志贺毒素及其预防治疗剂的研究进展

志贺毒素（Shigatoxin,Stx）主要由肠出血性大肠杆菌（EHEC）产生,是其主要的致病毒力因子,可通过引起急性肾衰竭导致死亡。迄今为止尚没有可推荐的治疗方案能够有效地预防或治疗Stx引起的疾病。目前,对于Stx的研究热点主要包括：Stx尚未清楚的致病机理研究,Stx与HUS的相关性研究,以及预防、治疗由Stx引起的疾病的研究。本文就以上几方面对国内外的相关研究进行总结及讨论。     

编码志贺毒素噬菌体的多样性与宿主谱[英]／Shantini D…／／Infect Imnlun．

在美国，每年由大肠埃希菌O157：H7引起的感染报道为73000多病例，疾病表现为水样腹泻、血性腹泻以致出现血尿综合征，其主要致病因子是志贺毒素(Stx)。大肠埃希菌(STEC)如O157：H7产生的Stx有2种：Stx1及Stx2。Stx1与志贺痢疾杆菌产生的志贺毒素基本相同。Stx2与Stx1在氨基酸水平有55％同源性。STEC可产生Stx1或Stx2，或两者都产生，但重症疾病与Stx2有关。Stx是由溶源性噬菌体编码的。Stx2的编码噬菌体有高度多样性，从同一次暴发流行中分离到的O157：H7菌株，     

单克隆抗体S2C4对2型志贺毒素及其亚型毒性的中和作用

纯化的2型志贺毒素(Shiga toxin 2,Stx2)经福尔马林脱毒后免疫BALB/c小鼠制备Stx2单克隆抗体,用体外中和试验对具有中和活性的阳性抗体克隆进行初筛,对所获得的中和抗体的重、轻链同种型及结合特异性进行鉴定,其中和保护作用通过体内、体外中和试验加以验证,最后,中和抗体对Stx2亚型Stx2c和Stx2vha的中和谱用体内中和试验验证．结果显示,12株抗Stx2的阳性抗体克隆中,只有1株具有中和活性,命名为S2C4,其重、轻链同种型为G₁/κ,其靶分子为Stx2的A亚单位,与Stx2的B亚单位或Stx1不结合．在体外中和试验中S2C4可有效中和Stx2对Vero细胞的杀伤作用,同样,S2C4可中和致死量的Stx2及其亚型Stx2c和Stx2vha对小鼠的毒性作用．该抗体有望成为治疗产志贺毒素大肠杆菌感染的候选分子．     

单克隆抗体S2C4对2型志贺毒素及其亚型毒性的中和作用(英文)

纯化的2型志贺毒素（Shiga toxin2,Stx2）经福尔马林脱毒后免疫BALB/c小鼠制备Stx2单克隆抗体,用体外中和试验对具有中和活性的阳性抗体克隆进行初筛,对所获得的中和抗体的重、轻链同种型及结合特异性进行鉴定,其中和保护作用通过体内、体外中和试验加以验证,最后,中和抗体对Stx2亚型Stx2c和Stx2vha的中和谱用体内中和试验验证.结果显示,12株抗Stx2的阳性抗体克隆中,只有1株具有中和活性,命名为S2C4,其重、轻链同种型为G1/κ,其靶分子为Stx2的A亚单位,与Stx2的B亚单位或Stx1不结合.在体外中和试验中S2C4可有效中和Stx2对Vero细胞的杀伤作用,同样,S2C4可中和致死量的Stx2及其亚型Stx2c和Stx2vha对小鼠的毒性作用.该抗体有望成为治疗产志贺毒素大肠杆菌感染的候选分子.     

志贺毒素及其分子生物学研究进展

志贺毒素(ShT)是由Ⅰ型痢疾志贺菌产生的一种重要的致病毒力因子,具有细胞毒、肠毒和神经毒三种毒性作用。近年来,ShT已被列入生物武器核查清单剂中禁控毒素之一,成为潜在的生物毒素战剂和生物恐怖病原。本主要概述了ShT的生物学特性、分子结构与作用机制、检测与预防,以及分子生物学的研究进展。     

痢疾志贺氏毒素B亚单位在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

本文从痢疾志贺氏Ⅰ型菌W30864的染色体克隆了编码志贺氏毒素(Stx)的基因,表达Stx的基因位于约4．5kb的EcoRl片段内。一系列的生物学试验表明：我们构建的杂种质粒(pMGC001)能产生Stx,产量为亲代株的16倍,克隆株不仅有细胞毒和肠毒作用,而且还有神经毒性。我们又从质粒pMGC001将志贺氏毒素的B亚单位(Stx—B)的基因克隆至表达载体pJLA503,获得了Stx—B在大肠杆菌中的高效表达,Stx—B已被纯化,其特异的多克隆和单克隆抗体也被制备。Westem blot表明它们能与Stx—B进行特异的抗原抗体反应。     

转基因益生菌：预防肠道感染的新型微生态制剂

引起主要肠道疾病的许多致病菌能够特异性地利用宿主肠道细胞表面的各式寡糖, 将其作为自身黏附或者分泌毒素的受体。因此, 阻断致病菌及其分泌毒素与宿主靶细胞表面受体结合是一种可行的治疗方法。一类宿主肠道细胞表面受体基因重组益生菌在消化道内能够高效结合致病菌和所分泌的毒素, 具有良好的预防肠道疾病的应用前景。本文主要以类志贺毒素受体重组益生菌为例, 阐述转基因益生素的原理、技术及其疗效和潜在的问题与对策。     

炭疽毒素及其细胞受体的研究进展

炭疽毒素由 3种蛋白组成 :保护性抗原 (protectiveantigen ,PA)、致死因子 (lethalfactor,LF)和水肿因子 (edemafactor ,EF) .综述炭疽毒素研究的最新进展 .主要介绍炭疽毒素的关键致病因子———LF的结构与功能 ,炭疽毒素膜转运成分PA的结构及其受体 (anthraxtoxinreceptor ,ATR)和其cDNA克隆的结构 ,并讨论了在炭疽的治疗、预防和毒素在肿瘤治疗中的可能应用 .     

从噬菌体表面展示肽库中筛选志贺毒素受体结合抑制剂

利用抗体捕获法 ,从表面展示随机肽序列的噬菌体文库中筛选到与志贺毒素B亚基 (StxB)结合 ,并能抑制志贺毒素细胞毒效应的噬菌体克隆 ;依据其中 1个克隆序列 (A12 )合成的肽可以与志贺毒素的受体Gb3竞争结合StxB ,并抑制志贺毒素(Stx)的细胞毒和肠毒活性 ;抑制 5×CD₅₀ 剂量的Stx细胞毒效应需 2 2 .7μmol的A12合成肽 .筛选得到的 2个噬菌体克隆 (A3 ,A12 )编码的氨基酸序列不同 ,但能竞争结合StxB ,推测它们形成相同或相似的空间结构 .为志贺毒素抑制剂进一步研究打下基础 ,对其他相关药物的研制亦有参考价值 .     

Ⅱ型志贺样毒素B亚单位的重组表达及其受体结合活性

目的：在大肠杆菌中重组表达Ⅱ型志贺样毒素B亚单位（Stx2B）,并对其表达形式和受体结合活性进行分析。 方法：PCR方法从肠出血性大肠杆菌（EHEC）O157:H7中钓取Stx2B编码基因,利用基因克隆技术构建重组大肠杆菌pET-stx2B/BL21,IPTG诱导目的蛋白高效表达并对表达的包涵体进行变性和复性处理,离子交换层析纯化蛋白。通过SDS-PAGE变性和非变形蛋白电泳,分析重组Stx2B的表达形式,并利用Hela细胞结合模型,评价重组Stx2B与细胞受体的结合活性。结果：构建的重组大肠杆菌pET-stx2B/BL21能高效表达Stx2B,经变性、复性及离子交换层析操作,获得高纯度的目的蛋白。SDS-PAGE变性和非变形蛋白电泳分析显示,重组Stx2B以二聚体形式存在,单体之间通过二硫键相连。细胞结合试验显示,重组Stx2B与Hela细胞具有特异结合活性。结论：成功构建表达Stx2B的基因工程菌,Stx2B的受体结合活性不依赖于五聚体形式。     

Escherichia coli serogroup O107/O117 lipopolysaccharide binds and neutralizes Shiga toxin 2

The AB(5) toxin Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) has been implicated as a major virulence factor of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains in the progression of intestinal disease to more severe systemic complications. Here, we demonstrate that supernatant from a normal E. coli isolate, FI-29, neutralizes the effect of Stx2, but not the related Stx1, on Vero cells. Biochemical characterization of the neutralizing activity identified the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of FI-29, a serogroup O107/O117 strain, as the toxin-neutralizing component. LPSs from FI-29 as well as from type strains E. coli O107 and E. coli O117 were able bind Stx2 but not Stx1, indicating that the mechanism of toxin neutralization may involve inhibition of the interaction between Stx2 and the Gb(3) receptor on Vero cells.     

Characterization of inducible stx2-positive Escherichia coli O157:H7/H7- strains isolated from cattle in France

Aims:  To quantify the variability of the Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) production by a panel of stx2 -positive Escherichia coli O157:H7/H7- isolates from healthy cattle before and after induction with enrofloxacin.
Methods and Results:  ProSpecT^® ELISA was used to quantify the Stx2 production by stx2 -positive E. coli O157:H7/H7- isolates in native conditions (basal level) or after induction with enrofloxacin. Whereas only 15·2% of the E. coli O157:H7/H7- strains studied displayed significant amounts of detectable Stx2 without induction, most of them were shown to be inducible, and at various levels, in presence of subinhibitory concentrations of enrofloxacin.
Conclusions:  We demonstrated the capability of a highly elevated proportion of stx2 -positive, but constitutively Stx2 -negative, E. coli O157:H7/H7- isolates from healthy cattle to produce significant levels of Shiga toxin Stx2 in presence of subtherapeutic concentrations of enrofloxacin, an antibiotic of the fluoroquinolones family only licensed for veterinary use.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study documents the risk that bovine-associated Shiga toxin producing E. coli isolates may become more frequently pathogenic to humans as a side-effect of the increasing use of veterinary fluoroquinolones in the oral treatment of food animals like cattle or poultry.     

The CI repressors of Shiga toxin-converting prophages are involved in coinfection of Escherichia coli strains, which causes a down regulation in the production of Shiga toxin 2

Shiga toxins (Stx) are the main virulence factors associated with a form of Escherichia coli known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). They are encoded in temperate lambdoid phages located on the chromosome of STEC. STEC strains can carry more than one prophage. Consequently, toxin and phage production might be influenced by the presence of more than one Stx prophage on the bacterial chromosome. To examine the effect of the number of prophages on Stx production, we produced E. coli K-12 strains carrying either one Stx2 prophage or two different Stx2 prophages. We used recombinant phages in which an antibiotic resistance gene (aph, cat, or tet) was incorporated in the middle of the Shiga toxin operon. Shiga toxin was quantified by immunoassay and by cytotoxicity assay on Vero cells (50% cytotoxic dose). When two prophages were inserted in the host chromosome, Shiga toxin production and the rate of lytic cycle activation fell. The cI repressor seems to be involved in incorporation of the second prophage. Incorporation and establishment of the lysogenic state of the two prophages, which lowers toxin production, could be regulated by the CI repressors of both prophages operating in trans. Although the sequences of the cI genes of the phages studied differed, the CI protein conformation was conserved. Results indicate that the presence of more than one prophage in the host chromosome could be regarded as a mechanism to allow genetic retention in the cell, by reducing the activation of lytic cycle and hence the pathogenicity of the strains.     

Passive protection of purified yolk immunoglobulin administered against Shiga toxin 1 in mouse models

Shiga toxins produced by Escherichia coli O157:H7 cause a wide spectrum of enteric diseases, such as lethal hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. In this study, the B subunit protein of Shiga toxin type 1 (Stx1) was produced in the E. coli system, was further purified by Ni-column Affinity Chromatography method, and was then used as an immunogen to immunize laying hens for yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) production. Titers of IgY increased gradually with boosting vaccination and, finally, reached a level of 105, remaining steady over 1 year. Then the protective efficacy of IgY against Stx1 was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. It was shown that the anti-Stx1 IgY could effectively block the binding of Stx1 to the Hela cells and could protect BALB/c mice from toxin challenges. The data indicates the facility of using egg yolk IgY as a therapeutic intervention in cases of Shiga toxin intoxication.     

Occurrence of phages infecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 carrying the Stx 2 gene in sewage from different countries

Shiga toxin-converting bacteriophages are involved in the pathogenicity of some enteric bacteria, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7. Recent studies have demonstrated a relatively high presence of Shiga toxin 2 phages in sewage from Spain, but no data on sewage from other areas were available. In order to evaluate the presence of such phages in sewage from diverse geographical origins, 33 sewage samples, including samples from eight different European countries as well as from New Zealand and South Africa were analysed. Using an experimental approach based on the detection of Stx 2 gene by a phage enrichment culture followed by PCR, bacteriophages infecting E. coli O157:H7 carrying the Shiga toxin 2 gene were detected in 15 of the samples studied. Results presented here show that the presence of phages carrying the Stx 2 gene is common in sewage from developed countries.     

Short-tailed stx phages exploit the conserved YaeT protein to disseminate Shiga toxin genes among enterobacteria

Infection of Escherichia coli by Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages (Stx phages) was the pivotal event in the evolution of the deadly Shiga toxin-encoding E. coli (STEC), of which serotype O157:H7 is the most notorious. The number of different bacterial species and strains reported to produce Shiga toxin is now more than 500, since the first reported STEC infection outbreak in 1982. Clearly, Stx phages are spreading rapidly, but the underlying mechanism for this dissemination has not been explained. Here we show that an essential and highly conserved gene product, YaeT, which has an essential role in the insertion of proteins in the gram-negative bacterial outer membrane, is the surface molecule recognized by the majority (ca. 70%) of Stx phages via conserved tail spike proteins associated with a short-tailed morphology. The yaeT gene was initially identified through complementation, and its role was confirmed in phage binding assays with and without anti-YaeT antiserum. Heterologous cloning of E. coli yaeT to enable Stx phage adsorption to Erwinia carotovora and the phage adsorption patterns of bacterial species possessing natural yaeT variants further supported this conclusion. The use of an essential and highly conserved protein by the majority of Stx phages is a strategy that has enabled and promoted the rapid spread of shigatoxigenic potential throughout multiple E. coli serogroups and related bacterial species. Infection of commensal bacteria in the mammalian gut has been shown to amplify Shiga toxin production in vivo, and the data from this study provide a platform for the development of a therapeutic strategy to limit this YaeT-mediated infection of the commensal flora.     

Production of shiga toxin by a luxS mutant of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in vivo and in vitro

Quorum sensing is a type of bacterial communication mediated by chemical signaling molecules called autoinducers (AIs). The production of AI-2 and AI-3 is dependent on the luxS gene in Escherichia coli O157:H7. A luxS mutation caused a minimal decrease (about 2-fold) in Shiga toxin (Stx) production in in vitro cultures using Luria-Bertani broth. The effect of a luxS mutation on the virulence of E. coli O157:H7 was examined by using germfree mice. There were no differences between the luxS mutant and the wild-type in the bacterial counts in feces shedding, Stx production, or the survival of the mice. The treatment of ciprofloxacin decreased the bacteria in feces but increased the Stx production. However, even treatment with ciprofloxacin did not make any difference between the luxS mutant and the wild-type in animal experiments.     

A new Shiga toxin 2 variant (Stx2f) from Escherichia coli isolated from pigeons

We have isolated Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains from the feces of feral pigeons which contained a new Stx2 variant gene designated stx(2f). This gene is most similar to sltIIva of patient E. coli O128:B12 isolate H.I.8. Stx2f reacted only weakly with commercial immunoassays. The prevalence of STEC organisms carrying the stx(2f) gene in pigeon droppings was 12.5%. The occurrence of a new Stx2 variant in STEC from pigeons enlarges the pool of Stx2 variants and raises the question whether horizontal gene transfer to E. coli pathogenic to humans may occur.     

Transcriptional analysis of genes encoding Shiga toxin 2 and its variants in Escherichia coli

Six of 37 non-O157 Escherichia coli strains possessing Shiga toxin (Stx) 2 gene variant stx(2d) or stx(2e) secreted no detectable Stx. These isolates produced significantly less stx mRNA than Stx2d, Stx2e, Stx2c, or Stx2 secretors did. Standard screening procedures miss a significant subset of E. coli harboring stx(2) variants.