scholarly journals Evaluation of protective immunity responses against pneumococcal PhtD and its C-terminal in combination with outer-membrane vesicles as adjuvants

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-477
Author(s):  
Mohammadali Malekan ◽  
Seyed Davar Siadat ◽  
Mohammadreza Aghasadeghi ◽  
Nader Shahrokhi ◽  
Parviz Afrough ◽  
...  

Introduction. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant bacterial pathogen in humans. Currently, there are two types of pneumococcal vaccines, but there are concerns regarding their application. Aim. Since many pneumococcal proteins are serotype-independent, polyhistidine triad protein D (PhtD) has been selected as a vaccine candidate. Methodology. We prepared recombinant PhtD and its C-terminal fragment (PhtD-C) using alum and outer-membrane vesicles (OMVs) as adjuvants. The combinations were injected intraperitoneally into mice, and then total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a were measured. A serum bactericidal assay and opsonophagocytosis were also performed as complementary tests. Meningococcal OMVs were used as an adjuvant. Results. The levels of specific IgG and IgG1 against combinations of PhtD and its C-terminal with OMVs and alum as adjuvants increased at the time of the third mouse immunization on day 35. Forty per cent and 60% of S. pneumoniae ATCC 6303 (serotype 3) as a virulent pneumococcal strain, respectively, were killed in the opsonophagocytosis test and these results could also be observed in the serum bactericidal assay. Mice mmunized iwith PhtD and its C-terminal with OMVs and alum as adjuvants survived after 10 days of pneumococcal challenge. Conclusion. The combination of PhtD and PhtD-C with alum produced optimal results, but the combination of PhtD and PhtD-C with OMVs produced minimal results by comparison. The survival rates were also measured, and these corresponded with the results of the immunological assessments. Our findings showed that mice receiving PhtD and PhtD-C plus OMV and alum had higher survival rates than the mice in the other groups.

Microbiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 167 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pappu K. Mandal ◽  
Giulia Ballerin ◽  
Laura M. Nolan ◽  
Nicola K. Petty ◽  
Cynthia B. Whitchurch

Membrane vesicles (MVs) are membrane-bound spherical nanostructures that prevail in all three domains of life. In Gram-negative bacteria, MVs are thought to be produced through blebbing of the outer membrane and are often referred to as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). We have recently described another mechanism of MV formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that involves explosive cell-lysis events, which shatters cellular membranes into fragments that rapidly anneal into MVs. Interestingly, MVs are often observed within preparations of lytic bacteriophage, however the source of these MVs and their association with bacteriophage infection has not been explored. In this study we aimed to determine if MV formation is associated with lytic bacteriophage infection. Live super-resolution microscopy demonstrated that explosive cell lysis of Escherichia coli cells infected with either bacteriophage T4 or T7, resulted in the formation of MVs derived from shattered membrane fragments. Infection by either bacteriophage was also associated with the formation of membrane blebs on intact bacteria. TEM revealed multiple classes of MVs within phage lysates, consistent with multiple mechanisms of MV formation. These findings suggest that bacteriophage infection may be a major contributor to the abundance of bacterial MVs in nature.


Microbiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 166 (8) ◽  
pp. 751-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Oliver Murray ◽  
Robin Andrew Dawson ◽  
Lolwah Mohammad Alsharaf ◽  
Jody Anne Winter

Outer-membrane vesicles (OMVs) produced by Helicobacter pylori deliver bacterial components to host cells, provide a mechanism for stabilization of secreted components and may allow the bacteria to exert ‘long-range’ effects in the gastric niche, promoting persistence. In addition to their well-characterized host cell interactions, membrane vesicles improve stress survival in other bacterial species, and are constitutively produced by both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. We aimed to determine whether OMVs could improve H. pylori survival of a range of stressors. The effects of purified OMVs on the resistance of H. pylori to a range of environmental and antimicrobial stresses were determined using growth curves and survival assays. Addition of purified OMVs to H. pylori cultures provided dose-dependent protection against hydrogen peroxide-mediated killing. Supplementation with OMVs also partially protected H. pylori against the bactericidal effects of the antibiotics clarithromycin and levofloxacin, but not against amoxicillin nor metronidazole. Addition of purified OMVs allowed H. pylori to grow in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37. In the presence of 50 µg OMVs ml−1, significantly enhanced H. pylori growth was observed at higher LL-37 concentrations compared with lower LL-37 concentrations, suggesting that OMV–LL-37 interactions might facilitate release of growth-promoting nutrients. Taken together, these data indicate that production of membrane vesicles could help H. pylori to survive exposure to antibiotics and host antimicrobial defences during infection.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Bauwens ◽  
Lisa Kunsmann ◽  
Helge Karch ◽  
Alexander Mellmann ◽  
Martina Bielaszewska

ABSTRACT Ciprofloxacin, meropenem, fosfomycin, and polymyxin B strongly increase production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in Escherichia coli O104:H4 and O157:H7. Ciprofloxacin also upregulates OMV-associated Shiga toxin 2a, the major virulence factor of these pathogens, whereas the other antibiotics increase OMV production without the toxin. These two effects might worsen the clinical outcome of infections caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Our data support the existing recommendations to avoid antibiotics for treatment of these infections.


2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (8) ◽  
pp. e02567-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Bart van den Berg van Saparoea ◽  
Diane Houben ◽  
Marien I. de Jonge ◽  
Wouter S. P. Jong ◽  
Joen Luirink

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli virulence factor hemoglobin protease (Hbp) has been engineered into a surface display system that can be expressed to high density on live E. coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium cells or derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Multiple antigenic sequences can be genetically fused into the Hbp core structure for optimal exposure to the immune system. Although the Hbp display platform is relatively tolerant, increasing the number, size, and complexity of integrated sequences generally lowers the expression of the fused constructs and limits the density of display. This is due to the intricate mechanism of Hbp secretion across the outer membrane and the efficient quality control of translocation-incompetent chimeric Hbp molecules in the periplasm. To address this shortcoming, we explored the coupling of purified proteins to the Hbp carrier after its translocation across the outer membrane using the recently developed SpyTag/SpyCatcher protein ligation system. As expected, fusion of the small SpyTag to Hbp did not hamper display on OMVs. Subsequent addition of purified proteins fused to the SpyCatcher domain resulted in efficient covalent coupling to Hbp-SpyTag. Using in addition the orthogonal SnoopTag/SnoopCatcher system, multiple antigen modules could be coupled to Hbp in a sequential ligation strategy. Not only antigens proved suitable for Spy-mediated ligation but also nanobodies. Addition of this functionality to the platform might allow the targeting of live bacterial or OMV vaccines to certain tissues or immune cells to tailor immune responses.IMPORTANCE Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Gram-negative bacteria attract increasing interest in the development of vaccines and therapeutic agents. We aim to construct a semisynthetic OMV platform for recombinant antigen presentation on OMVs derived from attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium cells displaying an adapted Escherichia coli autotransporter, Hbp, at the surface. Although this autotransporter accepts substantial modifications, its capacity with respect to the number, size, and structural complexity of the antigens genetically fused to the Hbp carrier is restricted. Here we describe the application of SpyCatcher/SpyTag protein ligation technology to enzymatically link antigens to Hbp present at high density in OMVs. Protein ligation was apparently unobstructed by the membrane environment and allowed a high surface density of coupled antigens, a property we have shown to be important for vaccine efficacy. The OMV coupling procedure appears versatile and robust, allowing fast production of experimental vaccines and therapeutic agents through a modular plug-and-display procedure.


2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (18) ◽  
pp. 5854-5865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria H. Daleke-Schermerhorn ◽  
Tristan Felix ◽  
Zora Soprova ◽  
Corinne M. ten Hagen-Jongman ◽  
David Vikström ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOuter membrane vesicles (OMVs) are spherical nanoparticles that naturally shed from Gram-negative bacteria. They are rich in immunostimulatory proteins and lipopolysaccharide but do not replicate, which increases their safety profile and renders them attractive vaccine vectors. By packaging foreign polypeptides in OMVs, specific immune responses can be raised toward heterologous antigens in the context of an intrinsic adjuvant. Antigens exposed at the vesicle surface have been suggested to elicit protection superior to that from antigens concealed inside OMVs, but hitherto robust methods for targeting heterologous proteins to the OMV surface have been lacking. We have exploited our previously developed hemoglobin protease (Hbp) autotransporter platform for display of heterologous polypeptides at the OMV surface. One, two, or three of theMycobacterium tuberculosisantigens ESAT6, Ag85B, and Rv2660c were targeted to the surface ofEscherichia coliOMVs upon fusion to Hbp. Furthermore, a hypervesiculating ΔtolRΔtolAderivative of attenuatedSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium SL3261 was generated, enabling efficient release and purification of OMVs decorated with multiple heterologous antigens, exemplified by theM. tuberculosisantigens and epitopes fromChlamydia trachomatismajor outer membrane protein (MOMP). Also, we showed that delivery ofSalmonellaOMVs displaying Ag85B to antigen-presenting cellsin vitroresults in processing and presentation of an epitope that is functionally recognized by Ag85B-specific T cell hybridomas. In conclusion, the Hbp platform mediates efficient display of (multiple) heterologous antigens, individually or combined within one molecule, at the surface of OMVs. Detection of antigen-specific immune responses upon vesicle-mediated delivery demonstrated the potential of our system for vaccine development.


Vaccines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Matías ◽  
Ana Brotons ◽  
Santiago Cenoz ◽  
Isidoro Pérez ◽  
Muthanna Abdulkarim ◽  
...  

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are a major cause of illness and death in neonatal and recently weaned pigs. The immune protection of the piglets derives from maternal colostrum, since this species does not receive maternal antibodies through the placenta. In the present study, outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) obtained from main ETEC strains involved in piglet infection (F4 and F18 serotypes), encapsulated into zein nanoparticles coated with Gantrez®® AN-mannosamine conjugate, were used to orally immunize mice and pregnant sows. Loaded nanoparticles were homogeneous and spherical in a shape, with a size of 220–280 nm. The diffusion of nanoparticles through porcine intestinal mucus barrier was assessed by a Multiple Particle Tracking technique, showing that these particles were able to diffuse efficiently (1.3% diffusion coefficient), validating their oral use. BALB/c mice were either orally immunized with free OMVs or encapsulated into nanoparticles (100 µg OMVs/mouse). Results indicated that a single dose of loaded nanoparticles was able to elicit higher levels of serum specific IgG1, IgG2a and IgA, as well as intestinal IgA, with respect to the free antigens. In addition, nanoparticles induced an increase in levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-γ with respect to the administration of free OMVs. Orally immunized pregnant sows with the same formulation elicited colostrum-, serum- (IgG, IgA or IgM) and fecal- (IgA) specific antibodies and, what is most relevant, offspring suckling piglets presented specific IgG in serum. Further studies are needed to determine the infection protective capacity of this new oral subunit vaccine


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Fischer ◽  
Martin Schorb ◽  
Greta Reintjes ◽  
Androniki Kolovou ◽  
Rachel Santarella-Mellwig ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Large surface-to-volume ratios provide optimal nutrient uptake conditions for small microorganisms in oligotrophic habitats. The surface area can be increased with appendages. Here, we describe chains of interconnecting vesicles protruding from cells of strain Hel3_A1_48, affiliating with Formosa spp. within the Flavobacteriia and originating from coastal free-living bacterioplankton. The chains were up to 10 μm long and had vesicles emanating from the outer membrane with a single membrane and a size of 80 to 100 nm by 50 to 80 nm. Cells extruded membrane tubes in the exponential phase, whereas vesicle chains dominated on cells in the stationary growth phase. This formation is known as pearling, a physical morphogenic process in which membrane tubes protrude from liposomes and transform into chains of interconnected vesicles. Proteomes of whole-cell membranes and of detached vesicles were dominated by outer membrane proteins, including the type IX secretion system and surface-attached peptidases, glycoside hydrolases, and endonucleases. Fluorescein-labeled laminarin stained the cells and the vesicle chains. Thus, the appendages provide binding domains and degradative enzymes on their surfaces and probably storage volume in the vesicle lumen. Both may contribute to the high abundance of these Formosa-affiliated bacteria during laminarin utilization shortly after spring algal blooms. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms produce membrane vesicles. One synthesis pathway seems to be pearling that describes the physical formation of vesicle chains from phospholipid vesicles via extended tubes. Bacteria with vesicle chains had been observed as well as bacteria with tubes, but pearling was so far not observed. Here, we report the observation of, initially, tubes and then vesicle chains during the growth of a flavobacterium, suggesting biopearling of vesicle chains. The flavobacterium is abundant during spring bacterioplankton blooms developing after algal blooms and has a special set of enzymes for laminarin, the major storage polysaccharide of microalgae. We demonstrated with fluorescently labeled laminarin that the vesicle chains bind laminarin or contain laminarin-derived compounds. Proteomic analyses revealed surface-attached degradative enzymes on the outer membrane vesicles. We conclude that the large surface area and the lumen of vesicle chains may contribute to the ecological success of this marine bacterium.


2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 3084-3090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Rumbo ◽  
Esteban Fernández-Moreira ◽  
María Merino ◽  
Margarita Poza ◽  
Jose Antonio Mendez ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe resistance ofAcinetobacter baumanniistrains to carbapenems is a worrying problem in hospital settings. The main mechanism of carbapenem resistance is the expression of β-lactamases (metalloenzymes or class D enzymes). The mechanisms of the dissemination of these genes amongA. baumanniistrains are not fully understood. In this study we used two carbapenem-resistant clinical strains ofA. baumannii(AbH12O-A2 and AbH12O-CU3) expressing the plasmid-borneblaOXA-24gene (plasmids pMMA2 and pMMCU3, respectively) to demonstrate thatA. baumanniireleases outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) duringin vitrogrowth. The use of hybridization studies enabled us to show that these OMVs harbored theblaOXA-24gene. The incubation of these OMVs with the carbapenem-susceptibleA. baumanniiATCC 17978 host strain yielded full resistance to carbapenems. The presence of the original plasmids harboring theblaOXA-24gene was detected in strain ATCC 17978 after the transformation of OMVs. New OMVs harboringblaOXA-24were released byA. baumanniiATCC 17978 after it was transformed with the original OMV-mediated plasmids, indicating the universality of the process. We present the first experimental evidence that clinical isolates ofA. baumanniimay release OMVs as a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer whereby carbapenem resistance genes are delivered to surroundingA. baumanniibacterial isolates.


2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 2516-2518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Devos ◽  
Stephan Stremersch ◽  
Koen Raemdonck ◽  
Kevin Braeckmans ◽  
Bart Devreese

ABSTRACTThe treatment ofStenotrophomonas maltophiliainfection with β-lactam antibiotics leads to increased release of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which are packed with two chromosomally encoded β-lactamases. Here, we show that these β-lactamase–packed OMVs are capable of establishing extracellular β-lactam degradation. We also show that they dramatically increase the apparent MICs of imipenem and ticarcillin for the cohabituating speciesPseudomonas aeruginosaandBurkholderia cenocepacia.


2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 1874-1881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Pérez-Cruz ◽  
Ornella Carrión ◽  
Lidia Delgado ◽  
Gemma Martinez ◽  
Carmen López-Iglesias ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOuter membrane vesicles (OMVs) from Gram-negative bacteria are known to be involved in lateral DNA transfer, but the presence of DNA in these vesicles has remained difficult to explain. An ultrastructural study of the Antarctic psychrotolerant bacteriumShewanella vesiculosaM7Thas revealed that this Gram-negative bacterium naturally releases conventional one-bilayer OMVs through a process in which the outer membrane is exfoliated and only the periplasm is entrapped, together with a more complex type of OMV, previously undescribed, which on formation drag along inner membrane and cytoplasmic content and can therefore also entrap DNA. These vesicles, with a double-bilayer structure and containing electron-dense material, were visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution (HPF-FS), and their DNA content was fluorometrically quantified as 1.8 ± 0.24 ng DNA/μg OMV protein. The new double-bilayer OMVs were estimated by cryo-TEM to represent 0.1% of total vesicles. The presence of DNA inside the vesicles was confirmed by gold DNA immunolabeling with a specific monoclonal IgM against double-stranded DNA. In addition, a proteomic study of purified membrane vesicles confirmed the presence of plasma membrane and cytoplasmic proteins in OMVs from this strain. Our data demonstrate the existence of a previously unobserved type of double-bilayer OMV in the Gram-negative bacteriumShewanella vesiculosaM7Tthat can incorporate DNA, for which we propose the name outer-inner membrane vesicle (O-IMV).


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