Serological characterization of surface-exposed proteins of Coxiella burnetii.

The obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever, a worldwide zoonosis. Here we labelled Cox. burnetii with biotin and used biotin-streptavidin affinity chromatography to isolate surface-exposed proteins (SEPs). Using two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry, we identified 37 proteins through bioinformatics analysis. Thirty SEPs expressed in Escherichia coli (recombinant SEPs, rSEPs) were used to generate microarrays, which were probed with sera from mice experimentally infected with Cox. burnetii or sera from Q fever patients. Thirteen rSEPs were recognized as seroreactive, and the majority reacted with at least 50 % of the sera from mice infected with Cox. burnetii but not with sera from mice infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, R. heilongjiangensis, or R. typhi. Further, 13 proteins that reacted with sera from patients with Q fever did not react with sera from patients with brucellosis or mycoplasma pneumonia. Our results suggest that these seroreactive SEPs have potential as serodiagnostic antigens or as subunit vaccine antigens against Q fever.

Microarray of surface-exposed proteins of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis for serodiagnosis of Far-eastern spotted fever.

BACKGROUND: Far-eastern spotted fever (FESF) is an important emerging infectious disease in Northeast Asia. The laboratory diagnosis of FESF in hospitals is mainly based on serological methods. However, these methods need to cultivate rickettsial cells as diagnostic antigens, which is both burdensome and dangerous. METHODS: Eleven surface-exposed proteins (SEPs) were identified in our previous study and their recombinant proteins (rSEPs) fabricated on a microarray were serologically analyzed with seventeen paired sera from patients suffered from FESF in this study. RESULTS: All the rSEPs showed sensitivities of between 53% and 82% to acute-phase sera and of between 65% and 82% to convalescent-phase sera, and all the rSEPs except rRplA showed specificities of between 80% and 95%. The combination assay of two, three, or four of the four rSEPs (rOmpA-2, rOmpB-3, rRpsB, and rSdhB) showed better sensitivities of between 76% and 94% to the acute-phase sera or between 82% and 100% to the convalescent-phase sera and acceptable specificities of between 75% and 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the four rSEPs are more likely candidate antigens for serological diagnosis of FESF.

Complete genome sequence of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, an emerging tick-transmitted human pathogen.

Rickettsia heilongjiangensis is an emerging tick-transmitted human pathogen causing far-Eastern spotted fever. Here we report the complete sequence and the main features of the genome of R. heilongjiangensis (strain 054).

Rickettsia rickettsii outer membrane protein YbgF induces protective immunity in C3H/HeN mice.

Rickettsia rickettsii is the etiological agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). YbgF and TolC are outer membrane-associated proteins of R. rickettsii that play important roles in its interaction with host cells. We investigated the immunogenicity of YbgF and TolC for protection against RMSF. We immunized C3H/HeN mice with recombinant R. rickettsii YbgF (rYbgF) or TolC (rTolC). Rickettsial burden and impairment in the lungs, spleens, and livers of rYbgF-immunized mice were significantly lower than in rTolC-immunized mice. The ratio of IgG2a to IgG1 in rYbgF-immunized mice continued to increase over the course of our experiments, while that in rTolC-immunized mice was reduced. The proliferation and cytokine secretion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells isolated from R. rickettsii-infected mice were analyzed following antigen stimulation. The results indicated that proliferation and interferon (IFN)-γ secretion of CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells in R. rickettsii-infected mice were significantly greater than in uninfected mice after stimulation with rYbgF. YbgF is a novel protective antigen of R. rickettsii. Protection conferred by YbgF is dependent upon IFN-γ-producing CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and IgG2a, which act in synergy to control R. rickettsii infection.

Protective immunity against Rickettsia heilongjiangensis in a C3H/HeN mouse model mediated by outer membrane protein B-pulsed dendritic cells.

Rickettsia heilongjiangensis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes Far-Eastern tick-borne spotted fever. Outer membrane protein B (OmpB) is an important surface protein antigen of rickettsiae. In the present study, the ompB gene of R. heilongjiangensis was divided into four fragments, resulting in four recombinant proteins (OmpB-p1, OmpB-p2, OmpB-p3, and OmpB-p4). Each OmpB was used in vitro to stimulate murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) of C3H/HeN mice, and the OmpB-pulsed BMDCs were transferred to naïve C3H/HeN mice. On day 14 post-transfer of BMDCs, the mice were challenged with R. heilongjiangensis and the rickettsial loads in the mice were quantitatively determined on day 7 post-challenge. Mice receiving BMDCs pulsed with OmpB-p2, OmpB-p3, or OmpB-p4 exhibited significantly lower bacterial load compared with mice receiving OmpB-p1-pulsed BMDCs. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells isolated from the spleen of C3H/HeN mice receiving BMDCs pulsed with each OmpB were co-cultured with BMDCs pulsed with the respective cognate protein. In flow cytometric analysis, the expression level of CD69 on CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells from mice receiving BMDCs pulsed with OmpB-p2, OmpB-p3, or OmpB-p4 was higher than that on cells from mice receiving OmpB-p1-pulsed BMDCs, while the expression level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α on CD8(+) T cells and interferon (IFN)-γ on the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from mice receiving OmpB-p2, -p3, or -p4 was significantly higher than on cells from mice receiving OmpB-p1-pulsed BMDCs. Our results suggest that the protective OmpBs could activate CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and drive their differentiation toward CD4(+) Th1 and CD8(+) Tcl cells, respectively, which produce greater amounts of TNF-α and, in particular, IFN-γ, to enhance rickettsicidal activity of host cells.

Surface protein Adr2 of Rickettsia rickettsii induced protective immunity against Rocky Mountain spotted fever in C3H/HeN mice.

BACKGROUND: Rickettsia rickettsii is the pathogen of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a life-threatening tick-transmitted infection. Adr2 was a surface-exposed adhesion protein of R. rickettsii and its immunoprotection against RMSF was investigated in mice. METHODS: Recombinant Adr2 (rAdr2) was used to immunize C3H/HeN mice, and the rickettsial loads in organs of the mice were detected after challenge with R. rickettsii. The levels of specific antibodies of sera from the immunized mice were determined and the sera from immunized mice were applied to neutralize R. rickettsii. Proliferation and cytokine secretion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells isolated from R. rickettsii-infected mice were also assayed after rAdr2 stimulation. RESULTS: After R. rickettsii challenge, the rickettsial loads in spleens, livers, and lungs were significantly lower and the impairment degrees of these organs in rAdr2-immunized mice were markedly slighter, compared with those in negative control mice. The ratio of specific IgG2a/IgG1 of rAdr2-immunized mice kept increasing during the immunization. After treatment with rAdr2-immunized sera, the total number of R. rickettsii organisms adhering and invading host cells was significantly lower than that treated with PBS-immunized sera. Interferon-γ secretion by CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion by CD4(+) T cells from R. rickettsii-infected mice were respectively significantly greater than those from uninfected mice after rAdr2 stimulation. CONCLUSION: Adr2 is a protective antigen of R. rickettsii. Protection offered by Adr2 is mainly dependent on antigen-specific cell-mediated immune responses, including efficient activity of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells to produce great amount of TNF-α and/or IFN-γ as well as rapid increase of specific IgG2a, which synergistically activate and opsonize host cells to killing intracellular rickettsiae.

Exploratory study on Th1 epitope-induced protective immunity against Coxiella burnetii infection.

Coxiella burnetii is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes Q fever in humans. In the present study, 131 candidate peptides were selected from the major immunodominant proteins (MIPs) of C. burnetii due to their high-affinity binding capacity for the MHC class II molecule H2 I-A(b) based on bioinformatic analyses. Twenty-two of the candidate peptides with distinct MIP epitopes were well recognized by the IFN-γ recall responses of CD4(+) T cells from mice immunized with parental proteins in an ELISPOT assay. In addition, 7 of the 22 peptides could efficiently induce CD4(+) T cells from mice immunized with C. burnetii to rapidly proliferate and significantly increase IFN-γ production. Significantly higher levels of IL-2, IL-12p70, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were also detected in serum from mice immunized with a pool of the 7 peptides. Immunization with the pool of 7 peptides, but not the individual peptides, conferred a significant protection against C. burnetii infection in mice, suggesting that these Th1 peptides could work together to efficiently activate CD4(+) T cells to produce the Th1-type immune response against C. burnetii infection. These observations could contribute to the rational design of molecular vaccines for Q fever.

Identification of novel surface-exposed proteins of Rickettsia rickettsii by affinity purification and proteomics.

Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, is the most pathogenic member among Rickettsia spp. Surface-exposed proteins (SEPs) of R. rickettsii may play important roles in its pathogenesis or immunity. In this study, R. rickettsii organisms were surface-labeled with sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin and the labeled proteins were affinity-purified with streptavidin. The isolated proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and 10 proteins were identified among 23 protein spots by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Five (OmpA, OmpB, GroEL, GroES, and a DNA-binding protein) of the 10 proteins were previously characterized as surface proteins of R. rickettsii. Another 5 proteins (Adr1, Adr2, OmpW, Porin_4, and TolC) were first recognized as SEPs of R. rickettsii herein. The genes encoding the 5 novel SEPs were expressed in Escherichia coli cells, resulting in 5 recombinant SEPs (rSEPs), which were used to immunize mice. After challenge with viable R. rickettsii cells, the rickettsial load in the spleen, liver, or lung of mice immunized with rAdr2 and in the lungs of mice immunized with other rSEPs excluding rTolC was significantly lower than in mice that were mock-immunized with PBS. The in vitro neutralization test revealed that sera from mice immunized with rAdr1, rAdr2, or rOmpW reduced R. rickettsii adherence to and invasion of vascular endothelial cells. The immuno-electron microscopic assay clearly showed that the novel SEPs were located in the outer and/or inner membrane of R. rickettsii. Altogether, the 5 novel SEPs identified herein might be involved in the interaction of R. rickettsii with vascular endothelial cells, and all of them except TolC were protective antigens.

Genomic and comparative genomic analyses of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis provide insight into its evolution and pathogenesis.

Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, the causative agent of far eastern spotted fever, is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium that belongs to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. To understand the evolution and pathogenesis of R. heilongjiangensis, we analyzed its genome and compared it with other rickettsial genomes available in GenBank. The R. heilongjiangensis chromosome contains 1333 genes, including 1297 protein coding genes and 36 RNA coding genes. The genome also contains 121 pseudogenes, 54 insertion sequences, and 39 tandem repeats. Sixteen genes encoding the major components of the type IV secretion systems were identified in the R. heilongjiangensis genome. In total, 37 ß-barrel outer membrane proteins were predicted in the genome, eight of which have been previously confirmed to be outer membrane proteins. In addition, 266 potential virulence factor genes, seven partially deleted antibiotic resistance genes, and a genomic island were identified in the genome. The codon usage in the genome is compatible with its low GC content, and the amino acid usage shows apparent bias. A comparative genomic analysis showed that R. heilongjiangensis and R. japonica share one unique fragment that may be a target sequence for a diagnostic assay. The orthologs of 37 genes of R. heilongjiangensis were found in pathogenic R. rickettsii str. Sheila Smith but not in non-pathogenic R. rickettsii str. Iowa, which may explain why R. heilongjiangensis is pathogenic. Pan-genome analysis showed that R. heilongjiangensis and 42 other rickettsiae strains share 693 core genes with a pan-genome size of 4837 genes. The pan-genome-based phylogeny showed that R. heilongjiangensis was closely related to R. japonica.

Recombinant protein YbgF induces protective immunity against Rickettsia heilongjiangensis infection in C3H/HeN mice.

BACKGROUND: Surface proteins YbgF and PrsA are major seroreactive antigens of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, the etiological agent of Far-Eastern spotted fever. This study investigated their potential immunogenicity for protective immunity. METHODS: Recombinant YbgF and PrsA were used to immunize C3H/HeN mice and rickettsial loads in immunized mouse organs were assessed after R. heilongjiangensis challenge. Anti-sera from immunized mice were applied to neutralize rickettsiae. CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells isolated from R. heilongjiangensis-infected mice were stimulated with YbgF or PrsA, and proliferation and cytokine production assessed. RESULTS: The IgG2a/IgG1 ratio of sera was markedly increased in YbgF-immunized mice but was unaltered in PrsA-immunized mice after immunization. The rickettsial load in YbgF-immunized mice was significantly lower than in PrsA-immunized mice after R. heilongjiangensis challenge. Incubation with anti-serum to YbgF, but not PrsA, significantly reduced the number of rickettsiae adhering to and invading endothelial cells. The proliferation level and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion level of CD4⁺ T cells from R. heilongjiangensis-infected mice were significantly higher than in uninfected mice after stimulation with YbgF but not PrsA. CONCLUSION: YbgF is a novel protective antigen that induces a Th1-type of protective immune response against R. heilongjiangensis infection.

Proteome analysis and serological characterization of surface-exposed proteins of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis.

BACKGROUND: Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, the agent of Far-Eastern spotted fever (FESF), is an obligate intracellular bacterium. The surface-exposed proteins (SEPs) of rickettsiae are involved in rickettsial adherence to and invasion of host cells, intracellular bacterial growth, and/or interaction with immune cells. They are also potential molecular candidates for the development of diagnostic reagents and vaccines against rickettsiosis. METHODS: R. heilongjiangensis SEPs were identified by biotin-streptavidin affinity purification and 2D electrophoreses coupled with ESI-MS/MS. Recombinant SEPs were probed with various sera to analyze their serological characteristics using a protein microarray and an enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Twenty-five SEPs were identified, most of which were predicted to reside on the surface of R. heilongjiangensis cells. Bioinformatics analysis suggests that these proteins could be involved in bacterial pathogenesis. Eleven of the 25 SEPs were recognized as major seroreactive antigens by sera from R. heilongjiangensis-infected mice and FESF patients. Among the major seroreactive SEPs, microarray assays and/or ELISAs revealed that GroEL, OmpA-2, OmpB-3, PrsA, RplY, RpsB, SurA and YbgF had modest sensitivity and specificity for recognizing R. heilongjiangensis infection and/or spotted fever. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the SEPs identified herein have potentially important roles in R. heilongjiangensis pathogenicity. Some of them have potential as serodiagnostic antigens or as subunit vaccine antigens against the disease.

Mice immunized with bone marrow-derived dendritic cells stimulated with recombinant Coxiella burnetii Com1 and Mip demonstrate enhanced bacterial clearance in association with a Th1 immune response.

The recombinant membrane-associated proteins of Coxiella burnetii, Com1, Mip and GroEL, were used in vitro to stimulate BALB/c mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). The antigen-activated BMDCs were transferred into naïve BALB/c mice. Seven days after challenge of C. burnetii, the bacterial loads of mice receiving BMDCs activated with Com1 or Mip, but not GroEL, were significantly lower than that of mice receiving BMDCs pulsed with TrxA (Esherichia coli thioredoxin) in a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. After in vitro interaction with cognate antigen-pulsed BMDCs, the percentages of CD69-positive cells and TNF-α-positive cells in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells isolated from the spleens of mice receiving Com1-, Mip-, or GroEL-pulsed BMDCs were significantly higher than that of mice receiving mock-pulsed BMDCs in flow cytometric analysis. The percentages of IFN-γ-positive cells in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from mice receiving Com1- or Mip-pulsed BMDCs were significantly greater than that of mice receiving GroEL-pulsed BMDCs. However, the percentage of IL-4-positive cells in CD4(+) T cells of mice receiving GroEL-pulsed BMDCs was obviously higher than that of mice receiving Com1- or Mip-pulsed BMDCs. Our results demonstrate that Com1 and Mip are protective antigens and strongly indicate that they favor to induce IFN-γ-producing Th1 and Tc1 cells, whereas the non-protective antigen GroEL is biased to induce a Th2 response. Therefore, Com1 and Mip are key antigens to induce a protective immune response against C. burnetii infection.

Exploratory study on pathogenesis of far-eastern spotted fever.

Far-eastern spotted fever is an emerging disease caused by Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, a tick-borne obligate intracellular bacterium. In this study, R. heilongjiangensis was used to infect BALB/c mice by inoculation of retro-orbital venous plexus to imitate a blood infection caused by tick biting. We found that R. heilongjiangensis rapidly entered the circulation for systemic dissemination and the pathogen existed in liver, spleen, lungs, and brain of the mice at least 9 days post-infection (p.i.). Severe pathological lesions were observed in liver, lungs, and brain at Day 6 p.i. In addition, the elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor, and CC chemokine, were detected in the infected organs at Day 3 p.i. Our results reveal that R. heilongjiangensis may cause an infection in BALB/c mice and the pathological lesions in the infected mice are associated with host inflammatory response induced by R. heilongjiangensis.