Open AccessEvaluation of P 1 adhesin epitopes for the serodiagnosis of M ycoplasma pneumoniae infections
Author(s) -
Xue Guanhua,
Cao Ling,
Wang Luoping,
Zhao Hanqing,
Feng Yanling,
Ma Lijuan,
Sun Hongmei
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6968.12063
Subject(s) - antigen , serology , bacterial adhesin , epitope , mycoplasma pneumoniae , recombinant dna , biology , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , antigenicity , virology , pneumonia , immunology , medicine , gene , virulence , biochemistry
Most glycolipid antigens used for serological tests of M ycoplasma 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, r P 1‐534 and r P 1‐513, of P 1 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 W estern 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 r P 1‐513 of the C terminal of P 1 adhesin is a new candidate antigen with greater sensitivity and specificity for Ig G and Ig M serodiagnosis of M . pneumoniae ‐infected patients. The results confirmed that r P 1‐513 could be a useful new antigen for the immunodiagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection.