Search

Listeria monocytogenes can persistently contaminate food processing environments and tolerate sanitizers. Most sequenced strains are from clinical and environmental sources in the contemporary era, with relatively few prior to extensive food processing and sanitizer use. We report the genome sequences of a diverse panel of 83 strains from 1926 to 1964.

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are essential riboflavin-derived cofactors involved in a myriad of redox reactions across all forms of life. Nevertheless, the basis of flavin acquisition strategies by riboflavin auxotrophic pathogens remains poorly defined. In this study, we examined how the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, a riboflavin auxotroph, acquires flavins during infection. A L. monocytogenes mutant lacking the putative riboflavin transporter (RibU) was completely avirulent in mice but had no detectable growth defect in nutrient-rich media. However, unlike wild type, the RibU mutant was unable to grow in defined media supplemented with FMN or FAD or to replicate in macrophages starved for riboflavin. Consistent with RibU functioning to scavenge FMN and FAD inside host cells, a mutant unable to convert riboflavin to FMN or FAD retained virulence and grew in cultured macrophages and in spleens and livers of infected mice. However, this FMN- and FAD-requiring strain was unable to grow in the gallbladder or intestines, where L. monocytogenes normally grows extracellularly, suggesting that these sites do not contain sufficient flavin cofactors to promote replication. Thus, by deleting genes required to synthesize FMN and FAD, we converted L. monocytogenes from a facultative to an obligate intracellular pathogen. Collectively, these data indicate that L. monocytogenes requires riboflavin to grow extracellularly in vivo but scavenges FMN and FAD to grow in host cells.

Background: Chlamydia are ancient intracellular pathogens with reduced, though strikingly conserved genome. Despite their parasitic lifestyle and isolated intracellular environment, these bacteria managed to avoid accumulation of deleterious mutations leading to subsequent genome degradation characteristic for many parasitic bacteria. Results: We report pan-genomic analysis of sixteen species from genus Chlamydia including identification and functional annotation of orthologous genes, and characterization of gene gains, losses, and rearrangements. We demonstrate the overall genome stability of these bacteria as indicated by a large fraction of common genes with conserved genomic locations. On the other hand, extreme evolvability is confined to several paralogous gene families such as polymorphic membrane proteins and phospholipase D, and likely is caused by the pressure from the host immune system. Conclusions: This combination of a large, conserved core genome and a small, evolvable periphery likely reflect the balance between the selective pressure towards genome reduction and the need to adapt to escape from the host immunity., QC 20191007

Efficient and safe induction of CD8 + T cell responses is a desired characteristic of vaccines against intracellular pathogens. To achieve this, a new generation of safe vaccines is being developed accommodating single, dominant antigens of pathogens of interest. In particular, the selection of such antigens is challenging, since due to HLA polymorphism the ligand specificities and immunodominance hierarchies of pathogen-specific CD8 + T cell responses differ throughout the human population. A recently discovered mechanism of proteasome-mediated CD8 + T cell epitope generation, i.e., by proteasome-catalyzed peptide splicing (PCPS), expands the pool of peptides and antigens, presented by MHC class I HLA molecules. On the cell surface, one-third of the presented self-peptides are generated by PCPS, which coincides with one-fourth in terms of abundance. Spliced epitopes are targeted by CD8 + T cell responses during infection and, like non-spliced epitopes, can be identified within antigen sequences using a novel in silico strategy. The existence of spliced epitopes, by enlarging the pool of peptides available for presentation by different HLA variants, opens new opportunities for immunotherapies and vaccine design.

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3(SAL)-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3(SAL) or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3(SAL) proliferates under acidic conditions (pH <= 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3(SAL) production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3(SAL) activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3(SAL) alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3(SAL) than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3(SAL) evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan lay

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3(SAL)-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3(SAL) or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3(SAL) proliferates under acidic conditions (pH <= 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3(SAL) production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3(SAL) activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3(SAL) alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3(SAL) than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3(SAL) evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan lay

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3(SAL)-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3(SAL) or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3(SAL) proliferates under acidic conditions (pH <= 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3(SAL) production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3(SAL) activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3(SAL) alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3(SAL) than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3(SAL) evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan lay

Особлива увага приділена персистуючій інфекції, викликаній внутрішньоклітинними збудниками, яка може бути чинником тривалих лихоманок, а також фоном, на якому формуються соматична патологія.Клініко-анамнестичні, лабораторні дані й імунологічне дослідження дозволяють прогнозувати наслідки в катамнезі дітей із внутрішньоклітинними інфекціями різної соматичної патології та надають можливості для розробки нових діагностичних критеріїв, Despite the intense study of intracellular infections, the data as to their clinical-diagnostic and prognostic value still contradictory, especially in children of young age. Especially, prolonged fevers (fevers of an obscure generation) may be the manifestation of a series of infectious and somatic diseases with the further formation of a chronic somatic pathology. The interest to this problem is connected, from the one side, with the necessity to prognosticate, early detect and primarily prevent a somatic pathology, forming groups of the high risk. From the other side, the possibility of transformation of an acute pathology in children in a chronic somatic pathology in adults is well-known.The aim of the research was to improve the diagnostics of the infectious pathology, caused by intracellular pathogens in children, especially at prolonged fevers (fevers of an obscure generation), by improving the diagnostics quality, based on the deepened study of clinical-pathogenetic features of these pathological states.Methods. There was realized the clinical and laboratory examination of 100 children with prolonged fevers (fevers of an obscure generation), admitted without a set diagnosis. The etiological interpretation was realized by the methods of serological markers (ELISA) and molecular-genetic ones (polymerase chain reaction). The interpretation of levels of blood interleukins was realized by IEA, using ProCon IL-1β, 4, 6, TNF-α, interferon-γ reagents.As a result of etiological pathogens verification, there were revealed beta-hemolytic streptococcus, virus of simple herpes of 1, 2 types, cytomegalovirus Epstein-Barr, chlamydiosis, mycoplasma, adenoviruses as both mono- and mixed infections. According to the research results, 90% of children demonstrated the high severity and changed status of cytokines and local protective factors. More serious disorders of the immune system are revealed at mixed viral and atypical infections and somatic diseases. Different disorders

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3(SAL)-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3(SAL) or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3(SAL) proliferates under acidic conditions (pH <= 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3(SAL) production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3(SAL) activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3(SAL) alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3(SAL) than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3(SAL) evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan lay

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3 or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3 proliferates under acidic conditions (pH ≤ 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3 production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3 activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3 alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3 than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3 evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan layer. To date, actively growing bacteria were

Bacterial cell division has been studied extensively under laboratory conditions. Despite being a key event in the bacterial cell cycle, cell division has not been explored in vivo in bacterial pathogens interacting with their hosts. We discovered in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium a gene absent in nonpathogenic bacteria and encoding a peptidoglycan synthase with 63% identity to penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). PBP3 is an essential cell division-specific peptidoglycan synthase that builds the septum required to separate daughter cells. Since S. Typhimurium carries genes that encode a PBP3 paralog-which we named PBP3(SAL)-and PBP3, we hypothesized that there are different cell division events in host and nonhost environments. To test this, we generated S. Typhimurium isogenic mutants lacking PBP3(SAL) or the hitherto considered essential PBP3. While PBP3 alone promotes cell division under all conditions tested, the mutant producing only PBP3(SAL) proliferates under acidic conditions (pH <= 5.8) but does not divide at neutral pH. PBP3(SAL) production is tightly regulated with increased levels as bacteria grow in media acidified up to pH 4.0 and in intracellular bacteria infecting eukaryotic cells. PBP3(SAL) activity is also strictly dependent on acidic pH, as shown by beta-lactam antibiotic binding assays. Live-cell imaging microscopy revealed that PBP3(SAL) alone is sufficient for S. Typhimurium to divide within phagosomes of the eukaryotic cell. Additionally, we detected much larger amounts of PBP3(SAL) than those of PBP3 in vivo in bacteria colonizing mouse target organs. Therefore, PBP3(SAL) evolved in S. Typhimurium as a specialized peptidoglycan synthase promoting cell division in the acidic intraphagosomal environment. IMPORTANCE During bacterial cell division, daughter cells separate by a transversal structure known as the division septum. The septum is a continuum of the cell wall and therefore is composed of membrane(s) and a peptidoglycan lay

