肺炎衣原体ompA基因VD2-VD3区重组蛋白在血清学诊断中的初步应用

应用聚合酶联反应(PCR)技术,从肺炎衣原体Chlamydia pneumoniae的主要外膜蛋白(Major Outer Membrane Protein,MOMP)编码基因(ompA)上扩增出抗原优势表位VD2-VD3区基因,构建原核表达系统并诱导表达重组蛋白,经Ni-NTA亲和层析法纯化表达产物。间接酶联免疫吸附试验(Enzyme link immunosorbent assay,ELISA)检测人血清中特异性IgG抗体。试验表明,转化入BL21大肠杆菌的重组质粒,能表达并纯化出相对分子质量(Mr)为24KD的重组蛋白。Western blot证实重组蛋白只与Cpn MOMP mAb发生特异性反应;重组蛋白用作ELISA包被抗原检测Cpn阴阳性参比血清,特异性和灵敏度均为100%;对126位冠心病患者血清进行的检测中,该间接ELISA法与晶美公司Cpn IgG ELISA诊断试剂盒的检测结果相比,符合率达到96.3%。结果证实,制备的重组蛋白MOMPVD2-VD3具有良好的免疫活性,在Cpn血清学诊断的应用中具有较大的利用价值。     

鹦鹉热嗜衣原体蛋白酶样活性因子(CPAF)原核表达与纯化

应用分子生物学技术,选择鹦鹉热嗜衣原体(Chlamydophila psittaci,C.psittaci,Cps)6BC株的CPAF蛋白的免疫优势区基因,进行构建pGEX6p-2/CPAFm重组质粒与重组菌,使用IPTG诱导重组蛋白的表达并分析诱导温度、诱导剂剂量及诱导时间对蛋白表达的影响.重组蛋白以GST琼脂糖凝胶...     

制备肺炎衣原体抗原片检测血清抗体

目的:探索肺炎衣原体抗原片检测血清抗体法在诊断Cpn感染中的实际应用前景。方法:应用进口肺炎衣原体(Cpn)毒株感染Hep-2细胞,分别以瑞氏-姬母萨染色、吖啶橙染色和直接免疫荧光染色等3种方法鉴定Cpn感染细胞。纯化获取大量Cpn抗原,用于制备斑点抗原片。建立微量免疫荧光染色法(MIF)检测血清抗体,诊断Cpn感染。结果:Cpn感染Hep-2细胞的最适条件是用含1μg/mL放线菌酮的维持液,在35℃、5%CO2孵箱中培养7d,并在培养的第0、3、4、5天以2600r/min离心1h,感染成功率极高。染色反应显示,瑞氏-姬母萨染色可将Cpn包涵体染成蓝紫色或红紫色;吖啶橙染色则使Cpn感染的Hep-2细胞呈现鲜明的橘红色;免疫荧光抗体染色后,在Cpn感染细胞内可见亮苹果绿色包涵体。通过斑点抗原荧光抗体染色的方法抽样检测了100份病人血清中的Cpn抗体,其中抗Cpn-IgG抗体的阳性血清共61份,阳性率为61%。与Cpn-外周血单核细胞(Cpn-PBMC)抗原片比较,阳性检出率无明显差别。结论:用Cpn感染细胞制作的Cpn斑点抗原片可用于临床检测血清Cpn-IgG抗体,且具有特异性、敏感性高的特点,但要求检测人员有一定的经验。     

