Detection of mycoplasma antigens and immune complexes in sera of the children with bronchial asthma

The study was targeted at revealing Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M.p.) and Mycoplasma hominis (M.h.) antigens in blood samples of children with bronchial asthma (BA),both in a free state and those included in circulating immune complexes (CIC). The mycoplasma antigens of one or both species have been detected in one third out of 62 patients with BA. In this group of patients the frequency of detection of specific antibodies twice exceeded that of mycoplasma antigens. Testing paired blood samples of children with BA (n=26) showed, that at receipt in a hospital and a month after primary examination the mycoplasma antigens were detected in 16 and 12 patients, respectively, the association of M.p. and M.h. antigens being more frequent. Data on distribution of antibodies according to immunoglobulin classes testify that basically two (M, G), or four (M, G, A, E) classes were registered in children, the M class antibodies in high percentage of cases (from 36.6 up to 50.0%)being detected in every term of examination. These data indirectly testify that the antigens can be partly included in the CIC structure. The level of the total CIC content in BA children's blood sera one month after hospitalization twice exceeded the value detected at primary examination. Three months later later this parameter decreased not reaching the control value. The differential analysis of the precipitated CIC within the whole period of examination showed that mycoplasma antigens were present in the CIC structure in 87.4 - 65.0% of cases. The data obtained precondition future studies on the role of mycoplasma and M.p. and M.h. antigens included in the CIC in the pathogenesis of BA.     

支原体培养基的改良及其效果评价

为了改良支原体培养基配方,评价其效果。按《中华人民共和国药典》(以下简称药典)中规定的灵敏度比较方法,将实验室制备的新型支原体改良培养基与《药典》中支原体检查法推荐的处方培养基和商品化支原体培养基进行灵敏度效果比较试验。结果表明,改良后的支原体肉汤和半流体培养基,与接种口腔支原体和肺炎支原体及其它支原体的精氨酸培养基、支原体肉汤培养基无显著差异;与接种肺炎支原体的支原体半流体培养基无显著差异;与接种口腔支原体的支原体半流体培养基差异显著。因此经改良后的支原体培养基灵敏度能够满足药典规定的要求,但其操作简便,且成本低于现有的支原体培养基。     

聚合酶链反应在牛血清支原体检测中的应用

为了探讨聚合酶链反应在牛血清支原体检测上的应用价值,以支原体高度保守的rRNA操纵子(支原体基因组中16SrRNA的编码区序列)设计引物,采用碱裂解法提取牛血清中支原体DNA作为模板进行聚合酶链反应。结果表明,阳性、阴性和内控对照都扩增出了预期的条带,聚合酶链反应与支原体培养法比较,有灵敏、快速、特异性高的特点,可用于牛血清中支原体的常规检测。     

Phylogenetic analysis of the mycoplasma isolated from the Javanese macaque (M. fascicularis)

The nucleotide sequence of the fragment of 16S-aRNA of mycoplasma was determined. The fragment was identified using the PCR method in the urogenital scrape of the Javanese macaque (M. fascicularis). The sequenced fragment of mycoplasma of M. fascicularis was compared to well-known sequences of mycoplasma of mammals. The results of our comparative and phylogenetic analyses of the sequenced DNA fragment revealed that the mycoplasma belonged to the M. primatum species and fell within the same cluster as M. hominis. The mycoplasma M. primatum was for the first time observed in the monkeys M. fascicularis. The pathogenicity of the mycoplasma species with respect to monkeys is being studied.     

Role of the membranes in lymphocyte interaction with mycoplasmas

The interaction of Acheleplasma laidlawii cells, derived membranes and liposomes with mouse spleen lymphocytes does not require the energy and participation of electrostatic coupling. The absence of pinocytosis of mycoplasma is demonstrated. Specific membrane receptors don't participate in mycoplasma and lymphocyte binding. The exchange by membrane lipids occurs during the interaction of mycoplasma, membranes and liposomes with lymphocytes; mycoplasma, membranes and liposomes lose saturated fat acids and enrich with cholesterol. On the contrary, lymphocytes lose cholesterol, but absorb fat acids. The intensity of lipid exchange depends on the degree of unsaturation of fat acids in mycoplasma. The carbohydrate transport into lymphocytes is stimulated considerably as a result of interaction of both cells.     

人胚胎干细胞支原体感染的检测和控制

目的：优化检测人胚胎干细胞支原体感染的方法,寻找控制支原体感染的途径。方法：利用hoeshest33258染色检测感染支原体的人胚胎干细胞,接触感染培养基的人胚胎成纤维细胞,比较两种方法检测效果;利用RNApolymeraseⅡ作为新的鉴定指标,直接检测感染支原体的人胚胎干细胞;利用抗支原体药物对感染细胞进行处理,检测处理后细胞的感染状态。结果：hoechest33258染色后,受支原体感染人胚胎干细胞检测效果不明显,接触感染培养基的人胚胎成纤维细胞在培养7天后有拉丝状染色分布;RNApolymeraseⅡ染色则能直接检测出受感染的人胚胎干细胞表面粘附的支原体;利用抗支原体药物Plasmocin对感染细胞进行处理后hoechest33258拉丝状染色基本消失,但持续培养后重新出现。结论：间接法使用hoechest33258染色或者直接利用RNApolymeraseⅡ染色都能够很好地检测人胚胎干细胞培养过程中的支原体感染。抗支原体药物Plasmocin能够有效减轻支原体感染情况,但是不能完全杀灭支原体。     

Cross comparison of rapid mycoplasma detection platforms

The use of animal and plant derived raw materials in mammalian cell culture processes may provide a possible route of entry for adventitious contaminants such as mycoplasma. Mycoplasma contaminations of cell culture represent a serious challenge to the production of biotechnology derived therapeutics. The slow growing nature of mycoplasma can disguise their infection of cultures since cells may continue to proliferate, though at reduced levels and with lesser output of engineered protein. Rapid identification of mycoplasma contaminated cell cultures and materials enables a faster response time to prevent the spread of the contamination. We describe here the comparison of different mycoplasma detection methods: two nucleic acid-based technologies, the standard mycoplasma culture procedure, and a hybrid culture-quantitative PCR assay. In this study, a cell line infected with two species of mycoplasma was used to compare the different detection methods. Our data demonstrates that the two nucleic acid-based techniques are robust methods for detection of mycoplasma and have similar detection capability. In contrast, no mycoplasma was detected in the standard culture assay or in a hybrid culture-quantitative PCR assay. This shows a potential limitation of the culture assay that relies on the ability of mycoplasma to grow in broth media.     

Competitor internal standards for quantitative detection of mycoplasma DNA

Abstract Homologous internal controls were used as competitor DNA in the polymerase chain reaction for the quantitative detection of mycoplasma DNA. PCR primer sets were designed on the basis of the most conserved nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA gene of mycoplasma species. Amplification of this gene was examined in five different mycoplasma species: Mycoplasma orale, M. hyorhinus, M. synoviae, M. gallisepticum and M. pneumonias . To evaluate the primers, a number of different cell lines were assayed for the detection of mycoplasma infections. All positive cell lines showed a distinct product on agarose gels while uninfected cells showed no DNA amplification. Neither bacterial nor eukaryotic DNA produced any cross-reaction with the primers used, thus confirming their specificity. Internal control DNA to be used for quantitation was constructed by modifying the sizes of the wild-type amplified products and cloning them in plasmid vectors. These controls used the same primer binding sites as the wild-type and the amplified products were differentiated by a size difference. The detection limits for all the mycoplasma species by competitive quantitative PCR were estimated to range from 4 to 60 genome copies per assay as determined by ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels. These internal standards also serve as positive controls in PCR-based detection of mycoplasma DNA, and therefore accidental contamination of test samples with wild-type positive controls can be eliminated. The quantitative PCR method developed will be useful in monitoring the progression and significance of mycoplasma in the disease process.     

Collaborative study report: Evaluation of the ATCC experimental mycoplasma reference strains panel prepared for comparison of NAT-based and conventional mycoplasma detection methods

The main goal of this collaborative study was to evaluate the experimental panel of cryopreserved mycoplasma reference strains recently prepared by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC^®) in order to assess the viability and dispersion of cells in the mycoplasma stocks by measuring the ratio between the number of genomic copies (GC) and the number of colony forming units (CFU) in the reference preparations. The employment of microbial reference cultures with low GC/CFU ratios is critical for unbiased and reliable comparison of mycoplasma testing methods based on different methodological approaches, i.e., Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) and compendial culture-based techniques. The experimental panel included ten different mycoplasma species known to represent potential human and animal pathogens as well as common contaminants of mammalian and avian cell substrates used in research, development, and manufacture of biological products. Fifteen laboratories with expertise in field of mycoplasma titration and quantification of mycoplasmal genomic DNA participated in the study conducted from February to October of 2012. The results of this study demonstrated the feasibility of preparing highly viable and dispersed (possessing low GC/CFU ratios) frozen stocks of mycoplasma reference materials, required for reliable comparison of NAT-based and conventional mycoplasma detection methods.     

Mycoplasma—virus contacts,budding and scars remaining in the membranes ofAcholeplasma laidlawii and its virus

Various stages of virus and mycoplasma budding indicated that both virus and, most probably some mycoplasma progeny developed by budding. Besides this alternative, binary fission was the mode of mycoplasma reproduction. Mycoplasma—virus and mycoplasma—mycoplasma connections by stems were observed. Circular scars, 40–80 nm in diameter, often in groups, were left in the membrane of mycoplasmas by the budding bodies. Cytoplasmic structures seen in cross-fracture are presented. A relatively small number of globular virus-like bodies, not identical with MV-Lg-L 172, were observed budding from mycoplasma cells in the non-infected host culture.     

重组酶聚合酶等温扩增快速检测肺炎支原体方法的建立和初步应用

摘要 目的：建立基于重组酶聚合酶扩增技术（RPA）技术快速检测肺炎支原体的方法。方法：本研究以肺炎支原体编码P1黏附蛋白为靶基因,利用Primer Premier 5软件进行引物、探针的设计,最终筛选出最佳引物。同时设计相应的实时荧光定量PCR（RT-PCR）引物用于后续的验证试验。对反应体系试剂比例、反应时间、反应温度、引物探针浓度进行确定。肺炎支原体、解脲支原体、人型支原体、肺炎克雷伯菌、肺炎双球菌、大肠杆菌和链球菌作为对照评估RPA检测肺炎支原体的特异性及敏感度。结果：RPA快速检测肺炎支原体方法仅需14 min,检测灵敏度达200 copies/mL;6种非肺炎支原体均不能扩增,特异性较高。结论：本研究建立了肺炎支原体的RPA快速检测方法,具有迅速、简便、经济等优势,为肺炎支原体的快速检测提供一个新的有利工具。     

World Health Organization International Standard To Harmonize Assays for Detection of Mycoplasma DNA

Nucleic acid amplification technique (NAT)-based assays (referred to here as NAT assays) are increasingly used as an alternative to culture-based approaches for the detection of mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures. Assay features, like the limit of detection or quantification, vary widely between different mycoplasma NAT assays. Biological reference materials may be useful for harmonization of mycoplasma NAT assays. An international feasibility study included lyophilized preparations of four distantly related mycoplasma species (Acholeplasma laidlawii, Mycoplasma fermentans, M. orale, M. pneumoniae) at different concentrations which were analyzed by 21 laboratories using 26 NAT assays with a qualitative, semiquantitative, or quantitative design. An M. fermentans preparation was shown to decrease the interassay variation when used as a common reference material. The preparation was remanufactured and characterized in a comparability study, and its potency (in NAT-detectable units) across different NATs was determined. The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS) established this preparation to be the “1st World Health Organization international standard for mycoplasma DNA for nucleic acid amplification technique-based assays designed for generic mycoplasma detection” (WHO Tech Rep Ser 987:42, 2014) with a potency of 200,000 IU/ml. This WHO international standard is now available as a reference preparation for characterization of NAT assays, e.g., for determination of analytic sensitivity, for calibration of quantitative assays in a common unitage, and for defining regulatory requirements in the field of mycoplasma testing.     

241例儿童社区获得性肺炎支原体感染的临床分析

目的：总结2011-2012年黄岛地区儿童社区获得性肺炎（CAP）患儿中支原体的感染情况,以指导临床诊断和治疗。方法：选取2011-2012年间因CAP住院的患儿241例,所有CAP患儿均于住院第2天采集空腹血行9项呼吸道感染病原体IgM检查,包括肺炎支原体、嗜肺军团菌、Q热立克次体、肺炎衣原体、腺病毒、呼吸道合胞病毒、甲型流感病毒、乙型流感病毒、副流感病毒。结果：241例社区获得性肺炎患儿中支原体感染阳性74例（30.7%）,其中132例男性CAP患儿中支原体感染38例（28.8%）,109例女性CAP患儿中支原体感染36例;〉3岁患儿的感染率为41.2%,1-3岁患儿感染率26.2%,〈1岁婴幼儿感染率为5.4%;2011年CAP患儿支原体感染率为19.4%,而2012年为34.6%;74例支原体阳性患儿合并其他感染者6例。结论：黄岛地区儿童社区获得性肺炎中支原体感染占重要地位,且有升高趋势,应重视婴幼儿支原体感染及难治性支原体肺炎的诊治。     

241 例儿童社区获得性肺炎支原体感染的临床分析

目的：总结2011-2012 年黄岛地区儿童社区获得性肺炎(CAP)患儿中支原体的感染情况,以指导临床诊断和治疗。方法：选取 2011-2012 年间因CAP住院的患儿241 例,所有CAP 患儿均于住院第2 天采集空腹血行9 项呼吸道感染病原体IgM检查,包括 肺炎支原体、嗜肺军团菌、Q热立克次体、肺炎衣原体、腺病毒、呼吸道合胞病毒、甲型流感病毒、乙型流感病毒、副流感病毒。结 果：241 例社区获得性肺炎患儿中支原体感染阳性74 例(30.7%),其中132例男性CAP患儿中支原体感染38 例(28.8%),109 例女 性CAP 患儿中支原体感染36 例;＞3 岁患儿的感染率为41.2%,1-3 岁患儿感染率26.2%,＜1 岁婴幼儿感染率为5.4%;2011 年 CAP患儿支原体感染率为19.4%,而2012 年为34.6%;74 例支原体阳性患儿合并其他感染者6 例。结论：黄岛地区儿童社区获得 性肺炎中支原体感染占重要地位,且有升高趋势,应重视婴幼儿支原体感染及难治性支原体肺炎的诊治。     

Utilization of Neuraminic Acid Receptors by Mycoplasmas

Erythrocytes and H-HeLa cells were treated with neuraminidase and then compared with untreated cells for their ability to adsorb to mycoplasma colonies or be agglutinated by suspensions of the mycoplasmas. Of the 17 mycoplasma serotypes examined, only 4 were found to use neuraminic acid receptors; these were Mycoplasma pneumoniae, M. gallisepticum, M. synoviae, and mycoplasma WR1. Not all strains of a serotype behaved alike. Thus, removal of receptors on erythrocytes for one strain of M. gallisepticum required at least 100 times the concentration of neuraminidase needed to remove them for another strain. The mechanism of attachment of erythrocytes to mycoplasma colonies does not appear to be the same as that for attachment to mycoplasmas in suspension.     

Identification of novel Mycoplasma hyorhinis gene fragments by differential display analysis of co-cultures

Mycoplasmas are a diverse group of wall-less prokaryotes that have evolved an unusually small genome by adopting a parasitic mode of life. Recently, intense efforts have been made to sequence mycoplasma genomes and to define a minimal genome using mycoplasma as a model. Due to their parasitic nature, mycoplasma species are often difficult to cultivate, making it challenging to identify and sequence mycoplasma genes. In this report, we describe a method for identifying mycoplasma gene fragments from co-cultures using differential display analysis. Using this technique, we have identified fragments of seven putative genes from Mycoplasma hyorhinis. Sequence similarities suggest that four of these genes are members of the proposed minimal mycoplasma genome. The application of differential display analysis to co-cultures should be useful in the identification of genes from a variety of pathogenic organisms that are difficult to cultivate without a host.     

Elongation factor (EF-Tu) gene probe detects polymorphism in Mycoplasma strains

Abstract Polymorphism in mycoplasma strains was observed by Southern blot hybridization of the digested mycoplasma DNAs with the elongation factor (EF-Tu) gene tuf of Escherichia coli . The hybridization patterns revealed genotypic heterogeneity among Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains and a remarkable degree of homogeneity among Mucoplasma pneumoniae strains isolated from pneumonia patients. The distinction among M. gallisepticum strain clusters achieved by the tuf gene probe corresponded exactly with that obtained with the rRNA gene probe pMC5. The tuf gene probe may thus be added as another effective tool in the taxonomy of Mollicutes and in epidemiological surveys of mycoplasma infections.     

高原地区非淋菌性泌尿生殖道炎支原体感染及药敏分析

了解昆明地区支原体引起非淋菌性泌尿生殖道炎的感染状况以及为其治疗提供敏感的抗生素,采用法国生物梅里埃公司的ＭｙｃｏｐｌａｓｍａＩＳＴ试剂盒对７３例非淋菌性泌尿生殖道炎患者分泌物进行支原体培养鉴定及体外药敏试验,结果检出２０株解脲支原体和６株人型支原体;８例为两种支原体混合感染。     

Influence of mycoplasma infection on the incorporation of different precursors into RNA components of tissue culture cells

Seven different tissue culture cells have been cultured with and without mycoplasma (M. hyorhinis) in the presence of various precursors of RNA. Total cellular RNA was isolated and analysed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. The results obtained with mycoplasma-infected cells can be summarized as follows:

1. 1. When cells are labelled with [8-³H]guanosine or [5-³H]uridine there is some incorporation into host cell 28S and 18S rRNA, but it is less than into mycoplasma 23S and 16S rRNA. [8-³H]guanosine or [5-³H]uridine are also incorporated into host cell and mycoplasma tRNA and mycoplasma 4.7S RNA, but the incorporation into host cell 5S rRNA and low molecular weight RNA components (LMW RNA) is reduced.

2. 2. [5-³H]uracil is not incorporated into host cell RNA but into mycoplasma tRNA, 4.7S RNA, a mycoplasma low molecular weight RNA component M₁ and 23S and 16S rRNA.

3. 3. [³H]methyl groups are incorporated into mycoplasma tRNA, 23S and 16S rRNA, but not into host cell 28S, 18S, 5S rRNA nor into mycoplasma 4.7S RNA.

4. 4. With [³²P]orthophosphate or [³H]adenosine as precursors, the labelling is primarily in the host RNA.

Mycoplasma infection influences the labelling of RNA primarily by an effect on the utilization of the exogenously added radioactive RNA precursors, since the generation time of mycoplasma infected cells is about the same as that of uninfected cells. Mycoplasma infection may completely prevent the identification of LMW RNA components.     

病毒性心肌炎与支原体肺炎患儿心肌损伤标志物水平的检验意义

目的:探讨病毒性心肌炎与支原体肺炎患者心肌损伤标志物水平检测意义。方法:回顾性分析医院收治的病毒性心肌炎患儿53例和肺炎支原体肺炎患儿49例分别作为病毒性心肌炎组和支原体肺炎组,选取同期体检正常儿童50例作为对照组,分别检测心肌酶指标和心肌蛋白指标。结果:病毒性心肌炎组心肌肌钙蛋白I(c Tnl)、肌红蛋白(MYO)显著高于支原体肺炎组、对照组,差异显著(P0.05);支原体肺炎组和对照组组间差异显著,具有统计学意义(P0.05)。病毒性心肌炎组肌酸激酶(CK)、肌酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)、门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)均显著高于支原体肺炎组、对照组,差异显著(P0.05);支原体肺炎组、对照组组间对比差异显著,具有统计学意义(P0.05)。2组入院10 d c Tnl、MYO均低于入院第1 d,具有统计学意义(P0.05);病毒性心肌炎组入院第10 d c Tnl、MYO显著高于支原体肺炎组,具有统计学意义(P0.05)。2组入院10 d CK、CK-MB、AST、LDH均低于入院第1 d,具有统计学意义(P0.05);病毒性心肌炎组入院第10 d CK、CK-MB、AST显著高于支原体肺炎组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。根据ROC曲线分析临床性能,c Tnl、MYO、CK、CK-MB、AST、LDH的临界值分别为0.38μg/L、56.2μg/L、236.58 U/L、32.8 U/L、71.6 U/L、232.8 U/L,灵敏度分别为82.7%、85.4%、84.8%、89.6%、90.2、79.8%。结论:心肌损伤标志物可作为诊断病毒性心肌炎和支原体肺炎的重要指标,应用ROC回归曲线确定各指标的临界值,还可对两种疾病进行鉴别诊断。