Polyamines (putrescine and spermidine) are small-cationic amines ubiquitous in nature and present in most living cells. In recent years they have been linked to virulence of several human pathogens including Shigella spp and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). Central to S. Typhimurium virulence is the ability to survive and replicate inside macrophages and resisting the antimicrobial attacks in the form of oxidative and nitrosative stress elicited from these cells. In the present study, we have investigated the role of polyamines in intracellular survival and systemic infections of mice. Using a S. Typhimurium mutant defective for putrescine and spermidine biosynthesis, we show that polyamines are essential for coping with reactive nitrogen species, possibly linking polyamines to increased intracellular stress resistance. However, using a mouse model defective for nitric oxide production, we find that polyamines are required for systemic infections independently of host produced reactive nitrogen species. To distinguish between the physiological roles of putrescine and spermidine, we constructed a strain deficient for spermidine biosynthesis and uptake, but with retained ability to produce and import putrescine. Interestingly, in this mutant we observe a strong attenuation of virulence during infection of mice proficient and deficient for nitric oxide production suggesting that spermidine, specifically, is essential for virulence of S. Typhimurium., Polyamines (putrescine and spermidine) are small-cationic amines ubiquitous in nature and present in most living cells. In recent years they have been linked to virulence of several human pathogens including Shigella spp and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). Central to S. Typhimurium virulence is the ability to survive and replicate inside macrophages and resisting the antimicrobial attacks in the form of oxidative and nitrosative stress elicited from these cells. In the present study, we have investigated the role of polyamines in intracellular survival and systemic infections of mice. Using a S. Typhimurium mutant defective for putrescine and spermidine biosynthesis, we show that polyamines are essential for coping with reactive nitrogen species, possibly linking polyamines to increased intracellular stress resistance. However, using a mouse model defective for nitric oxide production, we find that polyamines are required for systemic infections independently of host produced reactive nitrogen species. To distinguish between the physiological roles of putrescine and spermidine, we constructed a strain deficient for spermidine biosynthesis and uptake, but with retained ability to produce and import putrescine. Interestingly, in this mutant we observe a strong attenuation of virulence during infection of mice proficient and deficient for nitric oxide production suggesting that spermidine, specifically, is essential for virulence of S. Typhimurium.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen that causes community-acquired respiratory infections. After C. pneumoniae invades host cells, it disturbs the vesicle transport system to escape host lysosomal or autophagosomal degradation. By using a yeast mis-sorting assay, we found 10 C. pneumoniae candidate genes involved in aberrant vesicular trafficking in host cells. One of the candidate genes, CPj0783, was recognized by antibodies from C. pneumoniae-infected patients. The expression of CPj0783 was detected at mid to late-cycle time points and increased during the inclusion maturation. Two-hybrid screening in yeast cells revealed that CPj0783 interacted with Huntingtin-interacting protein 14 (HIP14). The specific interaction between CPj0783 and HIP14 could be demonstrated by an in vivo co-immunoprecipitation assay and an in vitro GST pull-down assay. It was also demonstrated that HIP14 was localized in the Golgi apparatus and colocalized with CPj0783. HIP14 has a palmitoyl transferase activity that is involved in the palmitoylation-dependent vesicular trafficking of several acylated proteins. These findings suggest that CPj0783 might cause abnormal vesicle-mediated transport by interacting with HIP14. [Int Microbiol 18(4):225-233 (2015)]Keywords: Chlamydia pneumoniae · intracellular pathogens · yeast two-hybrid screening CPj0783–HIP14 · protein mis-sorting · vesicle transport

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen that causes community-acquired respiratory infections. After C. pneumoniae invades host cells, it disturbs the vesicle transport system to escape host lysosomal or autophagosomal degradation. By using a yeast mis-sorting assay, we found 10 C. pneumoniae candidate genes involved in aberrant vesicular trafficking in host cells. One of the candidate genes, CPj0783, was recognized by antibodies from C. pneumoniae-infected patients. The expression of CPj0783 was detected at mid to late-cycle time points and increased during the inclusion maturation. Two-hybrid screening in yeast cells revealed that CPj0783 interacted with Huntingtin-interacting protein 14 (HIP14). The specific interaction between CPj0783 and HIP14 could be demonstrated by an in vivo co-immunoprecipitation assay and an in vitro GST pull-down assay. It was also demonstrated that HIP14 was localized in the Golgi apparatus and colocalized with CPj0783. HIP14 has a palmitoyl transferase activity that is involved in the palmitoylation-dependent vesicular trafficking of several acylated proteins. These findings suggest that CPj0783 might cause abnormal vesicle-mediated transport by interacting with HIP14. [Int Microbiol 18(4):225-233 (2015)]Keywords: Chlamydia pneumoniae · intracellular pathogens · yeast two-hybrid screening CPj0783–HIP14 · protein mis-sorting · vesicle transport

Salmonella species are zoonotic pathogens and leading causes of food borne illnesses in humans and livestock. Understanding the mechanisms underlying Salmonella-host interactions are important to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of Salmonella infection. The Gentamicin protection assay to phenotype Salmonella association, invasion and replication in phagocytic cells was adapted to allow high-throughput screening to define the roles of deletion mutants of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in host interactions using RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Under this protocol, the variance in measurements is significantly reduced compared to the standard protocol, because wild-type and multiple mutant strains can be tested in the same culture dish and at the same time. The use of multichannel pipettes increases the throughput and enhances precision. Furthermore, concerns related to using less host cells per well in 96-well culture dish were addressed. Here, the protocol of the modified in vitro Salmonella invasion assay using phagocytic cells was successfully employed to phenotype 38 individual Salmonella deletion mutants for association, invasion and intracellular replication. The in vitro phenotypes are presented, some of which were subsequently confirmed to have in vivo phenotypes in an animal model. Thus, the modified, standardized assay to phenotype Salmonella association, invasion and replication in macrophages with high-throughput capacity could be utilized more broadly to study bacterial-host interactions.

Host cell infection by apicomplexan parasites plays an essential role in lifecycle progression for these obligate intracellular pathogens. For most species, including the etiological agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis, infection requires active host-cell invasion dependent on formation of a tight junction - the organising interface between parasite and host cell during entry. Formation of this structure is not, however, shared across all Apicomplexa or indeed all parasite lifecycle stages. Here, using an in silico integrative genomic search and endogenous gene-tagging strategy, we sought to characterise proteins that function specifically during junction-dependent invasion, a class of proteins we term invasins to distinguish them from adhesins that function in species specific host-cell recognition. High-definition imaging of tagged Plasmodium falciparum invasins localised proteins to multiple cellular compartments of the blood stage merozoite. This includes several that localise to distinct subcompartments within the rhoptries. While originating from the same organelle, however, each has very different dynamics during invasion. Apical Sushi Protein and Rhoptry Neck protein 2 release early, following the junction, whilst a novel rhoptry protein PFF0645c releases only after invasion is complete. This supports the idea that organisation of proteins within a secretory organelle determines the order and destination of protein secretion and provides a localisation-based classification strategy for predicting invasin function during apicomplexan parasite invasion.

Nanoparticle mediated drug delivery approaches provide potential opportunities for targeting and killing of intracellular bacteria. Among them, the porous silica nanoparticles deserve special attention due to their multifunctional properties such as high drug loading, controlled drug release and targeting of organs/cells. A review of the functional requirements of an ideal drug delivery system is provided. A general comparison between different drug delivery carriers and key issues to be addressed for intracellular drug delivery is discussed. Acid catalyzed and acid-base catalyzed, sol-gel derived, silica xerogel systems were investigated for sustained release of an aminoglycosides antimicrobial against salmonella infection in a mouse model. The release of gentamicin from the inner hollow part of the carrier is delayed. Further, the higher porosity of the acid–base catalyzed silica xerogel allows for high drug loading compared to the acid catalyzed silica xerogel system. Efficacy of these particles in killing intracellular bacteria (salmonella) was determined by administering three doses of porous silica loaded gentamicin. This proved to be useful in reducing the salmonella in the liver and spleen of infected mice. Furthermore, the presence of silanol groups provides the ability to functionalize the silica xerogel system with organic groups, poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), to further increase the hydrophilicity of the silica xerogel matrix and to modify the drug release properties. Increase in the hydrophilicity of the matrix allows for faster drug release rate. In order to facilitate controlled drug release, magnetic porous silica xerogels were fabricated by incorporating iron particles within the porous silica. The particles were fabricated using an acid-base catalyzed sol-gel technique. The in-vitro drug release studies confirm that the release rate can be changed by the magnetic field "ON-OFF" mechanism. This novel drug release methodology combined with the proper

The lungs and upper airways are mucosal surfaces that are common site for infection with an enormous variety of inhaled pathogens. Therefore, induction of immune responses in the respiratory tract is crucial for protection against respiratory diseases. One of the pathogens infecting the host via the respiratory tract is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The reported efficacy of the currently used Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is highly variable, ranging from 50% against pulmonary tuberculosis to 80% against disseminated tuberculosis. Recently, the current route of vaccination (intradermal) has been considered as a possible factor influencing the protective capacity of the BCG vaccine. In this regard, intradermal route most likely induces protective systemic responses while it fails to induce optimal responses in the lungs. Therefore, our working hypothesis is that vaccination should be directed towards the respiratory mucosal immunity in order to improve the degree of host protection in the lungs. In this thesis we studied the effect of the route of immunization as well as of different mucosal adjuvants on the induction of mucosal immune responses against the mycobacterial surface antigen PstS-1. We found that, the intranasal (i.n.) route of immunization was a more favorable route inducing strong local immune responses, than intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Indeed, i.n. route immunization, unlike the i.p. route, elicited strong IgA responses in the lungs accompanied by a major influx of CD4+ T cells and a significant local production of IFN-gamma. IgA, being the predominant Ig isotype at mucosal tissues, is considered a major effector molecule involved in defense mechanisms against viral and bacterial pathogens at these sites. Therefore, we investigated the possible role of IgA in the protection of the respiratory mucosa against mycobacterial infections, using mice deficient in IgA and in the polymeric Ig receptor. We show that, deficient mice a

The lungs and upper airways are mucosal surfaces that are common site for infection with an enormous variety of inhaled pathogens. Therefore, induction of immune responses in the respiratory tract is crucial for protection against respiratory diseases. One of the pathogens infecting the host via the respiratory tract is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The reported efficacy of the currently used Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is highly variable, ranging from 50% against pulmonary tuberculosis to 80% against disseminated tuberculosis. Recently, the current route of vaccination (intradermal) has been considered as a possible factor influencing the protective capacity of the BCG vaccine. In this regard, intradermal route most likely induces protective systemic responses while it fails to induce optimal responses in the lungs. Therefore, our working hypothesis is that vaccination should be directed towards the respiratory mucosal immunity in order to improve the degree of host protection in the lungs. In this thesis we studied the effect of the route of immunization as well as of different mucosal adjuvants on the induction of mucosal immune responses against the mycobacterial surface antigen PstS-1. We found that, the intranasal (i.n.) route of immunization was a more favorable route inducing strong local immune responses, than intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Indeed, i.n. route immunization, unlike the i.p. route, elicited strong IgA responses in the lungs accompanied by a major influx of CD4+ T cells and a significant local production of IFN-gamma. IgA, being the predominant Ig isotype at mucosal tissues, is considered a major effector molecule involved in defense mechanisms against viral and bacterial pathogens at these sites. Therefore, we investigated the possible role of IgA in the protection of the respiratory mucosa against mycobacterial infections, using mice deficient in IgA and in the polymeric Ig receptor. We show that, deficient mice a

The lungs and upper airways are mucosal surfaces that are common site for infection with an enormous variety of inhaled pathogens. Therefore, induction of immune responses in the respiratory tract is crucial for protection against respiratory diseases. One of the pathogens infecting the host via the respiratory tract is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The reported efficacy of the currently used Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is highly variable, ranging from 50% against pulmonary tuberculosis to 80% against disseminated tuberculosis. Recently, the current route of vaccination (intradermal) has been considered as a possible factor influencing the protective capacity of the BCG vaccine. In this regard, intradermal route most likely induces protective systemic responses while it fails to induce optimal responses in the lungs. Therefore, our working hypothesis is that vaccination should be directed towards the respiratory mucosal immunity in order to improve the degree of host protection in the lungs. In this thesis we studied the effect of the route of immunization as well as of different mucosal adjuvants on the induction of mucosal immune responses against the mycobacterial surface antigen PstS-1. We found that, the intranasal (i.n.) route of immunization was a more favorable route inducing strong local immune responses, than intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Indeed, i.n. route immunization, unlike the i.p. route, elicited strong IgA responses in the lungs accompanied by a major influx of CD4+ T cells and a significant local production of IFN-gamma. IgA, being the predominant Ig isotype at mucosal tissues, is considered a major effector molecule involved in defense mechanisms against viral and bacterial pathogens at these sites. Therefore, we investigated the possible role of IgA in the protection of the respiratory mucosa against mycobacterial infections, using mice deficient in IgA and in the polymeric Ig receptor. We show that, deficient mice a

