title: Insertion of a 59 amino acid peptide in Salmonella Typhimurium membrane results in loss of virulence in mice.
abstract: We demonstrated previously that expression of a single trans-membrane region of the Δ(12) -desaturase gene of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella Typhimurium) altered the membrane physical state of this pathogen, induced a significant change in the pattern of mRNA transcription of major heat shock genes, and inhibited pathogen growth inside murine macrophages. In this study, we demonstrate that injection of the modified Salmonella strain [Stm(pBAD200)] into C57Bl6j mice is safe. Survival of mice was associated with bacterial clearance, an increased number of splenic leukocytes, and high levels of interleukin-12, interferon γ and tumor necrosis factor α in spleens as well as in sera. Furthermore, Stm(pBAD200)-injected mice developed a Salmonella-specific antibody and Th1-like responses. Mice challenged with Stm(pBAD200) are protected from systemic infection with Salmonella wild-type. Similarly, mice infected with Stm(pBAD200) by the oral route survived when challenged with an oral lethal dose of Salmonella wild-type. The avirulent Stm(pBAD200) phenotype is associated with a remarkable change in the expression of the hilC, hilD, hilA, invF and phoP genes, among others, whose products are required for invasion and replication of Salmonella inside phagocytic cells. These data demonstrate the use of trans-membrane peptides to generate attenuated strains, providing a potential novel strategy to develop vaccines for both animal and human use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy.
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iannone
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maresca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000201:enzymology; D014611:Vaccination; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C040448:delta-12 fatty acid desaturase
keywords: Salmonella; attenuation of virulence; immune response; membrane physical state; vaccine