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Immunoinformatics study on highly expressed Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes during infection

Nguyen Thi le T, Sarmiento ME, Calero R, Camacho F, Reyes F, Hossain MM, et al.

Tuberculosis (Edinb), 2014 Sep;94(5):475-81.
PMID: 25034135 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2014.06.004

The most important targets for vaccine development are the proteins that are highly expressed by the microorganisms during infection in-vivo. A number of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) proteins are also reported to be expressed in-vivo at different phases of infection. In the present study, we analyzed multiple published databases of gene expression profiles of Mtb in-vivo at different phases of infection in animals and humans and selected 38 proteins that are highly expressed in the active, latent and reactivation phases. We predicted T- and B-cell epitopes from the selected proteins using HLAPred for T-cell epitope prediction and BCEPred combined with ABCPred for B-cell epitope prediction. For each selected proteins, regions containing both T- and B-cell epitopes were identified which might be considered as important candidates for vaccine design against tuberculosis.
Development of an immunochromatographic lateral flow dipstick for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 16 kDa antigen (Mtb-strip)

Mohd Amiruddin MN, Ang GY, Yu CY, Falero-Diaz G, Otero O, Reyes F, et al.

J Microbiol Methods, 2020 09;176:106003.
PMID: 32702386 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106003

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a pathogenic bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). This contagious disease remains a severe health problem in the world. The disease is transmitted via inhalation of airborne droplets carrying Mtb from TB patients. Early detection of the disease is vital to prevent transmission of the infection to people in close contact with the patients. To date, there is a need of a simple, rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic test for TB. Previous studies showed the potential of Mtb 16 kDa antigen (Ag16) in TB diagnosis. In this study, lateral flow immunoassay, also called simple strip immunoassay or immunochromatographic test (ICT) for detection of Ag16 was developed (Mtb-strip) and assessed as a potential rapid TB diagnosis method. A monoclonal antibody against Ag16 was optimized as the capturing and detection antibody on the Mtb-strip. Parameters affecting the performance of the Mtb-strip were also optimized before a complete prototype was developed. Analytical sensitivity showed that Mtb-strip was capable to detect as low as 125 ng of purified Ag16. The analytical sensitivity of Mtb-strip suggests its potential usefulness in different clinical applications.
Interactions of domain antibody (dAbκ11) with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ac2SGL in complex with CD1b

Law CT, Camacho F, Garcia-Alles LF, Gilleron M, Sarmiento ME, Norazmi MN, et al.

Tuberculosis (Edinb), 2019 01;114:9-16.
PMID: 30711162 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2018.11.002

Tuberculosis (TB) is the main cause of mortality among all infectious diseases. The presentation of lipids by CD1b molecules and the interactions of the CD1b-lipid complexes with the immune receptors are important for the understanding of the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and to develop TB control methods. A specific domain antibody (dAbk11) recognizing the complex of CD1b with Mtb sulphoglycolipid (Ac2SGL) had been previously developed. In order to study the interactions of dAbk11 with Ac2SGL:CD1b, the conformation of Ac2SGL within CD1b was first modelled. The orientation of dAbκ11 with Ac2SGL:CD1b was then predicted by a docking experiment and the complex was sampled using molecular dynamics simulation. Data showed that dAbκ11 Tyr32 OH plays a decisive role in interacting with Ac2SGL alkyl tail HO17. The binding free energy calculation showed that Ac2SGL establish strong hydrophobic interactions with dAbκ11. The model also predicted a higher affinity for the natural sulfoglycolipid (Ac2SGL) than the synthetic analogue (SGL12), which was supported by the ELISA data. These results shed light on the likely mechanism of interactions between Ac2SGL:CD1b and dAbκ11, thus making possible to envision the strategies for dAbκ11 optimization for possible future applications.
Fulltext Selection of phage-displayed human antibody fragments specific for CD1b presenting the Mycobacterium tuberculosis glycolipid Ac2SGL

Camacho F, Sarmiento ME, Reyes F, Kim L, Huggett J, Lepore M, et al.

Int J Mycobacteriol, 2016 06;5(2):120-7.
PMID: 27242221 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2015.12.002

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: The development of new tools capable of targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-infected cells have potential applications in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis. In Mtb-infected cells, CD1b molecules present Mtb lipids to the immune system (Mtb lipid-CD1b complexes). Because of the lack of CD1b polymorphism, specific Mtb lipid-CD1b complexes could be considered as universal Mtb infection markers. 2-Stearoyl-3-hydroxyphthioceranoyl-2'-sulfate-α-α'-d-trehalose (Ac2SGL) is specific for Mtb, and is not present in other mycobacterial species. The CD1b-Ac2SGL complexes are expressed on the surface of human cells infected with Mtb. The aim of this study was to generate ligands capable of binding these CD1b-Ac2SGL complexes.
METHODS: A synthetic human scFv phage antibody library was used to select phage-displayed antibody fragments that recognized CD1b-Ac2SGL using CD1b-transfected THP-1 cells loaded with Ac2SGL.
RESULTS: One clone, D11-a single, light-variable domain (kappa) antibody (dAbκ11)-showed high relative binding to the Ac2SGL-CD1b complex.
CONCLUSION: A ligand recognizing the Ac2SGL-CD1b complex was obtained, which is a potential candidate to be further tested for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Fulltext A Direct Role for the CD1b Endogenous Spacer in the Recognition of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigen by T-Cell Receptors

Camacho F, Moreno E, Garcia-Alles LF, Chinea Santiago G, Gilleron M, Vasquez A, et al.

Front Immunol, 2020;11:566710.
PMID: 33162982 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.566710

Lipids, glycolipids and lipopeptides derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are presented to T cells by monomorphic molecules known as CD1. This is the case of the Mtb-specific sulfoglycolipid Ac2SGL, which is presented by CD1b molecules and is recognized by T cells found in tuberculosis (TB) patients and in individuals with latent infections. Our group, using filamentous phage display technology, obtained two specific ligands against the CD1b-Ac2SGL complex: (i) a single chain T cell receptor (scTCR) from a human T cell clone recognizing the CD1b-AcSGL complex; and (ii) a light chain domain antibody (dAbκ11). Both ligands showed lower reactivity to a synthetic analog of Ac2SGL (SGL12), having a shorter acyl chain as compared to the natural antigen. Here we put forward the hypothesis that the CD1b endogenous spacer lipid (EnSpacer) plays an important role in the recognition of the CD1b-Ac2SGL complex by specific T cells. To support this hypothesis we combined: (a) molecular binding assays for both the scTCR and the dAbκ11 antibody domain against a small panel of synthetic Ac2SGL analogs having different acyl chains, (b) molecular modeling of the CD1b-Ac2SGL/EnSpacer complex, and (c) modeling of the interactions of this complex with the scTCR. Our results contribute to understand the mechanisms of lipid presentation by CD1b molecules and their interactions with T-cell receptors and other specific ligands, which may help to develop specific tools targeting Mtb infected cells for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Mycobacterium smegmatis proteoliposome induce protection in a murine progressive pulmonary tuberculosis model

Tirado Y, Puig A, Alvarez N, Borrero R, Aguilar A, Camacho F, et al.

Tuberculosis (Edinb), 2016 12;101:44-48.
PMID: 27865396 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2016.07.017

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity. The TB vaccine, BCG, is not fully protective against the adult form of the disease and is unable to prevent its transmission although it is still useful against severe childhood TB. Hence, the search for new vaccines is of great interest. In a previous study, we have shown that proteoliposomes obtained from Mycobacterium smegmatis (PLMs) induced cross reactive humoral and cellular response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens. With the objective to evaluate the protective capability of PLMs, a murine model of progressive pulmonary TB was used. Animals immunized with PLMs with and without alum (PLMs/PLMsAL respectively) showed protection compared to non-immunized animals. Mice immunized with PLMsAL induced similar protection as that of BCG. Animals immunized with BCG, PLMs and PLMsAL showed a significant decrease in tissue damage (percentage of pneumonic area/lung) compared to non-immunized animals, with a more prominent effect in BCG vaccinated mice. The protective effect of the administration of PLMs in mice supports its future evaluation as experimental vaccine candidate against Mtb.