The lungs and upper airways are mucosal surfaces that are common site for infection with an enormous variety of inhaled pathogens. Therefore, induction of immune responses in the respiratory tract is crucial for protection against respiratory diseases. One of the pathogens infecting the host via the respiratory tract is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The reported efficacy of the currently used Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is highly variable, ranging from 50% against pulmonary tuberculosis to 80% against disseminated tuberculosis. Recently, the current route of vaccination (intradermal) has been considered as a possible factor influencing the protective capacity of the BCG vaccine. In this regard, intradermal route most likely induces protective systemic responses while it fails to induce optimal responses in the lungs. Therefore, our working hypothesis is that vaccination should be directed towards the respiratory mucosal immunity in order to improve the degree of host protection in the lungs. In this thesis we studied the effect of the route of immunization as well as of different mucosal adjuvants on the induction of mucosal immune responses against the mycobacterial surface antigen PstS-1. We found that, the intranasal (i.n.) route of immunization was a more favorable route inducing strong local immune responses, than intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Indeed, i.n. route immunization, unlike the i.p. route, elicited strong IgA responses in the lungs accompanied by a major influx of CD4+ T cells and a significant local production of IFN-gamma. IgA, being the predominant Ig isotype at mucosal tissues, is considered a major effector molecule involved in defense mechanisms against viral and bacterial pathogens at these sites. Therefore, we investigated the possible role of IgA in the protection of the respiratory mucosa against mycobacterial infections, using mice deficient in IgA and in the polymeric Ig receptor. We show that, deficient mice a

The lungs and upper airways are mucosal surfaces that are common site for infection with an enormous variety of inhaled pathogens. Therefore, induction of immune responses in the respiratory tract is crucial for protection against respiratory diseases. One of the pathogens infecting the host via the respiratory tract is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The reported efficacy of the currently used Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is highly variable, ranging from 50% against pulmonary tuberculosis to 80% against disseminated tuberculosis. Recently, the current route of vaccination (intradermal) has been considered as a possible factor influencing the protective capacity of the BCG vaccine. In this regard, intradermal route most likely induces protective systemic responses while it fails to induce optimal responses in the lungs. Therefore, our working hypothesis is that vaccination should be directed towards the respiratory mucosal immunity in order to improve the degree of host protection in the lungs. In this thesis we studied the effect of the route of immunization as well as of different mucosal adjuvants on the induction of mucosal immune responses against the mycobacterial surface antigen PstS-1. We found that, the intranasal (i.n.) route of immunization was a more favorable route inducing strong local immune responses, than intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Indeed, i.n. route immunization, unlike the i.p. route, elicited strong IgA responses in the lungs accompanied by a major influx of CD4+ T cells and a significant local production of IFN-gamma. IgA, being the predominant Ig isotype at mucosal tissues, is considered a major effector molecule involved in defense mechanisms against viral and bacterial pathogens at these sites. Therefore, we investigated the possible role of IgA in the protection of the respiratory mucosa against mycobacterial infections, using mice deficient in IgA and in the polymeric Ig receptor. We show that, deficient mice a

Previous studies by our group showed that vaccinia virus recombinants expressing Brucella abortus (BA) antigens heat shock protein GroEL, 18 kDa protein and Cu/Zn SOD, were unable to induce protective immune responses against Brucella challenge. This dissertation analyzes the possible reasons for this phenomenon, by using other genes/proteins from BA and Listeria monocytogenes (LM), various shuttle plasmids (pSC65, pSC11) and immune response modulators (CpG, IL-12, B7-1). As the first objective, a vaccinia virus recombinant (WRL7/L12), expressing the BA L7/L12 gene was generated. L7/L12 ribosomal protein was used as a T-cell reactive antigen, with protective potential to Brucella challenge. The WRL7/L12 was able to express the gene of interest and induce IgG2A type antibody response, but not a protective immune response against Brucella challenge. As a control, an antigen from LM proven to induce CTL and protective immune responses, was used to test the efficacy of vaccinia virus to induce protection. A portion of hly gene, encoding partial listeriolysin (pLLO), was inserted into the same vaccinia virus stain. This recombinant (WRpLLO) was able to induce protection against a Listeria challenge. Next another vaccinia virus recombinant expressing Brucella abortus Cu/Zn SOD was analyzed. Although a variety of approaches, including the enhancement of the protein expression by the pMCO2 synthetic promoter, booster immunization, addition of the oligomer CpG adjuvant (WRSODCpG) to enhance Th1 type response, were used, the SOD recombinant failed to protect mice against Brucella challenge. Lastly, vaccinia virus produces a family of proteins that bind cytokines, chemokines and interferons to evade the host defensive systems. Therefore, a vaccinia virus strain co-expressing murine IL-12, and cofactor B7-1, were used to generate the recombinant WRIL12L7/L12. In order to further boost the induction of Th 1 type response, the adjuvant CpG was used. A similar recombinant, WRIL12p