肺炎衣原体单克隆抗体的研制和应用

目的:以杂交瘤技术制备抗肺炎衣原体(Cpn)单克隆抗体,用于衣原体感染的诊断及相关疾病的研究。方法:以进口Cpn抗原免疫BALB/c小鼠,将免疫小鼠的脾脏细胞与SP2/0细胞融合,用间接ELISA法筛选抗体阳性杂交瘤细胞。收集接种过杂交瘤细胞的小鼠腹水,分别用ELISA法检测抗体效价、用免疫琼脂扩散试验鉴定单抗的类别、用微量荧光免疫试验(MIF)检测单抗的种属特异性。用克隆表达的主要外膜蛋白(MOMP)通过Dot-ELISA法分析单抗的特异性。通过建立直接免疫荧光法(DIF)检测病人和正常人外周血单核细胞(PBMC)标本,并进行统计处理。结果:小鼠脾脏细胞与SP2/0细胞的融合率为61.46%(236/384),最终获得4株稳定分泌Cpn单抗的细胞株。用ELISA法检测小鼠腹水,效价高者可达1∶100000。免疫琼脂扩散试验鉴定为IgG类单抗,扩散效价达1∶128。自制单抗能与重组MOMP发生结合反应,表明其为抗CpnMOMP抗体。自制单抗与进口单抗类似,即与鹦鹉热衣原体(Cps)出现一定程度的交叉反应,而与沙眼衣原体(Ct)则无交叉反应。对240份PBMC标本用自制单抗和进口单抗同时检测Cpn抗原,2种单抗检测均阳性的共86份,经SPSS软件分析两者具有较好的一致性。DIF检测显示,心血管疾病和呼吸道疾病Cpn抗原阳性检出率分别为69.34%(95/137)和72.06%(49/68),与正常人标本Cpn抗原阳性率相比,均具有显著性差异。结论:获得IgG类抗CpnMOMP单抗,自制Cpn单抗的特异性和敏感性均与进口单抗具有较好的一致性。PBMCCpn抗原检测的统计分析证实,对于动脉粥样硬化等某些疾病的发生和发展,Cpn感染可能是重要的原因之一,但其中的因果关系还有待深入研究。     

重组鹦鹉热衣原体主要外膜蛋白的抗原性研究

构建了鹦鹉热衣原体主要外膜蛋白的原核表达载体,并对其进行了诱导表达,经过纯化,复性,获得了重组蛋白。用Westen-blotting和胶体金方法检测,此蛋白具有衣原体的免疫原性。经兔免疫接种实验,获得了多抗血清,用ELISA方法检测,其抗体滴度为1：2000。     

肺炎支原体重组蛋白抗原的初步鉴定

克隆并表达肺炎支原体(Mycoplasma pneumoniae,Mp)P1黏附蛋白D-2区基因片段,进而对重组蛋白的抗原特异性进行鉴定。应用PCR技术获取目的基因片段,并构建含有目的基因片段的重组质粒,用重组质粒酶切图谱法、PCR扩增及核苷酸测序方法鉴定重组质粒。而后将其转入大肠杆菌BL21菌株,用IPTG诱导目的基因表达,用SDS-PAGE分析重组蛋白的相对分子量,免疫印迹实验鉴定其免疫反应性,并用ELISA实验测定重组蛋白抗原的特异性。结果重组质粒中的p1基因片段经测序后,与GenBank中p1基因核苷酸序列比较,其同源性为99.66%~100%;经SDS-PAGE分析,重组蛋白的相对分子量约为59 ku;免疫印迹实验和ELISA实验证实,Mp免疫血清和Mp感染患者血清都能与重组蛋白发生特异反应。研究中的含P1黏附因子D-2区基因的重组质粒已成功构建,其表达的重组蛋白具有特异的免疫反应性,初步ELISA实验证实,本研究获得的重组蛋白可用于临床标本检测。     

肺炎嗜衣原体主要外膜蛋白的克隆表达与抗原性研究

肺炎嗜衣原体主要外膜蛋白是其特征抗原之一。实验中通过PCR方法从肺炎嗜衣原体基因组中扩增主要外膜蛋白基因,插入pET32a(+)表达载体,转化BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,得到表达56kD融合蛋白的工程菌株。该菌株的表达量可达53%,提纯后的主要外膜蛋白纯度可达90%以上,在Western Blotting试验和胶体金免疫层析试验中显示了良好的抗原性。     

沙眼衣原体真核表达质粒pcDNA4/CT703的构建及其表达

目的：构建含沙眼衣原体（Chlamydia trachomatis, Ct）基因CT703的真核重组表达质粒pcDNA4/CT703,并检测其在HeLa细胞中的表达.方法：利用RT-PCR扩增CT703基因,然后将其亚克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA4,PCR、双酶切和测序检测重组质粒.将正确的重组质粒瞬时转染HeLa细胞,免疫荧光和Western Blot实验检测重组质粒目的蛋白表达. 结果：经PCR、双酶切和测序鉴定后,成功构建了真核重组表达质粒pcDNA4/CT703,将其转染HeLa细胞后,免疫荧光和Western Blot实验能检测到目的蛋白的表达.结论：成功构建了重组质粒pcDNA4/CT703,并能在HeLa细胞中表达,为进一步研究CT703的功能奠定了基础.     

Cpn0308基因真核载体构建及鉴定

目的:构建Cpn0308基因真核表达重组质粒,为肺炎衣原体(Chlamydia pneumoniae,Cpn)核酸疫苗的研制做准备。方法:用PCR技术从Cpn AR39株基因组DNA中扩增Cpn 0308基因,经双酶切、连接等反应,重组入pcDNA3.1/HisA真核表达载体,转化到感受态细胞,再经含氨苄青霉素的LB培养基筛选,酶切、PCR扩增及测序鉴定。结果:从Cpn AR39株基因组DNA中扩增出特异的Cpn 0308基因,约400bp;酶切、重组、转化、筛选鉴定出pcDNA3.1/HisA-Cpn0308重组质粒;序列测定证实与GenBank登录的肺炎衣原体Cpn AR39株Cpn0308基因一致。结论:功地构建了pcDNA3.1/HisA-Cpn0308重组质粒,为肺炎衣原体核酸疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

柯萨奇病毒A组16型衣壳蛋白VP1的原核表达及初步活性测定

目的:原核表达柯萨奇病毒A组16型(CVA16)衣壳蛋白VP1,以便于研制血清学检测试剂。方法:在基因库中钓取CVA16-VP1的全长序列,采用PCR逐步合成法合成其全长基因,测序正确后克隆到表达载体pET28a(+)中,构建重组表达质粒pET28a(+)/VP1,转化大肠杆菌BL21,IPTG诱导表达,利用Ni2+亲和层析柱对重组蛋白进行纯化;建立捕获免疫酶联法检测IgM抗体,检测20份手足口病阳性血清和30份阴性血清,评价重组抗原的灵敏度和特异性;采用CVA16全病毒免疫的抗小鼠血清进行Western印迹。结果:重组CVA16-VP1蛋白在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达;用重组蛋白抗原检测,20份手足口病患儿阳性血清中有4份阳性,其中1份同时为肠道病毒71型(EV71)VP1阳性,30份阴性血清无反应。结论:实现了CVA16-VP1的高效表达,初步结果显示重组蛋白具有较好的抗原性,为柯萨奇病毒A组16型诊断试剂的研究奠定了基础。     

Serological profiling with Chlamycheck, a commercial multiplex recombinant antigen Western blot assay of chlamydial infections

A new chlamydial test system, the Chlamycheck assay, which uses 4 purified recombinant antigens of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae and one antigen of Chlamydophila psittaci, has been developed and commercialized. We investigated the reactivities of the recombinant antigens with sera from a group of 30 patients with acute Chlamydia trachomatis infection, 88 patients consulting for sexually transmitted infections, and 46 patients with serological evidence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection. The results obtained from human and infected mouse sera suggest that Chlamycheck serology against multiple proteins may provide additional useful information that is not available by conventional whole elementary body microimmunofluorescence or single-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay serology. Specific serological profiles were associated with acute versus past Chlamydia trachomatis infection or with Chlamydia trachomatis primo-infection versus infection in a Chlamydophila pneumoniae history context.     

Targeting of a chlamydial protease impedes intracellular bacterial growth

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that propagate in a cytosolic vacuole. Recent work has shown that growth of Chlamydia induces the fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus (GA) into ministacks, which facilitates the acquisition of host lipids into the growing inclusion. GA fragmentation results from infection-associated cleavage of the integral GA protein, golgin-84. Golgin-84-cleavage, GA fragmentation and growth of Chlamydia trachomatis can be blocked by the peptide inhibitor WEHD-fmk. Here we identify the bacterial protease chlamydial protease-like activity factor (CPAF) as the factor mediating cleavage of golgin-84 and as the target of WEHD-fmk-inhibition. WEHD-fmk blocked cleavage of golgin-84 as well as cleavage of known CPAF targets during infection with C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae. The same effect was seen when active CPAF was expressed in non-infected cells and in a cell-free system. Ectopic expression of active CPAF in non-infected cells was sufficient for GA fragmentation. GA fragmentation required the small GTPases Rab6 and Rab11 downstream of CPAF-activity. These results define CPAF as the first protein that is essential for replication of Chlamydia. We suggest that this role makes CPAF a potential anti-infective therapeutic target.     

Specificity of the microimmunofluorescence assay for the serodiagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infections are mostly confirmed using an indirect microimmunofluorescence test for which potential cross-reactions between antigens from different chlamydial species are not well documented. Using this assay, 928 sera (507 subjects) submitted for Chlamydia pneumoniae serology were tested for specific IgM and IgG to this bacteria using the TW-183 antigen. IgM and IgG reactivities to Chlamydia trachomatis serotypes C, D, E, and L2 and Chlamydia psittaci strain 6BC antigens were also tested. A sample was interpreted as positive only when evenly fluorescent elementary bodies were observed. Twenty-five subjects (4.9%) showed serological evidence of recent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection (IgM positive and (or) IgG seroconversion); 11 of them also showed serological evidence of recent infection with at least one other chlamydial species. Specificity was 50 and 63% for IgM and IgG detection, respectively. These results suggest that mixed or temporally related infections might occur, or, more likely, that some Chlamydia pneumoniae IgM or IgG reactivities might be due to heterotypic antibodies.     

The secreted protease factor CPAF is responsible for degrading pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins in Chlamydia trachomatis-infected cells

Chlamydia trachomatis has evolved a profound anti-apoptotic activity that may aid in chlamydial evasion of host defense. The C. trachomatis anti-apoptotic activity has been correlated with blockade of mitochondrial cytochrome c release, inhibition of Bax and Bak activation, and degradation of BH3-only proteins. This study presents evidence that a chlamydia-secreted protease factor designated CPAF is both necessary and sufficient for degrading the BH3-only proteins. When the C. trachomatis-infected cell cytosolic extracts were fractionated by column chromatography, both the CPAF protein and activity elution peaks overlapped with the BH3-only protein degradation activity peak. Depletion of CPAF with a CPAF-specific antibody removed the BH3-only protein degradation activity from the infected cell cytosolic extracts, whereas depletion with control antibodies failed to do so. Notably, recombinant CPAF expressed in bacteria was able to degrade the BH3-only proteins, whereas CPAF mutants similarly prepared from bacteria failed to do so. Finally, bacterium-expressed CPAF also degraded the human BH3-only protein Pumaalpha purified from bacteria. These results demonstrate that CPAF contributes to the chlamydial anti-apoptotic activity by degrading the pro-apoptotic BH3-only Bcl-2 subfamily members.     

A secondary structure motif predictive of protein localization to the chlamydial inclusion membrane

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that spend their entire growth phase sequestered in a membrane-bound vacuole called an inclusion. A set of chlamydial proteins, labelled Inc proteins, has been identified in the inclusion membrane (IM). The predicted IncA, IncB and IncC amino acid sequences share very limited similarity, but a common hydrophobicity motif is present within each Inc protein. In an effort to identify a relatively complete catalogue of Chlamydia trachomatis proteins present in the IM of infected cells, we have screened the genome for open reading frames encoding this structural motif. Hydropathy plot analysis was used to screen each translated open reading frame in the C. trachomatis genome database. Forty-six candidate IM proteins (C-lncs) that satisfied the criteria of containing a bilobed hydrophobic domain of at least 50 amino acids were identified. The genome of Chlamydia pneumoniae encodes a larger collection of C-lnc proteins, and only approximately half of the C-lncs are encoded within both genomes. In order to confirm the hydropathy plot screening method as a valid predictor of C-lncs, antisera and/or monoclonal antibodies were prepared against six of the C. trachomatis C-lncs. Immunofluorescence microscopy of C. trachomatis-infected cells probed with these antibodies showed that five out of six C-lncs are present in the chlamydial IM. Antisera were also produced against C. pneumoniae p186, a protein sharing identity with Chlamydia psittaci lncA and carrying a similar bilobed hydrophobic domain. These antisera labelled the inclusion membrane in C. pneumoniae infected cells, confirming that proteins sharing the unique secondary structural characteristic also localize to the inclusion membrane of C. pneumoniae. Sera from patients with high-titre antibodies to C. trachomatis were examined for reactivity with each tested C-lnc protein. Three out of six tested C-lncs were recognized by a majority of these patient sera. Collectively, these studies identify and characterize novel proteins localized to the chlamydial IM and demonstrate the existence of a potential secondary structural targeting motif for localization of chlamydial proteins to this unique intracellular environment.     

Genomic screening for Chlamydophila pneumoniae-specific antigens using serum samples from patients with primary infection

Chlamydophila pneumoniae, an obligate intracellular human pathogen, causes respiratory tract infections. The most common techniques used for the serological diagnosis of C.?pneumoniae infections are microimmunofluorescence tests and commercial serological ELISA tests; these are based on the detection of antibodies against whole chlamydial elementary bodies and lipopolysaccharide/outer membrane protein, respectively. Identification of more specific and highly immunodominant antigens is essential for the development of new serodiagnostic assays. To identify novel specific antigens from C.?pneumoniae, we screened 455 genes with unknown function in the genome of C.?pneumoniae J138. Extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells expressing GFP-tagged C.?pneumoniae proteins were subjected to Western blot analysis using serum samples from C.?pneumoniae-infected patients as the primary antibodies. From this comprehensive analysis, 58 clones expressing C.?pneumoniae open reading frames, including hypothetical proteins, were identified as antigens. These results have provided useful information for the development of new serological tools for the diagnosis for C.?pneumoniae infections and for the development of vaccines in future.     

Use of the Recombinant 38-kDa Antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as an Immunogen for Specific Antisera Production

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis 38-kDa protein antigen is one of the secreted immunodominant antigens showing high immunogenicity at B-cell and T-cell levels. Although monoclonal antibodies to this antigen have been produced, specific polyclonal antisera is required for standardization of specific immunodiagnostic assays. This protein has been overexpressed and purified from recombinant Escherichia coli using an inducible vector system. During each stage of expression and purification, the recombinant protein was used to immunize mice and rabbits by several methods: 1) as overexpressed protein present as inclusion bodies in recombinant E. coli; 2) embedded in a polyacrylamide gel; 3) fixed to a solid-phase nitrocellulose membrane and 4) emulsified with an adjuvant. All strategies yielded specific antisera as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot analyses. The results obtained, both quantitative (ELISA) and qualitative (immunoblot) demonstrate that the purified recombinant antigen retains its antigenicity and immunogenicity throughout the various steps in the process of expression and purification and serves as a potent antigen for production of specific antisera to be used in immunoassays.     

Serodiagnosis of amoebiasis using a recombinant protein fragment of the 29 kDa surface antigen of Entamoeba histolytica

To develop an improved serodiagnostic test for amoebiasis, we performed a detailed analysis of the immunodominant epitopes of the 29 kDa surface antigen and evaluated its sensitivity and specificity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the fragment containing the immunodominant epitope was evaluated further and compared with full-length recombinant 29 kDa protein. Specificity and sensitivity of the two ELISAs were assessed using 55 human sera of parasitic protozoa infection cases (25 amoebiasis, 20 giardiasis and 10 toxoplasmosis sera) and 10 healthy control sera. The immunodominant epitope of the 29 kDa antigen is localised only in the N-terminus 14–54 amino acid residues. The sensitivities of the two ELISAs were very high, 92 and 96%, respectively. The specificity of the fragment was 100%, whereas the specificity of the full-length 29 kDa protein was 86.6%. These results indicate that the fragment containing the immunodominant epitope of the 29 kDa protein can be used to accurately serodiagnose amoebiasis without cross-reactivity from other parasites.