胞壁表达HSP65-IL-2融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌的构建和鉴定

目的：获得胞壁表达结核分枝杆菌热激蛋白65（HSP65）和人白细胞介素2（IL-2）融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌。方法：将HSP65和IL-2融合基因克隆入大肠杆菌-卡介苗（E．coli-BCG）穿梭质粒pCW,构建成重组质粒HSP65-IL-2-pCW,电穿入耻垢分枝杆菌,经潮霉素抗性筛选和PCR方法选取阳性克隆;用间接免疫荧光法对重组耻垢分枝杆菌进行表型鉴定;用重组耻垢分枝杆菌免疫BALB／c小鼠,检测其诱导的抗体水平。结果：筛选获得的重组耻垢分枝杆菌增殖特性与普通耻垢分枝杆菌无明显区别;与抗人的IL-2抗体和HSP65抗体均可形成免疫印迹条带;间接荧光染色后,可见细菌表面有极强的绿色荧光;重组耻垢分枝杆菌免疫BALB／c小鼠2周后,小鼠血清中HSP65抗体平均滴度为1：4000,而生理盐水组的抗体几乎为阴性。结论：结核分枝杆菌HSP65和人IL-2融合基因在耻垢分枝杆菌胞壁获得表达,有望为结核病的预防提供有效的疫苗。     

表达绿色荧光蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌的构建

目的 建立可表达绿色荧光蛋白的耻垢分枝杆菌,便于对耻垢分枝杆菌进行直观检测和快速定量。方法利用PCR技术从真核表达质粒pLVTH扩增获得绿色荧光蛋白的编码基因,克隆人大肠埃希菌一分枝杆菌穿梭载体pMV261,建立重组质粒pMVGFP,并经酶切鉴定证实。利用电穿孔技术将pMVGFP转化入耻垢分枝杆菌,利用卡那霉素抗性筛选重组耻垢分枝杆菌克隆,扩大培养后直接涂片,荧光显微镜镜检。结果重组质粒pMVGFP构建正确;将重组耻垢分枝杆菌在荧光显微镜下观察,证实绿色荧光蛋白在重组耻垢分枝杆菌中的表达。结论自发释放荧光的重组耻垢分枝杆菌的成功建立,为研究结核病致病机制和快速筛选化学药物等奠定了基础。     

结核杆菌DnaA蛋白在耻垢分枝杆菌中的同源表达

目的：在耻垢分枝杆菌中表达重组结核杆菌DnaA蛋白并对表达产物进行鉴定。方法：用PCR的方法扩增结核杆菌dnaA基因并克隆至表达载体pMF406中,构建重组大肠杆菌-分枝杆菌穿梭质粒pMF-dnaA。经双酶切及测序鉴定后,用电转化的方法将重组质粒转至耻垢分枝杆菌mc2155中。用0.02%乙酰胺诱导重组耻垢分枝杆菌,对表达产物进行SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测和鉴定。结果：重组耻垢分枝杆菌构建成功,SDS-PAGE及Western blotting结果显示该重组耻垢杆菌可以实现结核杆菌DnaA蛋白的同源高效表达。结论：结核杆菌DnaA蛋白的同源表达为结核杆菌DNA复制机制的研究奠定了基础。     

小鼠对表达HBV截短肽的耻垢分枝菌的免疫应答

分别以生理盐水、pcDNA3.1(-)空质粒、重组真核质粒pcDNA3.1(-)-C-preS1(简称基因免疫组)、耻垢分枝杆菌和重组耻垢分枝杆菌(简称重组耻垢免疫组)注射BALB/c小鼠,各组均免疫2次,每次间隔3周。末次注射后进行连续抗体测定,最后处死小鼠分离脾细胞,进行淋巴细胞增殖实验和细胞毒性T细胞杀伤实验。重组耻垢免疫组抗体滴度升高幅度前期低于基因免疫组(P<0.05),后者45 d达到峰值1∶5 100。前者抗体滴度第60 d达到峰值1∶6 900,45 d后重组耻垢免疫组抗体滴度高于基因免疫组(P<0.05),且维持时间较基因免疫组更长(P<0.05)。基因免疫组诱导的小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖刺激指数低于重组耻垢免疫组(P<0.05)。后者诱导的特异性CTL杀伤率最高可达到50.2%,而前者最高为31.6%,二者有显著区别(P<0.05)。     

结核杆菌Hsp65 与人IL-2 融合蛋白在耻垢杆菌表达

目的:构建能够分泌表达结核分枝杆菌热休克蛋白65(Hsp65)与人IL-2融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌(recombinant Mycobacterium Smegmatis,rMs)。方法:用EcoRⅤ和HindⅢ双酶切含Hsp65-IL-2融合基因的pPRO-hsp65-IL-2载体,回收目的基因片断Hsp65-IL-2,并将其亚克隆入同样双酶切的大肠埃希菌-分枝杆菌穿梭分泌表达载体pDE22中。重组质粒pDE22-hsp65-IL-2酶切鉴定正确后,电穿孔转化MS感受态,潮霉素抗性压力筛选阳性rMs。Western-blot鉴定rMs培养上清蛋白中目的蛋白的表达。结果:重组pDE22-hsp65-IL-2质粒酶切后可获得约2000 bp片段,与预期大小一致。Western-blot结果表明,rMs培养上清蛋白中有特异性反应条带,大小为78kD,与Hsp65-IL-2融合蛋白大小相一致。结论:成功构建了大肠埃希菌-分枝杆菌穿梭分泌表达载体pDE22-hsp65-IL-2,为该rMs的免疫学特性及抗结核分枝杆菌感染的保护效果研究奠定了基础。     

结核杆菌eis基因的克隆及其在耻垢分枝杆菌中的表达

目的:构建结核分枝杆菌eis基因的穿梭表达载体,鉴定其在重组耻垢分枝杆菌中的生物活性。方法:采用PCR技术克隆结核分枝杆菌eis基因,构建大肠杆菌-分枝杆菌穿梭表达载体pMV-eis,经酶切和测序鉴定其正确性,用电穿孔法将重组质粒转化至耻垢分枝杆菌mc²155中,采用SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测eis基因在耻垢分枝杆菌中的表达。结果:成功构建结核杆菌eis基因穿梭表达载体pMV-eis;生长曲线说明重组质粒不会影响耻垢分枝杆菌的体外生长;SDS-PAGE 和Western blot检测证实eis在耻垢分枝杆菌中可表达出相对分子量约42kDa的Eis蛋白。结论:成功构建了eis基因穿梭表达质粒pMV-eis,且该重组质粒在耻垢分枝杆菌中具有生物活性,为下一步研究表达产物Eis的功能奠定了一定基础。     

Hsp65与IL-2融合蛋白诱导小鼠细胞免疫应答及保护力

目的研究Hsp65与hIL-2的融合蛋白在小鼠体内诱导的免疫应答及保护力。方法在大肠杆菌中诱导表达Hsp65与hIL-2的融合蛋白,通过Ni-NTA亲合柱纯化后的蛋白经鉴定后,与佐剂DDA和MPL联合免疫小鼠,连续免疫3次,每次间隔2周,最后一次免疫结束后两周,分离5只小鼠脾淋巴细胞,测定淋巴细胞增殖指数,IFN-γ和IL-2水平,以及特异性淋巴细胞杀伤功能,其余5只免疫小鼠用于MTB毒株攻击实验。结果获得融合蛋白可分别与抗Hsp65和抗hIL-2的单抗发生特异性反应。融合蛋白免疫小鼠后,小鼠脾淋巴细胞被有效活化,诱导产生的-γIFN和IL-2的水平以及CTL杀伤功能均显著高于BCG和单纯Hsp65免疫组（P〈0.05）。融合蛋白免疫组可有效抵抗MTB毒株攻击,脾脏细菌数显著减少（4.36±0.48）,提供的保护力与BCG相当（4.30±0.53）。结论Hsp65与hIL-2的融合蛋白是一种有效的亚单位疫苗,可用于TB的预防。     

结核杆菌Hsp65与人IL-2融合蛋白在耻垢杆菌表达

目的：构建能够分泌表达结核分枝杆菌热休克蛋白65（Hsp65）与人IL-2融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌（recombinant Mycobacterium Smegmatis,rMs）。方法：用EcoRV和HindIII双酶切含Hsp65．IL-2融合基因的pPRO-hsp65-IL-2载体,回收目的基因片断Hsp65-IL-2,并将其亚克隆入同样双酶切的大肠埃希菌-分枝杆菌穿梭分泌表达载体pDE22中。重组质粒pDE22-hsp65-IL-2酶切鉴定正确后,电穿孔转化MS感受态,潮霉素抗性压力筛选阳性rMs。Westem—blot鉴定rMs培养上清蛋白中目的蛋白的表达。结果：重组pDE22-hsp65-IL-2质粒酶切后可获得约2000bp片段,与预期大小一致。Western-blot结果表明,rMs培养上清蛋白中有特异性反应条带,大小为78kD,与Hsp65-IL-2融合蛋白大小相一致。结论：成功构建了大肠埃希菌．分枝杆菌穿梭分泌表达载体pDE22-hsp65-IL-2,为该rMs的免疫学特性及抗结核分枝杆菌感染的保护效果研究奠定了基础。     

ESAT6-CFP10融合蛋白基因的克隆及其在耻垢分枝杆菌中的表达

目的:构建能表达ESAT6-CFP10融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌疫苗。方法:以结核杆菌H37Rv基因组DNA为模板,克隆cfp10基因,将其插入到pGEM-T-easy载体后与esat6基因连接,构建含有esat6和cfp10融合基因的重组载体pGEM-e6c10。酶切消化pGEM-e6c10重组质粒,将esat6-cfp10基因亚克隆到pDE22分泌表达穿梭载体,以电穿孔方法将重组质粒转化至耻垢分枝杆菌。PCR筛选到的阳性克隆经温度诱导后,SDS-PAGE和Western印迹检测表达蛋白的正确性。结果:可表达出相对分子质量约23000的ESAT6-CFP10融合蛋白。Western印迹证明重组蛋白有较好的免疫原性。结论:获得能表达ESAT6-CFP10融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌,为结核病的预防奠定了一定的基础。     

耻垢分枝杆菌ClpC和ClpX敲低表达菌株的构建及表型分析*

蛋白质平衡稳定对细菌的生长繁殖以及应对宿主免疫压力十分重要。Clp蛋白酶复合体在结核分枝杆菌的蛋白质降解和平衡稳定中发挥重要作用。Clp蛋白酶中负责识别底物蛋白并将其解折叠的蛋白质有两种:ClpC和ClpX。为初步探究分枝杆菌中ClpC和ClpX各自的功能特点,运用CRISPRi的方法成功构建了耻垢分枝杆菌的ClpC和ClpX诱导型敲低表达菌株,并对其生长相关表型进行分析。结果显示:与野生菌株相比,ClpC和ClpX的低表达均能严重影响耻垢分枝杆菌的生长。ClpC低表达可导致菌株丧失生物膜的形成能力,而ClpX低表达则导致菌株无法维持正常细胞形态,电镜显示细胞壁不完整且细胞呈丝状化,提示ClpC和ClpX可能在分枝杆菌中具有不同的生理功能。可为后期深入开展ClpC和ClpX对分枝杆菌生理调控功能研究及新型抗结核药物筛选提供基础。     

Immune Responses and Protective Efficacy Induced by 85B Antigen and Early Secreted Antigenic Target-6 kDa Antigen Fusion Protein Secreted by Recombinant Bacille Calmette-Guérin

In an attempt to improve immune responses and protective efficacy, we constructed two recombinant bacille Calmette-Guérin （rBCG） strains expressing an 85B antigen （Ag85B） and early secreted antigenic target-6 kDa antigen （ESAT6） of Mycobacterium tuberculosis （MTB） fusion protein. Both rBCG strains have the same protein insertion but in a different order （Ag85B-ESAT6 and ESAT6-Ag85B）. The cultured supernatant of rBCG strains and the sera from the mice immunized with the fusion protein Ag85B- ESAT6 or ESAT6-Ag85B formed a band with a fraction size of 37 kDa, equalivalent to the sum of Ag85B and ESAT6. Six weeks after BALB/c mice were immunized with BCG or rBCG, spleen lymphocytes showed significant proliferation in response to culture filtrate protein of MTB. Compared with the BCG group, mice vaccinated with rBCG elicited a high level increase of immunoglobulin G antibodies to culture filtrate protein in the serum. The T-interferon levels in the lymphocyte culture medium supernatants increased remarkably in the rBCG1 group, significantly higher than that of the BCG immunized group （P〈0.05）. Four weeks after vaccination, mice were infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv and a dramatic reduction in the numbers of MTB colony forming units in the spleens and lungs was observed in the two rBCG immunization groups. Although these rBCG strains were more immunogenic, their protective effect was comparable to the classical BCG strain, and there were no significant differences between two rBCG groups （p〉0.05）.     

结核杆菌融合蛋白DNA疫苗构建及免疫保护研究

目的:评价结核DNA疫苗免疫鼠产生细胞因子和抵抗结核分枝杆菌攻击的能力。方法:将结核菌Mtb8.4基因和谷胱甘肽S转移酶基因插入pVAX1载体,构建表达Mtb8.4和GST融合蛋白的DNA疫苗pVS8.4G。小鼠分成5组,用pVS8.4G、pVAX1、pIL2S 100μg和PBS 0.1mL各免疫3次,间隔2w。另一组用BCG免疫1次。每组10只鼠在加强后,无菌取脾培养。另外10只小鼠用H37Rv攻击,2w后取脾、肝和肺培养结核菌并计数。结果:pVS8.4G免疫鼠脾细胞培养上清mIL-2和mIFN-γ平均为380.9和422.1pg/mL,显著高于阴性对照组,与BCG组无显著差异。5个组的平均mIL-6和mIL-10无显著差异。pVS8.4G免疫小鼠脾、肝和肺的平均结核菌载量分别为42 093.2、43 264.1和37 264.8CFU/g,低于pVAX1、pIL2S和PBS组相应器官的载量。结论:DNA疫苗pVS8.4G能刺激产生Th1型免疫应答,免疫鼠抵抗H37Rv攻击的能力增强。     

Evaluation of immunogenicity and protective efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection elicited by recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG expressing human Interleukin-12p70 and Early Secretory Antigen Target-6 fusion protein

ESAT-6 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is absent in Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Mycobacterium microti and has been demonstrated to stimulate strong cell-mediated immunity. IL-12 can play crucial roles in regulating IFN-γ production and Th1 effectors production. In this study, we constructed three rBCG vaccines that could express proteins of human IL-12p70 and/or ESAT-6 and evaluated their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in mice. Our experiments illustrated that the rBCG-IE (expressing a fusion protein of human IL-12p70 and ESAT-6) was capable of inducing stronger Th1 type cell-mediated immune responses than conventional BCG, or rBCG-I (expressing human IL-12p70), or rBCG-E (expressing ESAT-6). However, the results of protective experiments showed that rBCG-IE could only confer similar and even lower protective efficacy against M. tuberculosis H37Rv infection compared with BCG vaccine.     

Immune Responses to ESAT-6 and CFP-10 by FASCIA and Multiplex Technology for Diagnosis of M. tuberculosis Infection; IP-10 Is a Promising Marker

Background

There is a need for reliable markers to diagnose active and latent tuberculosis (TB). The interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) are compared to the tuberculin skin test (TST) more specific, but cannot discriminate between recent or remote TB infection. Here the Flow-cytometric Assay for Specific Cell-mediated Immune-response in Activated whole blood (FASCIA), which quantifies expanded T-lymphoblasts by flow-cytometric analysis after long-term antigen stimulation of whole blood, is combined with cytokine/chemokine analysis in the supernatant by multiplex technology for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection.

Methods and Findings

Consecutive patients with suspected TB (n = 85), with microbiologically verified active pulmonary TB (n = 33), extra pulmonary TB (n = 21), clinical TB (n = 11), presumed latent TB infection (LTBI) (n = 23), patients negative for TB (n = 8) and 21 healthy controls were studied. Blood samples were analyzed with FASCIA and multiplex technology to determine and correlate proliferative responses and the value of 14 cytokines for diagnosis of Mtb infection: IFN- γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IP-10, IL-12, IL-6, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17, MIP-1β, GM-CSF, IFN-α2 and IL-10. Cytokine levels for IFN-γ, IP-10, MIP-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13 and GM-CSF were significantly higher after stimulation with the Mtb specific antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10 in patients with active TB compared to healthy controls (p<0.05) and correlated with proliferative responses. IP-10 was positive in all patients with verified TB, if using a combination of ESAT-6 and CFP-10 and was the only marker significantly more sensitive in detecting active TB then IFN-γ (p = 0.012). Cytokine responses in patients with active TB were more frequent and detected at higher levels than in patients with LTBI.

Conclusions

IP-10 seems to be an important marker for diagnosis of active and latent TB. Patients with active TB and LTBI responded with similar cytokine profiles against TB antigens but proliferative and cytokine responses were generally higher in patients with active TB.