Evaluation of P1 adhesin epitopes for the serodiagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

• Published in: FEMS Microbiology Letters 2013-03, Vol.340 (2), p.86-92
• Main Authors: Xue, Guanhua, Cao, Ling, Wang, Luoping, Zhao, Hanqing, Feng, Yanling, Ma, Lijuan, Sun, Hongmei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesins, Bacterial - genetics; Adhesins, Bacterial - immunology; Adolescent; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology; Bacteriology; Bioinformatics; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross Reactions; Epitopes - genetics; Epitopes - immunology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - genetics; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - immunology; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - physiology; P1 adhesin; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - immunology; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - microbiology; Research Letter; Research Letters; serodiagnosis; Serologic Tests
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12063

Abstract Most glycolipid antigens used for serological tests of Mycoplasma pneumoniae are not M. pneumonia-specific, and can cross-react with other microorganism antigens and body tissues, resulting in false positives. It is important to identify M. pneumonia-specific antigen(s) for serological testing and correct diagnosis. Two epitopes, rP1-534 and rP1-513, of P1 adhesin predicted by bioinformatics were successfully expressed and purified, and could be recognized by serum samples from M. pneumoniae-infected patients and His tag antibodies by Western blot. There was no cross-reactivity between the anti-recombinant proteins serum and other respiratory antigens. A total of 400 patients were investigated, their respiratory specimens tested by PCR, and sera tested by a commercial test kit; 56 with positive sera and positive respiratory specimens were designated as standard positive serum and 63 patients were designated as standard negative serum. The purified recombinant proteins were used as a combination of antigens or separately to test the serum. Serological test demonstrated that rP1-513 of the C terminal of P1 adhesin is a new candidate antigen with greater sensitivity and specificity for IgG and IgM serodiagnosis of M. pneumoniae-infected patients. The results confirmed that rP1-513 could be a useful new antigen for the immunodiagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection.