恶性疟原虫FCC—1／HN株环子孢子蛋白基因分枝杆菌——大肠杆穿梭表达重组质粒的构建及序列测定

本文对恶性疟原虫环子孢子蛋白(circumsporozoiteprotein,CSP)基因片段进行克隆和序列测定。根据恶性疟原虫837株基因编码序列设计合成一对引物,采用PCR技术从恶性疟原虫FCC-1/HN株基因组DNA中特异扩增CSP基因片段的Ⅰ区、中央重复区、重复区后可变区和Ⅱ区;经纯化的扩增产物用BamHⅠ和KpnⅠ双酶切后,定向克隆入大肠杆菌——分枝杆菌穿梭表达质粒,转化感受态大肠杆菌DH5α,重组克隆经抗性筛选和快速凝胶电泳鉴定,再经PCR和酶切鉴定,并对重组子进行序列测定。结果表明从恶性疟原虫FCC-1／HN株基因组DNA中可特异扩增出约1171bp的基因片段,阳性重组质粒经双酶切和PCR鉴定与预期的结果一致,序列测定表明所克隆的基因和编码环子孢子抗原的基因片段相符。     

恶性疟原虫疫苗的研究──Ⅰ．环子孢子蛋白基因中央保守区的体外扩增

恶性疟原虫环子孢子蛋白基因中央保守区编码产物具有３７个ＮＡＮＰ串联重复序列，并认为（ＮＡＮＰ）ｎ具有保护性免疫作用。本文通过酚／氯仿抽提乙醇沉淀方法提取恶性疟原虫全基因组ＤＮＡ，首次采用ＰＣＲ方法获得环子孢子蛋白ＣＳＰ基因中央保守区片段。我们用地高辛标记的ＰＣＲ产物作ＤＮＡ探针，杂交试验表明具有高度的敏感性和特异性。同时，本文还探讨了ＰＣＲ技术在病原学检测、疫苗研制、流行病学调查、疗效考核等方面的潜在应用前景。     

恶性疟原虫环子孢子蛋白单链抗体与按蚊cecropin A融合基因的构建、原核表达及生物学活性的初步分析

根据按蚊偏嗜性密码子对鼠源性恶性疟原虫环子孢子蛋白单链抗体2a10基因进行改造,并融合按蚊抗菌肽cecropin A编码基因。将获得的cecrop-m2a10融合基因克隆入原核表达载体pET32a（＋）中,对表达产物进行SDS-PAGE、Western-blot分析并利用琼脂糖扩散法检测其抗菌活性。结果对鼠源性环子孢子蛋白单链抗体2a10中6种氨基酸的170个核苷酸进行了改造,融合cecropinA编码基因,成功构建了cecrop-m2a10融合基因。靶基因在大肠杆菌中以融合蛋白和包涵体的形式高效表达,包涵体经尿素溶解变性及透析复性后表达蛋白的纯度达75%并具备抗大肠杆菌DH5α的活性。本实验为进一步研究cecrop-m2a10在转基因蚊中的多重抗病原效应提供了基础。     

主动入侵的疟原虫子孢子通过CSP蛋白诱导DC成熟

目的观察约氏疟原虫子孢子能否诱导DC成熟,并探讨其机制。方法GM-CSF常规诱导小鼠骨髓前体细胞,获得足量的DC,然后,解剖按蚊唾液腺子孢子与DC共培养,分别于2、4和24 h后,荧光显微镜下观察子孢子与DC的相互关系,同时采用流式细胞分析技术检测DC表面的MHC-Ⅱ类分子、CD80和CD86共刺激分子的表达情况,最后转染重组pFLAG-CMV8-CSP质粒后24 h,检测DC表面的共刺激分子的表达情况。结果在共培养后2h,子孢子便逐渐向DC迁移甚至黏附于DC表面;4 h后部分子孢子便进入DC且仍然保持子孢子的弯月形形态;24 h后DC内的部分子孢子逐渐变圆,类似肝期裂殖体的形态。流式检测发现共培养2 h后对DC共刺激分子表达无明显影响,而共培养4 h和24 h后DC共刺激分子的表达均上调。转染pFLAG-CMV8-CSP重组质粒至DC中后同样能诱导DC的共刺激分子的表达上调。结论在体外共培养的情况下,大部分子孢子可以主动侵入DC而少部分可以被DC吞噬,主动入侵DC的子孢子可能是通过其表面的CSP由纳虫空泡进入胞浆内后诱导DC成熟。     

