ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Vaccination against Enterobacteriaceae: From Pre-clinical Models to Translation

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 5483

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Interests: mucosal immunology; inflammatory bowel disease; lipid biology; cytokines; microbiota; gastrointestinal infections; allelic variations; genetic susceptibility; vaccination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Some members of the family of Enterobacteriaceae are part of the physiological gut microbiota or transiently colonize the intestine without causing any harm. However, Enterobacteriaceae can also cause severe and even life-threatening infections of multiple organ systems following the acquisition of virulence plasmids or the disruption of commensal microbiota (dysbiosis). Due to the increasing frequency of infections with Enterobacteriaceae in clinical settings and the outbreaks of multi-resistant strains, the use of antibiotics for treatment is increasingly limited. To prevent the spread of multi-drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, vaccination next to antibiotic stewardship programs is an alternative promising option. Depending on the species-specific infection sites, the presentation of antigens and the route of immunization need to be carefully considered. Furthermore, the unavailability of suitable animal models for some Enterobacteriaceae hampers preclinical testing and the subsequent design of clinical trials. Thus, novel avenues need to be pursued to characterize the nature of bacterial antigens and to obtain effective vaccine candidates.

Since IJMS is a journal of molecular science, pure clinical studies are not suitable. However, we welcome clinical submissions with biomolecular experiments and encourage authors to reveal new molecular mechanisms in their research.

Prof. Dr. Jochen Mattner
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • enterobacteriaceae
  • (mucosal) vaccines
  • immunity
  • intestinal microbiota
  • dysbiosis
  • microbial pathogenesis
  • animal models

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 1852 KiB  
Article
UNAM-HIMFG Bacterial Lysate Activates the Immune Response and Inhibits Colonization of Bladder of Balb/c Mice Infected with the Uropathogenic CFT073 Escherichia coli Strain
by Salvador Eduardo Acevedo-Monroy, Ulises Hernández-Chiñas, Luz María Rocha-Ramírez, Oscar Medina-Contreras, Osvaldo López-Díaz, Ricardo Ernesto Ahumada-Cota, Daniel Martínez-Gómez, Sara Huerta-Yepez, Ana Belén Tirado-Rodríguez, José Molina-López, Raúl Castro-Luna, Leonel Martínez-Cristóbal, Frida Elena Rojas-Castro, María Elena Chávez-Berrocal, Antonio Verdugo-Rodríguez and Carlos Alberto Eslava-Campos
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 9876; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25189876 - 12 Sep 2024
Viewed by 604
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a clinical and epidemiological problem of worldwide impact that affects the economy and the emotional state of the patient. Control of the condition is complicated due to multidrug resistance of pathogens associated with the disease. Considering the difficulty [...] Read more.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a clinical and epidemiological problem of worldwide impact that affects the economy and the emotional state of the patient. Control of the condition is complicated due to multidrug resistance of pathogens associated with the disease. Considering the difficulty in carrying out effective treatment with antimicrobials, it is necessary to propose alternatives that improve the clinical status of the patients. With this purpose, in a previous study, the safety and immunostimulant capacity of a polyvalent lysate designated UNAM-HIMFG prepared with different bacteria isolated during a prospective study of chronic urinary tract infection (CUTI) was evaluated. In this work, using an animal model, results are presented on the immunostimulant and protective activity of the polyvalent UNAM-HIMFG lysate to define its potential use in the control and treatment of CUTI. Female Balb/c mice were infected through the urethra with Escherichia coli CFT073 (UPEC O6:K2:H1) strain; urine samples were collected before the infection and every week for up to 60 days. Once the animals were colonized, sublingual doses of UNAM-HIMFG lysate were administrated. The colonization of the bladder and kidneys was evaluated by culture, and their alterations were assessed using histopathological analysis. On the other hand, the immunostimulant activity of the compound was analyzed by qPCR of spleen mRNA. Uninfected animals receiving UNAM-HIMFG lysate and infected animals administered with the physiological saline solution were used as controls. During this study, the clinical status and evolution of the animals were evaluated. At ninety-six hours after infection, the presence of CFT073 was identified in the urine of infected animals, and then, sublingual administration of UNAM-HIMFG lysate was started every week for 60 days. The urine culture of mice treated with UNAM-HIMFG lysate showed the presence of bacteria for three weeks post-treatment; in contrast, in the untreated animals, positive cultures were observed until the 60th day of this study. The histological analysis of bladder samples from untreated animals showed the presence of chronic inflammation and bacteria in the submucosa, while tissues from mice treated with UNAM-HIMFG lysate did not show alterations. The same analysis of kidney samples of the two groups (treated and untreated) did not present alterations. Immunostimulant activity assays of UNAM-HIMFG lysate showed overexpression of TNF-α and IL-10. Results suggest that the lysate activates the expression of cytokines that inhibit the growth of inoculated bacteria and control the inflammation responsible for tissue damage. In conclusion, UNAM-HIMFG lysate is effective for the treatment and control of CUTIs without the use of antimicrobials. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3188 KiB  
Article
Deep Intraclonal Analysis for the Development of Vaccines against Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Lineages
by Ana Tajuelo, Eva Gato, Jesús Oteo-Iglesias, María Pérez-Vázquez, Michael J. McConnell, Antonio J. Martín-Galiano and Astrid Pérez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 9837; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25189837 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Despite its medical relevance, there is no commercial vaccine that protects the population at risk from multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. The availability of massive omic data and novel algorithms may improve antigen selection to develop effective prophylactic strategies. Up to 133 exposed [...] Read more.
Despite its medical relevance, there is no commercial vaccine that protects the population at risk from multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. The availability of massive omic data and novel algorithms may improve antigen selection to develop effective prophylactic strategies. Up to 133 exposed proteins in the core proteomes, between 516 and 8666 genome samples, of the six most relevant MDR clonal groups (CGs) carried conserved B-cell epitopes, suggesting minimized future evasion if utilized for vaccination. Antigens showed a range of epitopicity, functional constraints, and potential side effects. Eleven antigens, including three sugar porins, were represented in all MDR-CGs, constitutively expressed, and showed limited reactivity with gut microbiota. Some of these antigens had important interactomic interactions and may elicit adhesion-neutralizing antibodies. Synergistic bivalent to pentavalent combinations that address expression conditions, interactome location, virulence activities, and clone-specific proteins may overcome the limiting protection of univalent vaccines. The combination of five central antigens accounted for 41% of all non-redundant interacting partners of the antigen dataset. Specific antigen mixtures represented in a few or just one MDR-CG further reduced the chance of microbiota interference. Rational antigen selection schemes facilitate the design of high-coverage and “magic bullet” multivalent vaccines against recalcitrant K. pneumoniae lineages. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 4216 KiB  
Article
Polyvalent Bacterial Lysate with Potential Use to Treatment and Control of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections
by Salvador Eduardo Acevedo-Monroy, Luz María Rocha-Ramírez, Daniel Martínez Gómez, Francisco Javier Basurto-Alcántara, Óscar Medina-Contreras, Ulises Hernández-Chiñas, María Alejandra Quiñones-Peña, Daniela Itzel García-Sosa, José Ramírez-Lezama, José Alejandro Rodríguez-García, Edgar González-Villalobos, Raúl Castro-Luna, Leonel Martínez-Cristóbal and Carlos Alberto Eslava-Campos
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6157; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116157 - 3 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1148
Abstract
Overuse of antimicrobials has greatly contributed to the increase in the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, a situation that hinders the control and treatment of infectious diseases. This is the case with urinary tract infections (UTIs), which represent a substantial percentage of worldwide public [...] Read more.
Overuse of antimicrobials has greatly contributed to the increase in the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, a situation that hinders the control and treatment of infectious diseases. This is the case with urinary tract infections (UTIs), which represent a substantial percentage of worldwide public health problems, thus the need to look for alternatives for their control and treatment. Previous studies have shown the usefulness of autologous bacterial lysates as an alternative for the treatment and control of UTIs. However, a limitation is the high cost of producing individual immunogens. At the same time, an important aspect of vaccines is their immunogenic amplitude, which is the reason why they must be constituted of diverse antigenic components. In the case of UTIs, the etiology of the disease is associated with different bacteria, and even Escherichia coli, the main causal agent of the disease, is made up of several antigenic variants. In this work, we present results on the study of a bacterial lysate composed of 10 serotypes of Escherichia coli and by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella aerogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundii, and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. The safety of the compound was tested on cells in culture and in an animal model, and its immunogenic capacity by analysing in vitro human and murine macrophages (cell line J774 A1). The results show that the polyvalent lysate did not cause damage to the cells in culture or alterations in the animal model used. The immunostimulatory activity assay showed that it activates the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in human macrophages and TNF-α in murine cells. The obtained results suggest that the polyvalent lysate evaluated can be an alternative for the treatment and control of chronic urinary tract infections, which will reduce the use of antimicrobials. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

25 pages, 2078 KiB  
Review
Shigella Vaccines: The Continuing Unmet Challenge
by Ti Lu, Sayan Das, Debaki R. Howlader, William D. Picking and Wendy L. Picking
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(8), 4329; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084329 - 13 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2563
Abstract
Shigellosis is a severe gastrointestinal disease that annually affects approximately 270 million individuals globally. It has particularly high morbidity and mortality in low-income regions; however, it is not confined to these regions and occurs in high-income nations when conditions allow. The ill effects [...] Read more.
Shigellosis is a severe gastrointestinal disease that annually affects approximately 270 million individuals globally. It has particularly high morbidity and mortality in low-income regions; however, it is not confined to these regions and occurs in high-income nations when conditions allow. The ill effects of shigellosis are at their highest in children ages 2 to 5, with survivors often exhibiting impaired growth due to infection-induced malnutrition. The escalating threat of antibiotic resistance further amplifies shigellosis as a serious public health concern. This review explores Shigella pathology, with a primary focus on the status of Shigella vaccine candidates. These candidates include killed whole-cells, live attenuated organisms, LPS-based, and subunit vaccines. The strengths and weaknesses of each vaccination strategy are considered. The discussion includes potential Shigella immunogens, such as LPS, conserved T3SS proteins, outer membrane proteins, diverse animal models used in Shigella vaccine research, and innovative vaccine development approaches. Additionally, this review addresses ongoing challenges that necessitate action toward advancing effective Shigella prevention and control measures. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop