[SCAN] Identification of vaccine candidate antigens of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius by serological proteomic analyses

Scan Seminar

Title: Identification of vaccine candidate antigens of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius by serological proteomic analyses

Speaker: Natacha Couto

From: Mass Spectrometry Lab, ITQB

Abstract:

Recent emergence of methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) has complicated considerably the treatment of infections caused by these bacteria.

Therefore new treatment strategies are urgently needed, namely through the development of vaccines towards the control of bacterial infections. Our study describes how to use the SERological Proteome Analysis (SERPA) approach to identify potential vaccine candidate antigens. In order to assess the immunogenic potential of the S. pseudintermedius proteins, a Western blot analysis of two-dimensional gels was carried out with serum from healthy dogs (H), dogs with atopic dermatitis infected (ADI) and not infected (ADH) with S. pseudintermedius.

Only immunogenic areas identified by ≥ 50% of ADI and/or ADH dog sera and identified by < 50% of the H sera were excised and identified from Coomassie-colloidal stained gels. Four highly immunogenic areas (each containing more than one spot) were detected in cell wall and membrane associated fractions. We were able to identify by mass spectrometry, 19 unique proteins after in-gel digestion of the highly immunogenic areas. However only 4 of these proteins were surface associated proteins that could potentially be used in a vaccine. The SERPA approach employed in this study revealed novel candidate therapeutic targets for the control of S. pseudintermedius infections.