P159 is a proteolytically processed, surface adhesin of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae : Defined domains of P159 bind heparin and promote adherence to eukaryote cells

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, colonizes the respiratory cilia of affected swine causing significant economic losses to swine production worldwide. Heparin is known to inhibit adherence of M. hyopneumoniae to porcine respiratory epithelial cilia. M. hyopneumoniae cells bind heparin but the identity of the heparin-binding proteins is limited. Proteomic analysis of M. hyopneumoniae lysates identified 27 kDa (P27), 110 kDa (P110) and 52 kDa (P52) proteins representing different regions of a 159 kDa (P159) protein derived from mhp494. These cleavage fragments were surface located and present at all growth stages. Following purification of four recombinant proteins spanning P159 (F1(P159), F2(P159), F3(P159) and F4(P159)), only F3(P159) and F4(P159) bound heparin in a dose-dependent manner (K-d values 142.37 +/- 22.01 nM; 75.37 +/- 7.34 nM respectively). Scanning electron microscopic studies showed M. hyopneumoniae bound intimately to porcine kidney epithelial-like cells (PK15 cells) but these processes were inhibited by excess heparin and F4(P159). Similarly, latex beads coated with F2(P159) and F4(P159) adhered to and entered PK15 cells, but heparin, F2(P159) and F4(P159) was inhibitory. These findings indicate that P159 is a post-translationally cleaved, glycosaminoglycan-binding adhesin of M. hyopneumoniae

Etiopatogenia e imunoprofilaxia da pneumonia enzoótica suína Etiopathogenesis and immunoprofilaxis of Swine Enzootic Pneumonia

A Pneumonia Enzoótica Suína (PES), causada pela bactéria fastidiosa Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, é a doença respiratória mais importante dos suínos, responsável por enormes prejuízos à suinocultura brasileira e mundial. A elevada prevalência e o fato de pré-dispor os suínos à patógenos oportunistas tornam esta doença o alvo central de um programa de saúde de rebanho para doenças respiratórias. O conhecimento das características do agente etiológico bem como dos seus fatores de patogenicidade pode ajudar na elaboração de novas estratégias de controle da PES. O objetivo desta revisão foi discutir alguns aspectos da etiopatogenia da PES que têm implicação na imunoprofilaxia da doença e os principais resultados obtidos com vacinas de última geração avaliadas experimentalmente.<br>Swine Enzootic Pneumonia (SEP), caused by fastidious bacterium Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, is the most important respiratory disease of swines, responsible for high losses to Brazilian and worldwide swine breeding. The high prevalence and the fact to predis-pose the swines to secondary pathogens make this disease the central target of a herd health program to respiratory diseases. The knowledge of the characteristics and pathogenicity factors of etiologic agent could help in the development of new strategies to control SEP. The aim of this review was to discuss some aspects of the etiopathogenesis of the SEP that have implications in the immunoprofilaxis of disease and the main results obtained with new generation vaccines evaluated experimentally