Identification of immunodominant linear B-cell epitopes within the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis

Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2010 Nov;42(11):771-8. doi: 10.1093/abbs/gmq087. Epub 2010 Oct 5.

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted pathogens. Chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) can induce strong cellular and humoral immune responses in murine models and has been regarded as a potential vaccine candidate. In this report, the amino acid sequence of MOMP was analyzed using computer-assisted techniques to scan B-cell epitopes, and three possible linear B-cell epitopes peptides (VLKTDVNKE, TKDASIDYHE, TRLIDERAAH) with high predicted antigenicity and high conservation were investigated. The DNA coding region for each potential epitope was cloned into pET32a(+) and expressed as Trx-His-tag fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. The fusion proteins were purified by Ni-NTA agarose beads and followed by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. We immunized mice with these three fusion proteins. The sera containing anti-epitope antibodies from the immunized mice could recognize C. trachomatis serovars D and E in ELISA. Antisera of these fusion proteins displayed an inhibitory effect on invasion of serovar E by in vitro neutralization assays. In addition, serum samples from convalescent C. trachomatis-infected patients were reactive with the epitope fusion proteins by western blot assay. Our results showed that the epitope sequences selected by bioinformatic analysis are highly conserved C. trachomatis MOMP B-cell epitopes, and could be good candidates for the development of subunit vaccines, which can be used in clinical diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chlamydia Infections / blood
  • Chlamydia Infections / immunology
  • Chlamydia Infections / prevention & control
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / immunology*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Female
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immune Sera / immunology
  • Immunization
  • Immunodominant Epitopes / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte
  • Immune Sera
  • Immunodominant Epitopes
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins