Journal Article

Succinyl-CoA Synthetase: New Antigen Candidate of Bartonella bacilliformis

Sandoval, Isabel, Gomes, Cláudia, Pons, Maria J., Tinco-Valdez, Carmen, Palma, Noemí, Gutarra, Carlos, Magallón Tejada, Ariel, Matsuoka, Mayumi, Valle Mendoza, Juana del, Ruiz, Joaquim

2016

Overview

Bartonella bacilliformis is the causative agent of Carrion's disease, a neglected illness with mortality rates of 40-85% in the absence of treatment. The lack of a diagnostic technique to overcome misdiagnosis and treat asymptomatic carriers is of note. This study aimed to identify new B. bacilliformis antigenic candidates that could lead to a new diagnostic tool able to be implemented in endemic rural areas. Blood (n = 198) and serum (n = 177) samples were collected in northern Peru. Clinical data were recorded. Specific 16S rRNA amplification by RT-PCR, IFA and ELISA for IgM/IgG with whole cells as antigens was done. Western blot analysis and N-terminal amino acid sequencing detected seroreactive proteins. ELISAs for IgM/IgG for the antigenic candidates were performed. Of the population 33.3% reported at least one symptom compatible with Carrion's disease; 25.4% (IFA), 27.1% (ELISA-IgG), 33.9% (ELISA-IgM) and 38.9% (RT-PCR) of samples were positive. Four proteins were considered potential antigenic candidates, including two new antigenic candidates, succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit α (SCS-α) and succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit β (SCS-β). On Western blot both Pap31 and SCS-α interacted with IgM, while GroEL and SCS-β interacted with IgG. The presence of specific antibodies against the antigenic candidates varied from 34.5% (IgG against SCS-α) to 97.2% (IgM against Pap31). RT-PCR and the high levels of positivity for specific ELISAs demonstrate high levels of B. bacilliformis exposure and asymptomatic carriers among inhabitants. The new antigens identified might be used as a new rapid diagnostic tool to diagnose acute Carrion's disease and identify asymptomatic carriers.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS),Public Library of Science
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Amino acids / Analysis / Animals / Antibodies, Bacterial / Antibodies, Bacterial - blood / Antigens / Antigens, Bacterial / Antigens, Bacterial - genetics / Antigens, Bacterial - immunology / Antígens bacterians / Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine / Bacterial antigens / Bacterial diseases / Bartonella bacilliformis / Bartonella bacilliformis - immunology / Bartonella Infections / Bartonella Infections - immunology / Bartonella Infections - microbiology / Bartonellosis / Biology and Life Sciences / Blotting, Western / Candidates / Cercopithecus aethiops / Child / Child, Preschool / Chlorocebus aethiops / Diagnosis / Diagnostic tests / Disease / Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Female / Health aspects / Hospitals / Humans / Illnesses / Immunoglobulin G / Immunoglobulin G - blood / Immunoglobulin M / Immunoglobulin M - blood / Immunoglobulins / Infant / Infections / Malalties bacterianes / Male / Medical research / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / Mortality / Paisatge rural / Peru / Polymerase chain reaction / Public aspects of medicine / RA1-1270 / RC955-962 / Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Research and Analysis Methods / Research Article / Risk factors / RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics / Rural areas / Rural landscape / Succinate-CoA Ligases / Succinate-CoA Ligases - genetics / Succinate-CoA Ligases - immunology / Tropical diseases / Vero Cells / Young Adult