Immunogenicity of a novel Stx2B–Stx1B fusion protein in a mice model of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection

Shiga toxin type 1 and 2 produced by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 are responsible for hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening sequela. We constructed a novel fusion protein carrying both of the immunogenic B subunits derived from the two toxins, designated Stx2B–Stx1B (2S for short), expressed in the E. coli BL21 and harvested the purified protein by a simple anion-exchange chromatography method. The fusion protein induced high level humoral IgG in mice, subclass analysis showed IgG1 dominate the IgG increase trend, which indicated that a partial to Th2 response contributed to this humoral reactivity. High level neutralizing antibodies elicited by this fusion protein inhibited cytotoxicity of toxins and protected mice from lethal dose challenge of lysed EHEC O157:H7.     

霍乱毒素B亚单位与志贺毒素2B亚单位融合表达及抗原性检测

目的 克隆表达出血性大肠埃希菌(EHEC)O157:H7志贺毒素2B亚单位(Stx2B)与霍乱毒素B亚单位(CTB)的融合蛋白(CTB-Stx2B),并检测其抗原性和与神经节苷脂(GM1)结合能力.方法 设计引物扩增融合蛋白CTB-Stx2B的编码基因ctb-stx2b,T-A克隆测序验证后克隆入原核表达质粒pET30a(+)C,构建表达质粒pET30a(+)-ctb-stx2b,转化E.coliBL21(DE3),IPTG诱导表达、纯化,获得目的蛋白CTB-Stx2B,SDS-PAGE和Western-blot检测其抗原性和形成五聚体的能力;GM1-ELISA法检测其与GM1结合能力.结果 扩增出约750 bp的目的片段,测序鉴定与设计序列一致;原核表达质粒pET30a(+)-ctb-stx2b转化E.coliBL21(DE3)后,经酶切和PCR扩增鉴定正确;IPTG诱导后SDS-PAGE初步测定CTB-Stx2B单体的相对分子质量(MR)约为20×103;Western-blot检测CTB-Stx2B能与CTB单克隆抗体结合,纯化产物经复性后大多以五聚体形式存在;ELISA检测CTB-Stx2B具有结合GM1活性.结论 成功克隆、表达了融合蛋白CTB-Stx2B;表达的蛋白具有良好的CTB抗原性和GM1结合能力.     

霍乱毒素B亚单位与志贺毒素2B亚单位融合表达及抗原性检测

目的 克隆表达出血性大肠埃希菌(EHEC)O157:H7志贺毒素2B亚单位(Stx2B)与霍乱毒素B亚单位(CTB)的融合蛋白(CTB-Stx2B),并检测其抗原性和与神经节苷脂(GM1)结合能力.方法 设计引物扩增融合蛋白CTB-Stx2B的编码基因ctb-stx2b,T-A克隆测序验证后克隆入原核表达质粒pET30a(+)C,构建表达质粒pET30a(+)-ctb-stx2b,转化E.coliBL21(DE3),IPTG诱导表达、纯化,获得目的蛋白CTB-Stx2B,SDS-PAGE和Western-blot检测其抗原性和形成五聚体的能力;GM1-ELISA法检测其与GM1结合能力.结果 扩增出约750 bp的目的片段,测序鉴定与设计序列一致;原核表达质粒pET30a(+)-ctb-stx2b转化E.coliBL21(DE3)后,经酶切和PCR扩增鉴定正确;IPTG诱导后SDS-PAGE初步测定CTB-Stx2B单体的相对分子质量(MR)约为20×103;Western-blot检测CTB-Stx2B能与CTB单克隆抗体结合,纯化产物经复性后大多以五聚体形式存在;ELISA检测CTB-Stx2B具有结合GM1活性.结论 成功克隆、表达了融合蛋白CTB-Stx2B;表达的蛋白具有良好的CTB抗原性和GM1结合能力.     

Novel fusion protein protects against adherence and toxicity of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mice

Infection with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 may develop into bloody diarrhea, or hemorrhagic uremic syndrome (HUS), which usually causes kidney failure or even death. Considered as the pathogenesis mechanism of E. coli O157:H7 infection, attachment or adhesion that is directly mediated by intimin is the first step of E. coli O157:H7 interaction with its host, and all these serious sequelae are mainly due to Shiga toxins (Stxs) released by E. coli O157:H7. In this study, a novel SSI fusion protein that contains the critical toxin-antigens Stx2B and Stx1B, and the critical adhesion-antigen fragment Int281 was constructed. The protein induced complete immune protection, with both anti-toxin and anti-adhesion effects. The dominant increase in IgG1 and the high level of Th2-typical cytokine (IL-4 and IL-10) expression showed that SSI significantly induced Th2-mediated humoral immune response. In the mouse model, the SSI fusion protein not only elicited neutralizing antibodies against both Stx1 and Stx2 toxins, but also induced a high level of anti-adhesion antibodies. The SSI-immunized mice did not show any pathologic changes. SSI provides evident protection with two-time immunization against a highly lethal dose of E. coli O157:H7.     

Subcutaneous and intranasal immunization with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot reduces colonization and shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mice

The type III secretion system of Escherichia coli O157:H7 is involved in colonization of mammalian hosts by the organism. The translocated intimin receptor (Tir) is inserted into the mammalian host cell plasma membrane in a hairpin loop topology with the central loop of the molecule exposed to the host cell surface and accessible for interaction with an LEE-encoded bacterial outer membrane adhesin called intimin. Shiga toxin type 1 and 2 produced by E. coli O157:H7 are responsible for hemolytic uremic syndrome and able to promote intestinal colonization. Zonula occludens toxin (Zot) is a single polypeptide chain encoded by the filamentous bacteriophage CTXφ of Vibrio cholerae. Zot binds a receptor on intestinal epithelial cells and increases mucosal permeability by affecting the structure of epithelial tight junctions. Because of these properties, Zot is a promising tool for mucosal drug and antigen (Ag) delivery. In the current study, we constructed a novel fusion protein carrying both of the immunogenic B subunits derived from the two toxins, Tir and Zot, designated Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot, expressed in the E. coli BL21 and harvested the purified protein by a simple GST·Bind Resin chromatography method. We used a streptomycin-treated mouse model to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous vs. intranasal administration of the vaccine. Following immunization, mice were infected with E. coli O157:H7 and feces were monitored for shedding. Immune responses against Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot, Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B and control agent (GST/PBS) were also monitored. Subcutaneous immunization of mice with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot induced significant Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot-specific serum IgG antibodies but did not significantly induce any antigen-specific IgA in feces, whereas intranasal immunization elicited significant Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot-specific serum IgG antibodies with some animals developing antigen-specific IgA in feces. Mice that were immunized intranasally with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot showed dramatically decreased E. coli O157:H7 shedding compared to those of Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B and control agent following experimental infection. Mice immunized subcutaneously with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot or Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B both showed reduced shedding in feces, moreover, Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot did better. These results demonstrate the perspective for the use of Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot to prevent colonization and shedding of E. coli O157:H7.     

Neutralizing antibodies to Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) reduce colonization of mice by Stx2-expressing Escherichia coli O157:H7

Previously, we showed that the Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2)-expressing Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain 86-24 colonized mice better than did its isogenic stx₂ negative mutant. Here, we confirmed that finding by demonstrating that Stx2 given orally to mice increased the levels of the 86-24 stx₂ mutant shed in feces. Then we assessed the impact of Stx2-neutralizing antibodies, administered passively or generated by immunization with an Stx2 toxoid, on E. coli O157:H7 colonization of mice. We found that such antibodies reduced the E. coli O157:H7 burden in infected mice and, as anticipated, also protected them from weight loss and death.     

大肠埃希菌O157∶H7携带stx2::IS1203v基因研究

目的了解中国部分地区大肠埃希菌O157：H7菌株携带志贺毒素基因变异状况。方法采用聚合酶链反应扩增志贺毒素基因，使用核苷酸序列测定判断是否存在志贺毒素的新变种，用HeLa细胞毒性实验研究其细胞毒性的变化。结果1992—2002年中国部分地区分离到的289株产志贺毒素的大肠埃希菌O157：H7中有3株菌携带的志贺毒素2（stx2）基因有1．3kb的插入序列（IS）插入，且这段IS和IS1203变种（IS1203 variant，IS1203v）有100％的核苷酸序列同源性。IS1203v插入到3株大肠埃希菌O157：H7 stx2基因的位置及开放性读码框（ORF）方向有所不同。除此之外，3株菌原有的stx2基因序列完全一致且为Stx2原型毒素。和Stx2原型毒素相比，这3株携带stx2：：IS1203v基因的菌株对HeLa细胞的毒性明显降低。结论分离到IS1203v插入stx2基因的大肠埃希菌O157：H7菌株；IS1203v的插入可导致对HeLa细胞的细胞毒性降低。     

应用高分辨率熔解曲线技术检测大肠埃希菌O157:H7志贺毒素基因变种stx2c

目的:探索高分辨率熔解曲线(High Resolution Melting,HRM)分析技术在检测大肠埃希菌O157:H7志贺毒素基因变种stx2c中的应用。方法:用HRM技术对20株O157:H7代表性菌株志贺毒素2基因进行分型,并与测序结果进行比较。结果:20份O157:H7样品中有3种类型熔解曲线。测序结果显示,12例A型熔解曲线中除1例为stx2a+stx2c杂合型外,其它均为原毒素基因型stx2a;1例B型熔解曲线测序结果为stx2a+stx2c杂合型,7例C型熔解曲线菌株测序结果均为stx2c纯合子。结论:HRM技术简便、快速,可作为志贺毒素2基因变种stx2c的检测方法。     

我市首次分离到O157:H7大肠杆菌分离株的生化特征、毒力因子与耐药性的探讨

目的：了解金华市外环境中O157：H7大肠杆菌分离株中生化特征、毒力因子的携带与耐药情况。方法：直接分离接种于O157显色培养基。结果：从51份样品中分离出2株O157：H7大肠杆菌,对这2株O157：H7大肠杆菌分离株进行PCR毒力因子的测定,携带eaeA、stx2毒力因子。结论：药敏试验结果显示,这两株O157：H7大肠杆菌分离株对利福平类、四环素耐药。     

A novel transducible chimeric phage from Escherichia coli O157:H7 Sakai strain encoding Stx1 production

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and especially enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are important, highly virulent zoonotic and food-borne pathogens. The genes encoding their key virulence factors, the Shiga toxins, are distributed by converting bacteriophages, the Stx phages. In this study we isolated a new type of inducible Stx phage carrying the stx1 gene cluster from the prototypic EHEC O157:H7 Sakai strain. The phage showed Podoviridae morphology, and was capable of converting the E. coli K-12 MG1655 strain to Shiga toxin-producing phenotype. The majority of the phage genes originate from the stx2-encoding Sakai prophage Sp5, with major rearrangements in its genome. Beside certain minor recombinations, the genomic region originally containing the stx2 genes in Sp5 was replaced by a region containing six open reading frames from prophage Sp15 including stx1 genes. The rearranged genome, together with the carriage of stx1 genes, the morphology and the capability of lysogenic conversion represent a new type of recombinant Stx1 converting phage from the Sakai strain.     

肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157:H7疫苗的研究进展

O157:H7是肠出血性大肠埃希菌(EHEC)最常见的血清型.目前国内外尚无EHEC O157:H7疫苗问世,因此疫苗研究对防治EHEC O157:H7有着重大意义.外膜蛋白A(OmpA)作为抗EHEC O157:H7基础疫苗为疫苗研究提供了新的思路,此文对EHEC O157:H7疫苗研究的有关进展作了综述.     

浙江省首株产志贺毒素大肠埃希菌0157：H7的分子生物学特性研究

目的：了解自浙江省杭州市腹泻婴儿中分离的1株大肠埃希菌O157：H7（HZI-11株）的分子生物学特性。方法：应用ATB1525细菌半动化生化鉴定系统鉴定菌种。应用0157特异性抗血清玻片凝集试验、H7特异性抗血清试管凝集试验、以及PCR检测O抗原特异性rfbE基因和H7特异性fliC基因，进行菌株血清型的鉴定。应用多重Real-time PCR和常规PCR检测stx1、stx2、hly和eae毒力基因。对菌株进行脉冲场凝胶电泳（PFGE）分型，并与国内代表菌株进行比较。ATB1525药敏检测仪和纸片法检测菌株的抗药性。结果：细菌生化鉴定为大肠埃希菌，山梨醇阴性。血清型为O157：H7。毒力基因stx2、hly和eae均阳性，stx1阴性。PFGE谱带同江苏分离O157：H7菌株几乎完全相同，带型的相似度为97％。结论：该菌株为浙江省首株产志贺毒素大肠埃希菌（STEC）O157：H7。与国内近年在江苏等地流行的STEC O157：H7菌株密切相关。STEC O157：H7已开始对浙江地区的人民健康构成了威胁。     

大肠埃希菌O157:H7志贺毒素Ⅱ变种的分布

目的 了解徐州地区E.coli O157：H7分离菌析Stx2毒素变种Stx2vha在人及畜禽中的携带分布情况。方法 用特异性探针Southern杂交检测菌株中是否携带Stx2vha毒素变种。结果 66株分离株中35株为Stx2vha毒素变种阳性，占53%，13株为Stx2原互不素阳性，占19.7%，17株为Stx2毒素阴性，占25.8%，另有1株不同于其它菌株是否可为新的毒素变种需进一步确证。35株Stx2vha毒力基因菌株是徐州地区O157：H7菌株的优势菌型，主要宿生动物为羊。     

环介导等温扩增法应用于肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157:H7的检测

的仪器,非常适合基层检验部门及小型实验室与流行病学人员现场监测使用,具有较为广泛地应用前景.     

熔解曲线分析方法甄别肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7

目的:采用熔解曲线分析技术,建立一种快速、简便、准确地甄别肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7方法。方法:选取肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7编码脂多糖基因(rfbE)和编码鞭毛抗原基因(fliC)作为检测靶基因,建立荧光PCR反应体系。结果:通过多种标准菌株试验,结果显示所建立的熔解曲线分析法可特异性地甄别肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7;纯培养的灵敏度达到2.8×101cfu/ml;检测108例临床样本,其中18例肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7阳性,3例为肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:非H7阳性,与常规培养方法的符合率达到100%。结论:本方法可简便、准确地甄别肠出血性大肠杆菌O157:H7,结果可靠,通过进一步增加反应体系中引物的数量可同时对肠出血性大肠杆菌其他血清型进行鉴定。     

Towards an attenuated enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 vaccine characterized by a deleted ler gene and containing apathogenic Shiga toxins

The aim of this study was to develop a candidate vaccine against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7. A ler deletion mutant derived from wild-type EHEC O157:H7 86-24 was constructed by use of suicide vector pCVD442. The bacteriophage encoding Shiga toxin (Stx) was excised by serial passage to produce a ler/stx deletion mutant, F25. Stx1 and Stx2 mutants were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis within the active center and membrane-spanning region of the toxin A subunit. Mutants stx1 and stx2 were then introduced into F25 to construct live attenuated candidate vaccine F105. The cytotoxicity of F25 was inactivated and that of F105 was significantly reduced in comparison with wild-type E. coli strain EDL933. Mice injected with candidate vaccine strains F25 and F105 gained weight and showed no clinical signs of disease. F25 and F105 reduced the colonization of wild-type O157:H7 in mouse intestine. Immunized pregnant mice were able to protect their suckling newborns from intragastric challenge with wild-type O157:H7. Immunized mice were protected against infection with wild-type O157:H7 and exhibited normal weight gain. Such attenuated vaccine strains may therefore have potential use as oral vaccines against O157:H7.     

EHEC O157:H7肠粘附力增强突变株的构建

[目的]构建对肠上皮细胞粘附力增强的肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157H7(EHEC O157)突变株,为体内、体外研究其粘附及其粘附机制提供可行的手段.[方法]分别将pSC101和mini-Tn5Km2通过电穿孔转化和结合导入O157H7-Sakai菌株中,筛选粘附力增强的转化子感染Caco-2细胞株和实验小鼠,观察Caco-2单层细胞中的微菌落数量和小鼠粪便中突变株脱落的时程.[结果]经诱变,共分离筛选出8株突变株,其形成微菌落的数量大于野毒株至少3倍以上;8个突变株中有6株转座子的插入位置为E.coli K-12同源区的yhiE基因处,其突变株在小鼠粪便中的脱落时程明显高于野毒株,P<0.01.[结论]O157Sakai中的yhiE基因可能具有调节O157粘附肠道上皮细胞能力的作用,尽管其调节机制尚有待于进一步阐明,但本文结果显示其可能具有负调节的作用.另外,本文分离到的O157Sakai粘附增强突变株将为进一步在体内和体外研究EHEC对宿主肠上皮粘附的调节机制提供一个有效的工具.     

Factory outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in Japan.

To determine the cause of a July 1996 outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among factory workers in Kyoto, Japan, we conducted cohort and case-control studies. Eating radish sprout salad during lunch at the factory cafeteria had been linked to illness. The sprouts were traced to four growers in Japan; one had been associated with an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 among 6,000 schoolchildren in Sakai earlier in July.     

EHEC O157∶ H7粘附Caco-2细胞缺陷突变株的构建

目的:构建对肠上皮细胞粘附缺陷的肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157∶ H7(EHEC O157)突变株,为体内、体外研究其粘附机制提供可用工具.方法:将pSC101和mini-Tn5Km2分别通过转化和结合导入O157Sakai菌株中,筛选粘附力缺陷的转化子感染Caco-2细胞株,观察Caco-2单层细胞中的微菌落数量和mini-Tn5Km2插入位点.结果:经诱变,共分离到3组粘附缺陷突变株,1组完全丧失了粘附力,2组粘附力减弱,3组的粘附力更弱.1组和3组拥有LEE岛上多基因的转座子插入,而2组mini-Tn5Km2的插入位点在LEE岛之外.结论:O157Sakai的肠道粘附能力可能与LEE岛的III型分泌系统有关.     

四川省大肠杆菌O157:H7分子流行病学、耐药性及对消毒剂抗性研究

目的研究从四川省分离的大肠杆菌O157：H7菌株流行病学特征。方法用多重PCR测定67株大肠杆菌O157：H7的sit、eaeA、hly毒力基因；对不同来源的大肠杆菌O157：H7进行质粒和PFGE分型；测定67株大肠杆菌O157：H7的耐药性和对消毒剂的抗力。结果62．7％的株菌（42／67）携带有毒力基因，毒力图谱类型主要为slt1＋slt2＋eaeA＋hly。67株菌共有6种质粒谱型和7种PFGE谱型。64．2％（43／67）的菌株分别对7种不同的抗生素耐药，其中有23、35、34株菌分别对氨苄青霉素、四环素和SMZ耐药。不同来源的大肠杆菌O157：H7抗性谱不同，80．6％（54／67）的菌株对酒精和季铵盐产生了抗性，所有菌株对洗必泰敏感。结论四川省不同来源的大肠杆菌O157：H7带毒率相似，但毒力基因谱型不完全相同。细菌有较高的耐药性。菌株对常用消毒剂有很高的抗性，在消毒灭菌时需要用较大剂量的消毒剂才能将其杀灭。不同来源的大肠杆菌O157：H7耐药性、质粒和PFGE谱型有一定的相似性，提示菌株可能在人、动物、食品以及外环境之间相互传播并存在流行的可能。