A new triple chimeric protein as a high immunogenic antigen against anthrax toxins: theoretical and experimental analyses.

Background: Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis and it can be deadly in 6 days. Considerable efforts have been conducted toward developing more effective veterinary and human anthrax vaccines because these common vaccines have several limitations. B. anthracis secretes a tripartite toxin, comprising protective antigen (PA), edema factor (EF), and lethal factor (LF). Several studies have shown important role of PA in protection of anthrax. LF and EF induce production of toxin neutralizing antibodies too. PA in fusion form with LF/EF has synergistic effects as a potential subunit vaccine. Methods: In this study, for the first time, a triple chimeric protein called ELP was modeled by fusing three different domains of anthrax toxic antigens, the N-terminal domains of EF and LF, and the C-terminal domain of PA as a high immunogenic antigen using Modeller 9.19 software. Immunogenicity of the ELP was assessed in guinea pigs using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and MTT assay. Results: Theoretical studies and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results suggest that the ELP model had acceptable quality and stability. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the purified ELP, its domains, and PA were matched with their molecular size and confirmed by western blotting analysis. In the immune guinea pigs, antibody was produced against all of the ELP domains. It was observed that ELP induced strong humoral response and could protect murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7 cells) against anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx). Conclusions: ELP chimeric antigen could be considered as a high immunogenic antigen.

A very French connection, a brief discourse in commemoration of life and services of the late Louis Pierre Joseph Delpy on his 120th birthday anniversary.

Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI) turned 95 years old in 2015. Majority of the animal infectious diseases such as rinderpest and anthrax that used to frequently strike the historic Persia are now gone for good or under control owing to the pioneering researches conducted at the institute in the early-mid 20th century in the field of vaccine manufacturing. The earliest such scientific contributions, were truly made by the French eminent veterinarian Dr. Louis Pierre Joseph Delpy who joined the institute in 1931. In his 18 year-long directorship tenure he taught his colleagues fundamentals of vaccinology, basics of modern epidemiology, essentials of infectious disease control disciplines, the art of scientific writing and much more things that changed the institute for ever. This paper reviews the events and turning points in the first 25 years of service of the institute in a chronological way and remarks Delpy's principle involvements in all of these on the occasion of the 120 anniversary of his birth. At the entrance of the institute headquarter building where his bronze bust is placed, visitors can see a memorial etched plate that reads "... The architect of Razi and founder of Archives De L'Institute Razi (Archives of Razi Institute) was an enthusiastic scientist with a creative mind. … For the Razi community, Dr Delpy is gone but not forgotten."

Species of Mycoplasma causing contagious agalactia in small ruminants in Northwest Iran.

Contagious agalactia (CA) is a serious disease of small ruminants that occurs in many countries, and is usually characterized by mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, pleuropneumonia, and septicemia. Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma) is the main causative agent in sheep and goats but other pathogens including Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc, which incorporates the former M. mycoides subsp. mycoides Large Colony type), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum (Mcc), and Mycoplasma putrefaciens (Mp) might be involved. They are all usually associated with infections in goats and may cause similar clinical signs. A total of 116 sheep and 16 goats suffering from the acute form of the disease were included in this study. They were recruited following a number of outbreaks suspected to be CA in the Ardebil province of Iran. Milk, lachrymal or synovial fluid were collected exclusively from the affected animals in order to identify the pathogen involved. Of the 132 collected samples, 33 (25%) were positive for Mycoplasma species by culture in PPLO broth and agar. The polymerase chain reaction followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR/DGGE) method identified 18 (12 sheep and 6 goats) of the 33 Mycoplasma positive samples with mixed Mycoplasma population. In particular, 25 Ma (47.2%), 23 Mp (43.4%), 4 Mcc (7.5%), and 1 Mmc (1.9%) were identified. This confirms that the several Mycoplasma species rather than the Ma only are in circulation, and are able to cause CA in sheep and goats in Iran. This is the first report on the isolation and identification of Mp, Mmc and Mcc in infected small ruminant flocks in Iran.