恶性疟原虫海南分离株FCC1/HN有性期特异抗原Pfs48/45基因的克隆与表达

采用基因工程技术,将编码恶性疟原虫有性期特异抗原Ｐｆｓ８／４５的基因克隆到真核表达质粒ｐｃＤ－ＮＡ３,并进行ＤＮＡ序列测定,再通过磷酸钙—ＤＮＡ共沉淀转化法将重组质粒ｐｃＤＮＡ３－ｐＦＳ４８／４５导入ＨｅＬａ细胞,建立稳定分泌Ｐｆｓ４８／４５蛋白的阳性克隆株。结果显示,我国海南ＦＣＣ１／ＨＮ株Ｐｆｓ４８／４５抗原基因序列与ＮＦ５４株者高度同源,提示该基因在不同虫株间高度保守,是研制疟疾疫苗的理想靶抗原;在ＨｅＬａ细胞中表达的Ｐｆｓ４８／４５蛋白分子量约为４６／４３．５ｋＤａ双联体蛋白,其表达量占细胞培养上清蛋白总量的１８．２７％。经ＷｅｓｔｅｒｎＢｌｏｔ分析显示,表在蛋白能被配子体免疫鼠血清特异性识别,提示表达的重组蛋白Ｐｆｓ４８／４５具有免疫活性。真核表达系统ｐｃＤＮＡ３／Ｐｆｓ４８／４５／ＨｅＬａ的建立为进一步研究重组Ｐｆｓ４８／４５抗原的免疫原性和保护性奠定基础。     

恶性疟原虫复制蛋白PfRPA2的原核表达及多抗制备

目的克隆表达恶性疟原虫复制蛋白PfRPA2亚基,制备多抗,为该蛋白的功能研究奠定基础。方法PCR扩增目的基因片段,克隆到表达载体pGEX．KG中,构建PjRPA2／pGEX-KG原核表达载体,IPTG诱导表达,SDS—PAGE电泳分析表达产物．谷胱甘肽柱纯化蛋白,Western blot检测其抗原性,以纯化的GST-PfRPA2免疫小鼠,制备抗tyRPA2的多抗．间接ELISA法检测鼠血清效价,Western blot鉴定多抗特异性。结果成功构建了重组踯PA2／pGEX．KG原核表达质粒,并在大肠杆菌中以可济眭形式高效表达,纯化表达产物,制备抗邸PA2的鼠多抗,效价为10-7,Western blot证实此抗体可识别恶性疟原虫内与PJRPA2蛋白位置对应的特异性条带。结论恶性疟原虫复制蛋白PfRPA2亚基在大肠杆菌中获得可溶性高效表达,纯化表达产物能诱导小鼠生产能识别天然蛋白的特异性抗体。     

恶性疟原虫FCC-1／HN株EBA-175基因特异序列的克隆及其鉴定

根据恶性疟原虫红细胞结合抗原EBA-175基因编码序列设计并合成一对引物，通过聚合群链反应(PCR)技术对恶性疟原虫FCC-1／HN株的EBA-175基因进行扩增，用HindⅢ和BarnHⅠ同时消化扩增产物，定向克隆PCDN3载体，转化至感受态大肠杆菌TG1，经抗性筛选和质粒大小快速凝胶电泳鉴定初步获得重组克隆，再经PCR鉴定和HindⅢ／BarnHⅠ酶切鉴定，证实所得的重组克隆含有编码恶性疟原虫FCC-1／HN株EBA-175基因部分序列。     

恶性疟原虫海南分离株FCC1／HN有性期特异抗原Pfs48／45基 …

采用基因工程技术,将编码恶性疟原虫有性期特异抗原Ｐｆｓ８／４５的基因克隆到真核表达质粒ｐｃＤＮＡ３,并进行ＤＮＡ序列测定,再通过磷酸钙－ＤＮＡ共沉淀转化法将重组质粒ｐｃＤＮＡ３－ｐＦＳ４８／４５导入Ｈｅｌａ细胞,建立稳定分泌Ｐｆｓ４８／４５蛋白的阳性克隆株,结果显示,我国海南ＦＣＣ１／ＨＮ株Ｐｆｓ４８／４５抗原基因序鲁与ＨＦ５４株者高度同源,提示该基因在不同虫株高度保守,是研制疟疾疫苗的理想靶抗原     

恶性疟原虫富组氨酸蛋白（HRP—Ⅱ）的表达和分离纯化

为获得大量具天然抗原活性的恶性疟原虫HRP-Ⅱ抗原,用摇瓶发酵工程菌,诱导β-半乳糖苷酶-HRP-Ⅱ融合蛋白表达;裂菌后,洗涤沉淀2-3次,用6M脲溶解;取上清经Sephacryl-200柱层析分离纯化目的蛋白,然后复性。结果重组蛋白以包涵体的形式高效表达;Sephacryl-200柱层析后,目的蛋白纯度达86%,91.48%被复性,被Dipstick即ParsSight-F识别,表明该重组抗原纯度高,复性效果好,可用于恶性疟原虫HRP-Ⅱ抗体的制备等研究。     

Cytotoxic T cell reactivity and HLA-B35 binding of the variant Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein CD8+ CTL epitope in naturally exposed Kenyan adults

In this study, we have investigated the extent of natural polymorphism in the CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) determinant (amino acids 368–390) of circumsporozoite (CS) protein of Plasmodium falciparum field isolates from a holoendemic region of Kenya, and determined how this variation affects the CTL reactivities in clinically immune adults and binding specificities to human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B35. Among the eight variant sequences that were found in this region, four were new and not seen in parasites from other geographical regions. When synthetic peptides corresponding to the eight variants were used to test the presence of CTL response in different donors, a different spectrum of CTL reactivity to these variants was noticed. While CTL from some donors recognized the P1 sequence (the most prevalent type of sequence) but not P8 (another major variant), other donors showed a reverse pattern of reactivity. Although none of the donors was able to recognize all the variants, CTL responses to all the eight variant sequences were found in this population. An octamer peptide with P1 sequence KPKDELDY in this polymorphic determinant was known to bind HLA-B35. When we tested the effect of natural variation in this octamer sequence on HLA-B35 binding, it became evident that SP13 with D → N substitution retained its binding specificity to HLA-B35. On the other hand, the SP12 octamer sequence which had two substitutions did not bind HLA-B35. The most interesting finding was the observation that a D → G substitution at position 374 rescued the binding ability of SP14, which otherwise could not bind to this HLA molecule due to E → Q amino acid substitution at position 372. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration showing that a natural polymorphism can rescue the binding specificity to an HLA-class I molecule that was lost due to another natural amino acid substitution. Altogether, these results demonstrate that natural polymorphism in the CS protein affects both the CTL reactivity and the ability to bind to HLA-B35.     

Natural amino acid polymorphisms of the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum abrogate specific human CD4+ T cell responsiveness

Sequence polymorphism has been reported for virtually all malaria antigens and, in the case of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein, this variation is in the form of point mutations concentrated primarily in several regions recognized by T cells. The factors responsible for the variation are unknown. We studied the T cell responses to all known variants in malaria-exposed Thais. Memory CD4⁺ T cells responded to variants of a polymorphic immunodominant region (denoted Th2R), and CD4⁺ T cell clones specific for one Thai Th2R variant were generated. There was minimal cross-reactivity to any of the naturally occurring variants, including the other Thai variant, and competition studies performed with the clones using analog peptides demonstrated that all the substitutions of the polymorphic residues modulate either the binding of the peptide to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules or the recognition by the T cell receptor of the peptide-MHC complex. Our data suggest that CD4⁺ T cells may be able to select parasites expressing variant sequences and have implications for development of a CS-based vaccine.     

恶性疟原虫FCC-1/HN株裂殖子表面抗原2基因在M.smegmatis mc2155中的表达

目的研究裂殖子表面抗原2(merozoitesurfaceantigen2,MSA2)基因重组BCG疫苗的保护作用.方法采用电穿孔转化法将重组质粒pBCG/MSA2导入耻垢分枝杆菌(M.smegmatis)mc2155中,通过卡那霉素抗性筛选并经PCR鉴定的重组M.smegmatismc2155培养于middlebrook7H9broth(M7H9)培养基,并添加10%M7H9enrichmentADC和0.05%Tween80,48～72?h后于45℃进行30?min的诱导表达,表达产物进行十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)及Westernblot分析.结果SDS-PAGE及Westernblot分析结果均显示在相对分子质量(Mr)约31×103的位置上可见明显的蛋白条带,并与MSA2基因编码序列推断的Mr相符.结论恶性疟原虫裂殖子表面抗原2可在M.smegmatis中表达,这些结果将为恶性疟原虫多价BCG疫苗的研制提供有用的资料.     

Molecular cloning and sequencing of the circumsporozoite protein gene from Plasmodium falciparum strain FCC-1/HN and expression of the gene in Mycobacteria

Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used as a live bacterial vaccine to immunize more than 2 billion people against tuberculosis. In an attempt to use this vaccine strain as a vehicle for protective antigens, the Plasmodium falciparum gene from strain FCC-1/HN encoding circumsporozoite protein (CSP) was amplified from the P. falciparum genome, sequenced, and expressed in M. bovis BCG under the control of an expression cassette carrying the promoter of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The recombinant shuttle plasmid pBCG/CSP was introduced into mycobacteria by electroporation, and the recombinant mycobacteria harboring pBCG/CSP could be induced by heating to express CSP; the molecular mass of recombinant CSP was about 42 kDa. This report of expression of the almost-full-length P. falciparum CSP gene in BCG provides scientific evidence for the application of the HSP70 promoter in expressing a foreign gene in BCG and in development of BCG as a multivalent vectoral vaccine for malaria.     

Structure of the circumsporozoite protein gene in 18 strains of Plasmodium falciparum

Using the cloned circumsporozoite (CS) protein gene of a Brazilian strain of Plasmodium falciparum as probe, we have analyzed the structure of the CS protein gene from 17 other Asian, African, Central and South American parasite strains by nucleic acid hybridization. Each strain appears to have one CS protein gene which hybridizes readily to the Brazilian strain probe. The 5' and 3' thirds of the genes are invariant in size in all 18 strains whereas the central third containing the 12 base pair tandem repeats varies in size over a range of about 100 base pairs. Several differences were found in the locations of Sau3A sites in the genes. The Sau3A sites are significant because each of the minority Asn-Val-Asp-Pro repeats in the cloned gene has a Sau3A site. DNA melting of hybrids revealed a high degree of homology between the sequences of the cloned gene and genes from an Asian strain and an African strain. A 14 base oligodeoxynucleotide with a sequence from the central repeat region hybridized to all strains tested. We conclude that the CS protein gene is highly conserved among strains of P. falciparum and that malaria vaccine development with the CS protein is unlikely to be complicated by strain variation.     

Baculovirus virions displaying Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite protein protect mice against malaria sporozoite infection

The display of foreign proteins on the surface of baculovirus virions has provided a tool for the analysis of protein-protein interactions and for cell-specific targeting in gene transfer applications. To evaluate the baculovirus display system as a vaccine vehicle, we have generated a recombinant baculovirus (AcNPV-CSPsurf) that displays rodent malaria Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite protein (PbCSP) on the virion surface as a fusion protein with the major baculovirus envelope glycoprotein gp64. The PbCSP-gp64 fusion protein was incorporated and oligomerized on the virion surface and led to a 12-fold increase in the binding activity of AcNPV-CSPsurf virions to HepG2 cells. Immunization with adjuvant-free AcNPV-CSPsurf virions induced high levels of antibodies and gamma interferon-secreting cells against PbCSP and protected 60% of mice against sporozoite challenge. These data demonstrate that AcNPV-CSPsurf displays sporozoite-like PbCSP on the virion surface and possesses dual potentials as a malaria vaccine candidate and a liver-directed gene delivery vehicle.     

Two-step chromatographic purification of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein from Escherichia coli

The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (PfCS) protein (aa 19-405) has been cloned and expressed in E. coli. The protein was purified in a two-step process that was rapid and reproducible. E. coli cells were grown to a high density before induction for 1 h. Cells were disrupted by high pressure microfluidization and the total bacterial protein solubilized in 6 M Gu-HCl. The protein was refolded while bound to Ni-NTA agarose by exchange of 6 M Gu-HCl for 8 M urea and then slow removal of the urea. The eluted protein was further purified on Q Sepharose Fast Flow using conditions developed to remove E. coli proteins and reduce endotoxin (to 10 EU/50 microg). Yield was 20 mg of PfCS protein from 10 g of wet cell paste. The final protein product bound to HepG2 liver cells in culture and inhibited the invasion of those cells by sporozoites in an ISI assay greater than 80% over control cultures when used at 10 microg/ml.     

Stage-specific protein synthesis by asexual blood stage parasites of Plasmodium falciparum

Highly synchronised cultures of cloned Plasmodium falciparum (clone T9-94) were metabolically radiolabelled with [35S]methionine during eight consecutive non-overlapping intervals, while parasites developed from young rings to mature schizonts. Analysis of equal amounts of trichloroacetic acid precipitable radioactivity from each interval by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis fluorography allowed the stage specificity of protein synthesis to be investigated. More than forty polypeptides with molecular weights of 20 000 to 200 000 can be distinguished. While some proteins are synthesised throughout erythrocytic schizogony many are shown to be stage-specific. Among these are a range of high molecular weight proteins synthesised only during nuclear division. Detailed morphological information permits correlations to be made between synthesis of particular polypeptides and parasite structure.