scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of Human Monoclonal Antibodies for Immunoprophylaxis Against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Infection

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Giuntini ◽  
Matteo Stoppato ◽  
Maja Sedic ◽  
Monir Ejemel ◽  
Jessica R. Pondish ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundEnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC) cause diarrheal illness in infants in the developing world and travelers to endemic countries including military personnel. ETEC infection of the host involves colonization of the small intestinal epithelium and toxin secretion leading to watery diarrhea. There is currently no vaccine licensed to prevent ETEC. CFA/I is one of the most common colonization factor antigens (CFAs). The CFA/I adhesin subunit, CfaE, is required for ETEC adhesion to host intestinal cells. Human antibodies against CfaE have potential to block colonization of ETEC and serve as an immunoprophylactic against ETEC-related diarrhea.MethodsMice transgenic for human immunoglobulin genes were immunized with CfaE to generate a panel of human monoclonal IgG1 antibodies (HuMAbs). The most potent IgG1 identified in thein vitrofunctional assays were selected and isotype switched to secretory IgA (sIgA) and tested in animal colonization assays via oral administration.ResultsOver 300 unique anti-CfaE IgG1 HuMabs were identified. The lead IgG1 anti-CfaE HuMAbs completely inhibited hemagglutination and blocked adhesion of ETEC to Caco-2 cells. Epitope mapping studies revealed that HuMAbs recognized epitopes in the N-terminal domain of CfaE near the putative receptor binding site. Oral administration of anti-CfaE antibodies in either IgG or secretory IgA isotypes inhibited intestinal colonization in mice challenged with ETEC. A two to four log decrease of colony forming units was observed as compared to irrelevant isotype controls.ConclusionsWe identified fully human monoclonal antibodies against CfaE adhesion domain that can be potentially employed as an immunoprophylaxis to prevent ETEC-related diarrhea.

2018 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Giuntini ◽  
Matteo Stoppato ◽  
Maja Sedic ◽  
Monir Ejemel ◽  
Jessica R. Pondish ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTEnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC) causes diarrheal illness in infants in the developing world and travelers to countries where the disease is endemic, including military personnel. ETEC infection of the host involves colonization of the small intestinal epithelium and toxin secretion, leading to watery diarrhea. There is currently no vaccine licensed to prevent ETEC infection. CFA/I is one of the most common colonization factor antigens (CFAs). The CFA/I adhesin subunit, CfaE, is required for ETEC adhesion to host intestinal cells. Human antibodies against CfaE have the potential to block colonization of ETEC and serve as an immunoprophylactic against ETEC-related diarrhea. Mice transgenic for human immunoglobulin genes were immunized with CfaE to generate a panel of human monoclonal IgG1 antibodies (HuMAbs). The most potent IgG1 antibodies identified in thein vitrofunctional assays were selected and isotype switched to secretory IgA (sIgA) and tested in animal colonization assays via oral administration. Over 300 unique anti-CfaE IgG1 HuMAbs were identified. The lead IgG1 anti-CfaE HuMAbs completely inhibited hemagglutination and blocked adhesion of ETEC to Caco-2 cells. Epitope mapping studies revealed that HuMAbs recognized epitopes in the N-terminal domain of CfaE near the putative receptor binding site. Oral administration of anti-CfaE antibodies in either IgG or sIgA isotypes inhibited intestinal colonization in mice challenged with ETEC. A 2- to 4-log decrease in CFU was observed in comparison to mice challenged with irrelevant isotype controls. We identified fully human monoclonal antibodies against the CfaE adhesion domain that can be potentially employed as an immunoprophylactic to prevent ETEC-related diarrhea.


2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (14) ◽  
pp. 5060-5067 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Carolina Pilonieta ◽  
Maria D. Bodero ◽  
George P. Munson

ABSTRACT H10407 is a strain of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) that utilizes CFA/I pili to adhere to surfaces of the small intestine, where it elaborates toxins that cause profuse watery diarrhea in humans. Expression of the CFA/I pilus is positively regulated at the level of transcription by CfaD, a member of the AraC/XylS family. DNase I footprinting revealed that the activator has two binding sites upstream of the pilus promoter cfaAp. One site extends from positions −23 to −56, and the other extends from positions −73 to −103 (numbering relative to the transcription start site of cfaAp). Additional CfaD binding sites were predicted within the genome of H10407 by computational analysis. Two of these sites lie upstream of a previously uncharacterized gene, cexE. In vitro DNase I footprinting confirmed that both sites are genuine binding sites, and cexEp::lacZ reporters demonstrated that CfaD is required for the expression of cexE in vivo. The amino terminus of CexE contains a secretory signal peptide that is removed during translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane through the general secretory pathway. These studies suggest that CexE may be a novel ETEC virulence factor because its expression is controlled by the virulence regulator CfaD, and its distribution is restricted to ETEC.


2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1056-1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianmei Yu ◽  
Frederick Cassels ◽  
Tanya Scharton-Kersten ◽  
Scott A. Hammond ◽  
Antoinette Hartman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) diarrheal disease is a worldwide problem that may be addressed by transcutaneous delivery of a vaccine. In several human settings, protective immunity has been associated with immune responses to E. coli colonization factors and to the heat-labile toxin that induces the diarrhea. In this set of animal studies, transcutaneous immunization (TCI) using recombinant colonization factor CS6 and cholera toxin (CT) or heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) as the adjuvant induced immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA anti-CS6 responses in sera and stools and antibody responses that recognized CS6 antigen in its native configuration. The antitoxin immunity induced by TCI was also shown to protect against enteric toxin challenge. Although immunization with LT via the skin induced mucosal secretory IgA responses to LT, protection could also be achieved by intravenous injection of the immune sera. Finally, a malaria vaccine antigen, merzoite surface protein 142 administered with CT as the adjuvant, induced both merzoite surface protein antibodies and T-cell responses while conferring protective antitoxin immunity, suggesting that both antiparasitic activity and antidiarrheal activity can be obtained with a single vaccine formulation. Overall, our results demonstrate that relevant colonization factor and antitoxin immunity can be induced by TCI and suggest that an ETEC traveler's diarrhea vaccine could be delivered by using a patch.


2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1893-1903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Gutiérrez ◽  
Mirka Pardo ◽  
David Montero ◽  
Angel Oñate ◽  
Mauricio J. Farfán ◽  
...  

EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC), a leading cause of acute diarrhea, colonizes the intestine by means of adhesins. However, 15 to 50% of clinical isolates are negative for known adhesins, making it difficult to identify antigens for broad-coverage vaccines. The ETEC strain 1766a, obtained from a child with watery diarrhea in Chile, harbors the colonization factor CS23 but is negative for other known adhesins. One clone, derived from an ETEC 1766a genomic library (clone G10), did not produce CS23 yet was capable of adhering to Caco-2 cells. The goal of this study was to identify the gene responsible for this capacity. Random transposon-based mutagenesis allowed the identification of a 4,110-bp gene that codes for a homologue of the temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (Tsh) autotransporter described in avianE. colistrains (97% identity, 90% coverage) and that is called TleA (Tsh-like ETEC autotransporter) herein. An isogenic ETEC 1766a strain with atleAmutation showed an adhesion level similar to that of the wild-type strain, suggesting that the gene does not direct attachment to Caco-2 cells. However, expression oftleAconferred the capacity for adherence to nonadherentE. coliHB101. This effect coincided with the detection of TleA on the surface of nonpermeabilized bacteria, while, conversely, ETEC 1766a seems to secrete most of the produced autotransporter to the medium. On the other hand, TleA was capable of degrading bovine submaxillary mucin and leukocyte surface glycoproteins CD45 and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1). These results suggest that TleA promotes colonization of the intestinal epithelium and that it may modulate the host immune response.


2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 4884-4892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Koprowski ◽  
Myron M. Levine ◽  
Richard J. Anderson ◽  
Genevieve Losonsky ◽  
Mariagrazia Pizza ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A multivalent live oral vaccine against both Shigellaspp. and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is being developed based on the hypothesis that protection can be achieved if attenuated shigellae express ETEC fimbrial colonization factors and genetically detoxified heat-labile toxin from a human ETEC isolate (LTh). Two detoxified derivatives of LTh, LThK63 and LThR72, were engineered by substitution—serine to lysine at residue 63, or lysine to arginine at residue 72. The genes encoding these two derivatives were cloned separately on expression plasmids downstream from the CFA/I operon. Following electroporation into S. flexneri 2a vaccine strain CVD 1204, coexpression of CFA/I and LThK63 or LThR72 was demonstrated by Western blot analysis, GM1 binding assays, and agglutination with anti-CFA/I antiserum. Hemagglutination and electron microscopy confirmed surface expression of CFA/I. Guinea pigs immunized intranasally on days 0 and 15 with CVD 1204 expressing CFA/I and LThK63 or LThR72 exhibited high titers of both serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mucosal secretory IgA anti-CFA/I; 40% of the animals produced antibodies directed against LTh. All immunized guinea pigs also produced mucosal IgA (in tears) and serum IgG anti-S. flexneri 2a O antibodies. Furthermore, all immunized animals were protected from challenge with wild-type S. flexneri 2a. This prototype Shigella-ETEC hybrid vaccine demonstrates the feasibility of expressing multiple ETEC antigens on a single plasmid in an attenuated Shigella vaccine strain and engendering immune responses against both the heterologous antigens and vector strain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Sakina Shahabudin ◽  
Sami Farid ◽  
Lanfong H. Lee ◽  
Annette L. McVeigh ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading diarrheagenic bacterial pathogen among travelers and children in resource-limited regions. Adherence to host intestinal cells mediated by ETEC fimbriae is believed to be a critical first step in ETEC pathogenesis. These fimbriae are categorized into related classes based on sequence similarity, with members of the class 5 fimbrial family being the best characterized. The eight related members of the ETEC class 5 fimbrial family are subdivided into three subclasses (5a, 5b, and 5c) that share similar structural arrangements, including a fimbrial tip adhesin. However, sequence variability among the class 5 adhesins may hinder the generation of cross-protective antibodies. To better understand functional epitopes of the class 5 adhesins and their ability to induce intraclass antibody responses, we produced 28 antiadhesin monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to representative adhesins CfaE, CsbD, and CotD, respectively. We determined the MAb cross-reactivities, localized the epitopes, and measured functional activities as potency in inhibition of hemagglutination induced by class 5 fimbria-bearing ETEC. The MAbs’ reactivities to a panel of class 5 adhesins in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) revealed several reactivity patterns, including individual adhesin specificity, intrasubclass specificity, intersubclass specificity, and class-wide cross-reactivity, suggesting that some conserved epitopes, including two conserved arginines, are shared by the class 5 adhesins. However, the cross-reactive MAbs had functional activities limited to strains expressing colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I), coli surface antigen 17 (CS17), or CS1, suggesting that the breadth of functional activities of the MAbs was more restricted than the repertoire of cross-reactivities measured by ELISA. The results imply that multivalent adhesin-based ETEC vaccines or prophylactics need more than one active component to reach broad protection.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Stoppato ◽  
Carlos Gaspar ◽  
James Regeimbal ◽  
Gladys Nunez ◽  
Serena Giuntini ◽  
...  

ABSTACTEnterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading cause of diarrhea-associated illness in developing countries. There is currently no vaccine licensed to prevent ETEC and the development of an efficacious prophylaxis would provide an intervention with significant impact. Recent studies suggested that effective protection could be achieved by inducing immunity to block colonization of ETEC. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of secretory (s) IgA2 and dimeric (d) IgA2 of an anti-colonization factor antigen antibody, 68-61, in the Aotus nancymaae non-human primate (NHP) ETEC challenge model via oral and parental delivery. Thirty-nine animals were distributed across 3 groups of 13, and challenged with 5.0×1011 cfu of H10407 on Day 0. Group 1 received a dIgA2 68-61 subcutaneously on day 0. Group 2 received a SIgA2 68-61 orally on days −1, 0, and +1, and Group 3 received an irrelevant SIgA2 antibody orally on days −1, 0, and +1. All animals were observed for symptoms of diarrhea, and stools were collected for ETEC colony counts. SIgA2 treatment significantly lowered the attack rate, resulting in a protective efficacy of 71.4% (p=0.025) in Group 2 as compared to Group 3. Anti-CfaE dIgA2 treatment group reduced the diarrheal attack rate, although the reduction did not reach significance (57.1%; P=0.072) as compared to the irrelevant SIgA2 Group 3. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of oral administration of SIgA as a potential immunoprophylaxis against enteric infections. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of administrated SIgA in a non-human primate model.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document