title: The search for early markers of plague: evidence for accumulation of soluble Yersinia pestis LcrV in bubonic and pneumonic mouse models of disease.
abstract: Markers of the early stages of plague, a rapidly progressing deadly disease, are crucial for enabling the onset of an effective treatment. Here, we show that V-antigen protein (LcrV) is accumulated in the serum of Yersinia pestis-infected mice before bacterial colonization of the spleen and dissemination to blood, in a model of bubonic plague. LcrV accumulation is detected earlier than that of F1 capsular antigen, an established marker of disease. In a mouse model of pneumonic plague, LcrV can be determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid somewhat later than F1, but before dissemination of Y. pestis to the blood. Thus, determination of soluble LcrV is suggested as a potential useful tool for monitoring disease progression in both bubonic and pneumonic plague. Moreover, it may be of particular advantage in cases of infections with F1 nonproducing strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel. yehudaf@iibr.gov.il
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Flashner
authors.forename: Morly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Avital
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tidhar
authors.forename: Adva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mechaly
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zahavy
authors.forename: Emanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mamroud
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D010930:Plague / Q000175:diagnosis*; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; C043908:LcrV protein, Yersinia; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C086725:caf1 protein, Yersinia pestis