分检定结果、多糖分子质量、多糖抗原活性、多糖核磁共振图谱,以此评价这两种蛋白去除方法的效果。结果与苯酚抽提法相比,脱氧胆酸钠沉淀法制备的14型肺炎链球菌纯化荚膜多糖除收获量较高,蛋白和核酸杂质含量较低外,氨基己糖含量、多糖分子质量、抗原活性和多糖核磁共振图谱的检定分析结果无显著性差异(P>0.1)。结论作为14型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖纯化工艺中的除蛋白方法,脱氧胆酸钠沉淀法优于苯酚抽提法。     

Age-dependent presence of antibodies in rat dams, capable of conferring protection against group B Streptococcus infection in neonates

A rat model was used to investigate maternal age-dependent resistance on group B Streptococcus (GBS)-induced mortality of the offspring. Offspring from young (first time) or older (repeat litters) dams were challenged with GBS. There was an approximate log difference in the dose of GBS required to cause identical levels of mortality in the two groups. The sera of the dams from both groups were analysed by whole-cell ELISA, and it was demonstrated that sera from the older dams possessed circulating IgG cross-reactive to GBS. Since IgG is transplacentally transferred, we conclude that this is the method of observed protection.     

Evaluation of three individual glucosyltransferases produced by Streptococcus mutans using monoclonal antibodies

Abstract We previously established murine hybridomas producing a monoclonal antibody monospecific against three glucosyl-transferases (I, SI and S) of Streptococcus mutans which contribute to dental caries formation. Here, we developed a new immunochemical technique (cross-dot system) with which individual levels of glucosyltransferases expressed by S. mutans can be evaluated. We also examined glucosyltransferase production and in vitro artificial plaque formation by a reference strain and several clinical isolates of S. mutans . The findings indicate that the levels of glucosyltransferases produced greatly vary with the cells and the culture medium, and that the cells producing high levels of both glucosyltransferase-SI and glucosyltransferase-I enzymes may possess high in vitro artificial plaque forming ability. We suggest that the cross-dot system will be useful for estimating the cariogenic potential of S. mutans isolates.     

MALDI-TOF MS对肺炎链球菌鉴定与分型的应用

目的 探讨MALDI-TOF MS对肺炎链球菌鉴定和质谱分型的应用价值。方法 收集2009年1月至2013年5月温州医科大学附属第二医院临床分离的112株肺炎链球菌标本,采用Optochin敏感试验和全自动细菌分析仪对收集的菌株进行鉴定验证,并用Microflex MALDI-TOF质谱仪进行分析鉴定。根据质谱图的相似性进行细菌同源聚类树分析并构建质谱分型模型,采用荚膜肿胀试验对参与分型的菌株进行血清型比较。结果 除20株不符合检测条件之外,92株临床菌株和1株标准株经质谱分析均为肺炎链球菌,选取的60株菌株以0.5的差异水平,将60株肺炎链球菌分为18个质谱型别,在这些菌株的血清分型中有19F、19A、23F、23A、3和14六个血清型别,分布于不同的MALDI-TOF MS分型中,其中19F有18株,占30%（18/60）,分布在6种不同的MALDI-TOF MS分型中,也有3型血清型较为集中地分布于相应的MALDI-TOF MS一个型别里。结论 MALDI-TOF MS能快速、准确、简便地鉴定肺炎链球菌,且能达到种的水平。对比血清型,按照0.5差异水平,建立的18个质谱分型部分的型别与血清型有一致性,但也存有差异。     

Experimental infection of rhesus macaques with Streptococcus pneumoniae: a possible model for vaccine assessment

BACKGROUND: We explored the possibility of using normal adult rhesus macaques for the preclinical assessment of safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of newly developed vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection of the lung. METHODS: Our primary objective was to determine whether an intra-bronchial inoculum of at least 10(6)S. pneumoniae colony-forming units, or one as high as 10(8)-10(9) organisms, could detectably survive in rhesus macaques for a period longer than 1-2 weeks. If so, we hypothesized, it would be possible to observe signs of pneumonia commonly observed in humans, and discriminate between vaccinated/protected animals and controls. Infection was detectable in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids 3-5 weeks post-inoculation. RESULTS: The clinical course of disease mimicked aspects of that of human pneumococcal pneumonia. Signs of inflammation typical of the disease in humans, such as elevated concentrations of neutrophils and of pro-inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the utility of this model to assess the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of newly developed S. pneumoniae vaccines.     

A rhesus macaque model of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage

Background Nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae precedes pneumococcal disease. Elucidation of procedures to prevent or eradicate nasopharyngeal carriage in a model akin to the human would help to diminish the incidence of both pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease. Methods We conducted a survey of the nasopharynx of infant rhesus macaques from our breeding colony, in search of natural carriers of S. pneumoniae. We also attempted experimental induction of colonization, by nasopharyngeal instillation of a human S. pneumoniae strain (19F). Results None of 158 colony animals surveyed carried S. pneumoniae in the nasopharynx. Colonization was induced in eight of eight infant rhesus by nasopharyngeal instillation and lasted 2 weeks in 100% of the animals and 7 weeks in more than 60%. Conclusion Rhesus macaques are probably not natural carriers of S. pneumoniae. The high rate and duration of colonization obtained in our experiments indicates that the rhesus macaque will serve as a human‐like carriage model.     

Production, characterization, and application of monoclonal antibodies which distinguish four glucosyltransferases from Streptococcus sobrinus

A 1,3-alpha-glucan synthase (GTF-I), a highly branched 1, 6-alpha-glucan synthase (GTF-U) and a 1,6-alpha-glucan synthase (GTF-T) were purified to near homogeneity from the culture fluid of Streptococcus sobrinus strain B13N (serotype d) and characterized. In addition, a crude preparation of a recombinant oligo-isomaltosaccharide synthase (rGTF-S) was prepared from a cell-free extract of Escherichia coli MD124 transformant. Using four homogeneous GTF preparations including previously purified rGTF-S as antigens for immunization, 11 murine hybridomas producing a monoclonal antibody (MAb) were established through the fusion of myeloma cells (P3X63-Ag8-U1) and spleen cells of immunized BALB/c mice. When the immunoreactivities of the resultant MAbs were tested, all five MAbs raised against GTF-I, all three MAbs raised against GTF-T, and two of three MAbs raised against GTF-U reacted specifically with the homologous enzyme alone, while one MAb (B86) raised against GTF-U cross-reacted strongly with all GTFs. Although no MAb monospecific for rGTF-S was obtained, precise recognition of GTF-S was possible using the nonspecific B86 antibody together with the MAbs monospecific for the three glucan synthases. Thus, a set of four typical MAbs (B17, B76, B19 and B86) were successfully used for the identification of gene products expressed in 24 previously constructed E. coli phage clones, and the findings suggested that six phage clones might express a gtfU gene encoding GTF-U which has not been hitherto isolated.     

5型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖结合疫苗的不同糖蛋白比与免疫原性的关系

实验中比较了以不同糖蛋白比结合的5型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖结合疫苗的免疫原性。以氨还原法制备的不同糖蛋白比的5型多糖结合疫苗分别经腹腔注射NIH小鼠,共免疫3次,间隔2周。末次免疫2周后采血分离血清,以间接ELISA测定血清抗体,t检验统计分析数据。结果显示,生理盐水组(R组)无免疫原性;5型荚膜多糖组(H组)免疫原性低,无免疫加强效应;结合疫苗M组、N组第1、2针有免疫加强效应,第2、3针无免疫加强效应,而F组和Q组的两针次间均有明显的免疫加强效应。说明5型肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖结合疫苗的糖与蛋白比较高时能获得较好的免疫原性。     

The effects of growth in human serum on an acapsular group B Streptococcus mutant

Abstract A Group B Streptococcus Type III (GBS) mutant which, when grown in Todd Hewitt broth (THB), does not produce any detectable capsule, produced a clearly visible polysaccharide capsule when grown in human serum. We isolated cytoplasmic membranes from GBS and separated the component membrane proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A significant change in membrane composition was found during growth in human serum. Several unique proteins were produced on serum growth and there was both up- and down-regulation of other proteins. We measured the intracellular levels of sialic acid for a variety of GBS serotype III isolates. Interestingly, while there was little difference between the intracellular sialic levels of most isolates, the sialic acid level of COH31-15 grown in THB was over 100% higher than that of any other isolate. When grown in serum this pool was reduced to a level similar to that in other strains. The concentration of bacterial cell sialic acid was directly correlated with the sialic acid content of the serum. Exogenous sialic acid content, in concert with other serum factors, plays a role in determining the capsular size in GBS.     

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.     

Epitope analyses of pneumococcal surface protein A: a combination of two monoclonal antibodies detects 94% of clinical isolates

Immunisation of BALB/c mice with seven heat-treated Norwegian clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae of different serotypes elicited mainly monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA). It was remarkable that the fusions resulted only in a few mAbs directed against other protein antigens. Dot blot analysis with 16 mAbs using clinical isolates representing 23 different capsular types and the uncapsulated reference strain R36A showed that some of the mAbs bound to PspA epitopes expressed by a low number of strains whereas others bound to broadly distributed epitopes. On the basis of their reactivities, seven of these mAbs could be divided into two groups recognising different subsets of pneumococci. The three mAbs in the narrow reacting group bound to epitopes found in 21-25% of the strains whereas the four mAbs in the broad reacting group detected more than 57% of the analysed strains. The epitopes for these seven antibodies were surface exposed on live exponential phase grown pneumococci as shown by flow cytometry. The finding that a combination of mAb 180,C-1 (IgG2a) from the first group and mAb 170,E-11 (IgG2a) from the second group detected 94% of the examined strains is interesting because PspA has been reported by others to be a serological highly variable protein.     

环介导恒温扩增法检测肺炎链球菌的研究

目的 建立环介导恒温扩增(LAMP)检测肺炎链球菌的方法.方法 用LAMP技术扩增肺炎链球菌菌株,并应用50例临床标本采用传统培养法、PCR法、LAMP法进行检测,比较3种方法的检出率,同时检测方法特异性和灵敏度.结果 所测肺炎链球菌均获扩增产物,对其他非肺炎链球菌无交叉反应.LAMP检测灵敏度可达102 CFU/mL.50例临床标本使用LAMP法检出9例肺炎链球菌阳性(18.0％),使用传统培养法检出阳性4例(8.0％).结论 LAMP法较传统培养检测方法特异性强、灵敏度高、操作方便、快速,适合临床标本的肺炎链球菌检测.     

肺炎链球菌转化模型的建立与优化

建立肺炎链球菌转化模型,优化转化体系,提高转化率,以便于进一步研究其致病的分子机制。制备肺炎链球菌感受态,首先在不同菌密度下转化外源DNA,计数抗生素筛选平板上的转化菌落,比较其转化率,确定转化的最适菌密度;然后在此菌密度下比较CSP诱导不同时相的转化率,同时用RT-PCR检测感受态调控基因comE的表达。对所用血清3型菌株而言转化的最适菌密度在OD550=0.09~0.10之间;CSP-2诱导10 min后转化率最高,可达(15.6±3)%;comE的表达也在CSP-2诱导10 min后达到最高。在实验室条件下,肺炎链球菌转化受多种因素的影响,必需控制好各种因素,选择最优条件才能获得稳定、高效的转化。     

Significant variation in transformation frequency in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The naturally transformable bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is able to take up extracellular DNA and incorporate it into its genome. Maintaining natural transformation within a species requires that the benefits of transformation outweigh its costs. Although much is known about the distribution of natural transformation among bacterial species, little is known about the degree to which transformation frequencies vary within species. Here we find that there is significant variation in transformation frequency between strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from asymptomatic carriage, and that this variation is not concordant with isolate genetic relatedness. Polymorphism in the signalling system regulating competence is also not causally related to differences in transformation frequency, although this polymorphism does influence the degree of genetic admixture experienced by bacterial strains. These data suggest that bacteria can evolve new transformation frequencies over short evolutionary timescales. This facility may permit cells to balance the potential costs and benefits of transformation by regulating transformation frequency in response to environmental conditions.