Expression of Mycobacterium leprae HSP65 in tobacco and its effectiveness as an oral treatment in adjuvant-induced arthritis.
Transgenic plants are able to express molecules with antigenic properties. In recent years, this has led the pharmaceutical industry to use plants as alternative systems for the production of recombinant proteins. Plant-produced recombinant proteins can have important applications in therapeutics, such as in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, the mycobacterial HSP65 protein expressed in tobacco plants was found to be effective as a treatment for adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). We cloned the hsp65 gene from Mycobacterium leprae into plasmid pCAMBIA 2301 under the control of the double 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus. Agrobacterium tumefaciens bearing the pChsp65 plasmid was used to transform tobacco plants. Incorporation of the hsp65 gene was confirmed by PCR, reverse transcription-PCR, histochemistry, and western blot analyses in several transgenic lines of tobacco plants. Oral treatment of AIA rats with the HSP65 protein allowed them to recover body weight and joint inflammation was reduced. Our results suggest a synergistic effect between the HSP65 expressed protein and metabolites presents in tobacco plants.
Rodríguez-Narciso
César
C
Instituto de Investigaciones Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio B1, Francisco J Mújica S/N Col. Felicitas del Rio, CP 58060, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
Pérez-Tapia
Mayra
M
Rangel-Cano
Rosa María
RM
Silva
Celio L
CL
Meckes-Fisher
Mariana
M
Salgado-Garciglia
Rafael
R
Estrada-Parra
Sergio
S
López-Gómez
Rodolfo
R
Estrada-García
Iris
I
D000284:Administration, Oral; D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C074119:heat-shock protein 65, Mycobacterium