A New Recombinant Multiepitope Chimeric Protein of Leptospira interrogans Is a Promising Marker for the Serodiagnosis of Leptospirosis

Autor(es)

Fernandes, Luis G., V ; Avelar, Katia E. S. ; Romero, Eliete C. ; Heinemann, Marcos B. ; Kirchgatter, Karin ; Nascimento, Ana L. T. O.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE; v. 7, n. 11, p. 14-pg., 2022-11-01.

Resumo

The zoonotic disease leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira and was recently included in the list of Neglected Diseases by the World Health Organization. Leptospirosis burden is estimated to have over a million human cases and cause 60 thousand deaths annually, in addition to its economic impact and veterinary concern. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT), recommended by the World Health Organization, exhibits reduced sensitivity at the beginning of the disease, in addition to being technically difficult. New recombinant antigens are being pursued for rapid and specific serodiagnostic tests, especially in the initial phase of the disease, and chimeric multiepitope proteins are a strategy with a great potential to be implemented in serology. Based on previous subproteomic results, we designed a synthetic construct comprising 10 conserved leptospiral surface antigens, and the recombinant protein was purified and evaluated regarding its diagnostic potential. The protein termed rChi2 was recognized by antibodies in serum from patients both at the onset (MAT-) and in the convalescent (MAT+) phase in 75 and 82% of responders, respectively. In addition, rChi2 immunization in hamsters elicited a strong humoral response, and anti-rChi2 antibodies recognized several immobilized intact Leptospira species, validating its potential as an early, broad, and cross-reactive diagnostic test. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/06731-8 - Aplicação de CRISPR-interferência na elucidação da patogênese da leptospirose e desenvolvimento de novas estratégias para obtenção de mutantes knockout
• Beneficiário: Luis Guilherme Virgílio Fernandes
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 19/17488-2 - Avançando no entendimento da patogenicidade e virulência da Leptospira interrogans através de análises proteômicas, estruturais, mutagênicas e imunológicas
• Beneficiário: Ana Lucia Tabet Oller do Nascimento
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático