Perspective of the use of M. leprae recombinant proteins in serodiagnostics of leprae
Abstract
Introduction. Leprae is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), affecting ectodermal derivatives (primarily peripheral nerves and skin), often leading to disability. The most important tool for laboratory control of leprae is immunodiagnostics. Using bioinformatics and comparative genomics, it was identified and cloned genes encoding proteins unique to the lepra pathogen and potentially the most immunogenic. It was proposed that recombinant candidate antigens unique to M. leprae, such as ML0050 and ML0576, could serve as appropriate targets for measuring specific cellular and humoral immunity to M. leprae.
Аim. In this work, we aimed to obtain recombinant M. leprae antigens ML0050, ML0576 and the ML0050–ML0576 fusion recombinant protein, conjugated with BSA, and evaluate their diagnostic potential for serodiagnosticis of leprae.
Material and methods. Molecular genetics and immunobiochemical methods were used. We used blood sera of leprosy and tuberculosis patients and also sera of healthy donors.
Results. The recombinant M. leprae antigens ML0050 and ML0576 and the recombinant fusion protein ML0050–ML0576 conjugated to bovine serum albumin were evaluated in the determination of human IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against the M. leprae in an enzyme immunoassay and immunochromatographic assay with sera from 15 leprae patients, 25 tuberculosis patients and 30 healthy donors.
Conclusion. The results showed the possibility of using these recombinant proteins as antigens for serodiagnostics of leprae.
Keywords:ELISA; immunochromatographic analysis; leprosy; Mycobacterium leprae; ML0050; ML0576; ML0050–ML0576; recombinant antigens; serological immunodiagnostics
For citation: Korolyova-Ushakova A.G., Panfertsev E.A., Baranova E.V., Sheviakov A.G., Gorbatov A.A., Ignatov S.G., Biketov S.F. Perspective of the use of M. leprae recombinant proteins in serodiagnostics of leprae. Immunologiya. 2023; 44 (5): 616–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/1816-2134-2023-44-5-616-625 (in Russian)
Funding. The study had no sponsor support.
Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interests.
Author’ contribution. Conception and design of the study, editing, approval of the final version of the article – Baranova E.V., Ignatov S.G. Biketov S.F.; text writing, material collection and processing – KorolyovaUshakova A.G., Panfertsev E.A., Sheviakov A.G., Gorbatov A.A.
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