scholarly journals Partial Protection against Brucella Infection in Mice by Immunization with Nonpathogenic Alphaproteobacteria

2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1296-1301 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Victoria Delpino ◽  
Silvia M. Estein ◽  
Carlos A. Fossati ◽  
Pablo C. Baldi
Keyword(s):  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Sinorhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Oral Immunization ◽  
Positive Control ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Partial Protection ◽  
Mesorhizobium Loti ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Phosphate Buffered Saline

ABSTRACT Previous findings indicate that Brucella antigens and those from nonpathogenic alphaproteobacteria (NPAP) are cross-recognized by the immune system. We hypothesized that immunization with NPAP would protect mice from Brucella infection. Mice were immunized subcutaneously with heat-killed Ochrobactrum anthropi, Sinorhizobium meliloti, Mesorhizobium loti, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, or Brucella melitensis H38 (standard positive control) before intravenous challenge with Brucella abortus 2308. Cross-reacting serum antibodies against Brucella antigens were detected at the moment of challenge in all NPAP-immunized mice. Thirty days after B. abortus challenge, splenic CFU counts were significantly lower in mice immunized with O. anthropi, M. loti, and B. melitensis H38 than in the phosphate-buffered saline controls (protection levels were 0.80, 0.66, and 1.99 log units, respectively). In mice immunized intraperitoneally with cytosoluble extracts from NPAP or Brucella abortus, protection levels were 1.58 for the latter, 0.63 for O. anthropi, and 0.40 for M. loti. To test whether the use of live NPAP would increase protection further, mice were both immunized and challenged by the oral route. Immunization with NPAP induced a significant increase in serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), but not serum or fecal IgA, against Brucella antigens. After challenge, anti-Brucella IgA increased significantly in the sera and feces of mice orally immunized with O. anthropi. For all NPAP, protection levels were higher than those obtained with systemic immunizations but were lower than those obtained by oral immunization with heat-killed B. abortus. These results show that immunization with NPAP, especially O. anthropi, confers partial protection against Brucella challenge. However, such protection is lower than that conferred by immunization with whole Brucella or its cytosoluble fraction.

Pathways for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in bacteria

Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (12) ◽  
pp. 3461-3471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Martínez-Morales ◽  
Max Schobert ◽  
Isabel M. López-Lara ◽  
Otto Geiger
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Bradyrhizobium Japonicum ◽  
Sinorhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Rhizobium Leguminosarum ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Membrane Lipid ◽  
Mesorhizobium Loti ◽  
Methylation Pathway ◽  
Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the major membrane-forming phospholipid in eukaryotes with important structural and signalling functions. Although many prokaryotes lack PC, it can be found in significant amounts in membranes of rather diverse bacteria. Two pathways for PC biosynthesis are known in bacteria, the methylation pathway and the phosphatidylcholine synthase (PCS) pathway. In the methylation pathway, phosphatidylethanolamine is methylated three times to yield PC, in reactions catalysed by one or several phospholipid N-methyltransferases (PMTs). In the PCS pathway, choline is condensed directly with CDP-diacylglyceride to form PC in a reaction catalysed by PCS. Using cell-free extracts, it was demonstrated that Sinorhizobium meliloti, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Mesorhizobium loti and Legionella pneumophila have both PMT and PCS activities. In addition, Rhodobacter sphaeroides has PMT activity and Brucella melitensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Borrelia burgdorferi have PCS activities. Genes from M. loti and L. pneumophila encoding a Pmt or a Pcs activity and the genes from P. aeruginosa and Borrelia burgdorferi responsible for Pcs activity have been identified. Based on these functional assignments and on genomic data, one might predict that if bacteria contain PC as a membrane lipid, they usually possess both bacterial pathways for PC biosynthesis. However, important pathogens such as Brucella melitensis, P. aeruginosa and Borrelia burgdorferi seem to be exceptional as they possess only the PCS pathway for PC formation.

scholarly journals Protective Live Oral Brucellosis Vaccines Stimulate Th1 and Th17 Cell Responses

2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (10) ◽  
pp. 4165-4174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Clapp ◽  
Jerod A. Skyberg ◽  
Xinghong Yang ◽  
Theresa Thornburg ◽  
Nancy Walters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Oral Immunization ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Interleukin 17 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unpasteurized Milk ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
Feral Animals ◽  
Immunocompetent Mice

ABSTRACTZoonotic transmission of brucellosis often results from exposure toBrucella-infected livestock, feral animals, or wildlife or frequently via consumption of unpasteurized milk products or raw meat. Since natural infection of humans often occurs by the oral route, mucosal vaccination may offer a means to confer protection for both mucosal and systemic tissues. Significant efforts have focused on developing a live brucellosis vaccine, and deletion of theznuAgene involved in zinc transport has been found to attenuateBrucella abortus. A similar mutation has been adapted forBrucella melitensisand tested to determine whether oral administration of ΔznuAB. melitensiscan confer protection against nasalB. melitensischallenge. A single oral vaccination with ΔznuAB. melitensisrapidly cleared from mice within 2 weeks and effectively protected mice upon nasal challenge with wild-typeB. melitensis16M. In 83% of the vaccinated mice, no detectable brucellae were found in their spleens, unlike with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-dosed mice, and vaccination also enhanced the clearance of brucellae from the lungs. Moreover, vaccinated gamma interferon-deficient (IFN-γ−/−) mice also showed protection in both spleens and lungs, albeit protection that was not as effective as in immunocompetent mice. Although IFN-γ, interleukin 17 (IL-17), and IL-22 were stimulated by these live vaccines, only RB51-mediated protection was codependent upon IL-17 in BALB/c mice. These data suggest that oral immunization with the live, attenuated ΔznuAB. melitensisvaccine provides an attractive strategy to protect against inhalational infection with virulentB. melitensis.

scholarly journals Role of Trehalose Transport and Utilization in Sinorhizobium meliloti-Alfalfa Interactions

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 694-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Beck Jensen ◽  
Osei Yaw Ampomah ◽  
Richard Darrah ◽  
N. Kent Peters ◽  
T. V. Bhuvaneswari
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Sinorhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Sole Source ◽  
Root Surface ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Major Pathway ◽  
Mesorhizobium Loti ◽  
Infection Threads

Genes thuA and thuB in Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021 code for a major pathway for trehalose catabolism and are induced by trehalose but not by related structurally similar disaccharides like sucrose or maltose. S. meliloti strains mutated in either of these two genes were severely impaired in their ability to grow on trehalose as the sole source of carbon. ThuA and ThuB show no homology to any known enzymes in trehalose utilization. ThuA has similarity to proteins of unknown function in Mesorhizobium loti, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Brucella melitensis, and ThuB possesses homology to dehydrogenases containing the consensus motif AGKHVXCEKP. thuAB genes are expressed in bacteria growing on the root surface and in the infection threads but not in the symbiotic zone of the nodules. Even though thuA and thuB mutants were impaired in competitive colonization of Medicago sativa roots, these strains were more competitive than the wild-type Rm1021 in infecting alfalfa roots and forming nitrogen-fixing nodules. Possible reasons for their increased competitiveness are discussed.

Identification, geographic distribution and risk factors of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis infection in cattle in Algeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 254 ◽  
pp. 109004
Author(s):  
Nedjma Lounes ◽  
Falk Melzer ◽  
Ashraf E. Sayour ◽  
Hassiba Tali Maamar ◽  
Kheira Rahal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Brucella Melitensis

scholarly journals Deletion of znuA Virulence Factor Attenuates Brucella abortus and Confers Protection against Wild-Type Challenge

2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 3874-3879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinghong Yang ◽  
Todd Becker ◽  
Nancy Walters ◽  
David W. Pascual
Keyword(s):  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Pasteurella Multocida ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Minimal Growth ◽  
M Genome ◽  
S19 Vaccine ◽  
Knockout Mutation

ABSTRACT znuA is known to be an important factor for survival and normal growth under low Zn2+ concentrations for Escherichia coli, Haemophilus spp., Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Pasteurella multocida. We hypothesized that the znuA gene present in Brucella melitensis 16 M would be similar to znuA in B. abortus and questioned whether it may also be an important factor for growth and virulence of Brucella abortus. Using the B. melitensis 16 M genome sequence, primers were designed to construct a B. abortus deletion mutant. A znuA knockout mutation in B. abortus 2308 (ΔznuA) was constructed and found to be lethal in low-Zn2+ medium. When used to infect macrophages, ΔznuA B. abortus showed minimal growth. Further study with ΔznuA B. abortus showed that its virulence in BALB/c mice was attenuated, and most of the bacteria were cleared from the spleen within 8 weeks. Protection studies confirmed the ΔznuA mutant as a potential live vaccine, since protection against wild-type B. abortus 2308 challenge was as effective as that obtained with the RB51 or S19 vaccine strain.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Protection Afforded by Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Unmarked Deletion Mutants Exhibiting Different Rates of Clearance in BALB/c Mice

2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 4048-4057 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Kahl-McDonagh ◽  
T. A. Ficht
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Heterologous Challenge ◽  
Current Vaccine ◽  
Protection Against Infection ◽  
Ideal Vaccine

ABSTRACT Research for novel Brucella vaccines has focused upon the development of live vaccine strains, which have proven more efficacious than killed or subunit vaccines. In an effort to develop improved vaccines, signature-tagged mutant banks were screened to identify mutants attenuated for survival. Mutants selected from these screens exhibited various degrees of attenuation characterized by the rate of clearance, ranging from a failure to grow in macrophages after 24 h of infection to a failure to persist in the mouse model beyond 8 weeks. Ideal vaccine candidates should be safe to the host, while evoking protective immunity. In the present work, we constructed unmarked deletion mutants of three gene candidates, manBA, virB2, and asp24, in both Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis. The Δasp24 mutants, which persist for extended periods in vivo, are superior to current vaccine strains and to other deletion strains tested in the mouse model against homologous challenge infection after 12, 16, and 20 weeks postvaccination. The Δasp24 mutants also display superior protection compared to ΔmanBA and ΔvirB2 mutants against heterologous challenge in mice. From this study, a direct association between protection against infection and cytokine response was not apparent between all vaccine groups and, therefore, correlates of protective immunity will need to be considered further. A distinct correlation between persistence of the vaccine strain and protection against infection was corroborated.

scholarly journals Protection of BALB/c Mice against Brucella abortus 544 Challenge by Vaccination with Bacterioferritin or P39 Recombinant Proteins with CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides as Adjuvant

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 4816-4822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Al-Mariri ◽  
Anne Tibor ◽  
Pascal Mertens ◽  
Xavier De Bolle ◽  
Patrick Michel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recombinant Proteins ◽  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Brucella Melitensis ◽  
Cpg Odn ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽  
Recombinant Antigens ◽  
Cpg Oligodeoxynucleotides ◽  
Ifn Γ

ABSTRACT The P39 and the bacterioferrin (BFR) antigens of Brucella melitensis 16M were previously identified as T dominant antigens able to induce both delayed-type hypersensivity in sensitized guinea pigs and in vitro gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from infected cattle. Here, we analyzed the potential for these antigens to function as a subunitary vaccine against Brucella abortus infection in BALB/c mice, and we characterized the humoral and cellular immune responses induced. Mice were injected with each of the recombinant proteins alone or adjuvanted with either CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) or non-CpG ODN. Mice immunized with the recombinant antigens with CpG ODN were the only group demonstrating both significant IFN-γ production and T-cell proliferation in response to either Brucella extract or to the respective antigen. The same conclusion holds true for the antibody response, which was only demonstrated in mice immunized with recombinant antigens mixed with CpG ODN. The antibody titers (both immunoglobulin G1 [IgG1] and IgG2a) induced by P39 immunization were higher than the titers induced by BFR (only IgG2a). Using a B. abortus 544 challenge, the level of protection was analyzed and compared to the protection conferred by one immunization with the vaccine strain B19. Immunization with P39 and CpG ODN gave a level of protection comparable to the one conferred by B19 at 4 weeks postchallenge, and the mice were still significantly protected at 8 weeks postchallenge, although to a lesser extent than the B19-vaccinated group. Intriguingly, no protection was detected after BFR vaccination. All other groups did not demonstrate any protection.

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