Cell surface protein antigens of Porphyromonas gingivalis

牙周炎是一种与牙齿支撑结构相关的细菌性疾病，可导致牙齿脱落。该疾病被列为重大公共卫生问题，造成巨大经济负担。牙龈卟啉单胞菌现已被确定为成人牙周炎的主要病原体。我们已经开发了使用质谱法快速鉴定牙龈卟啉单胞菌的所有表面蛋白抗原的方法，然后使用重组DNA技术来表达这些重组抗原，用于在疾病的动物模型中进行测试。本项目的目的是：（i）利用新技术快速鉴定牙龈卟啉单胞菌的细胞表面蛋白抗原。(ii)利用重组DNA技术制备这些抗原。(iii)使用患者和健康受试者血清以及动物抗血清来筛选重组抗原，以获得免疫诊断产品和/或疫苗的合适候选物。(iv)以鉴定疫苗候选抗原的方法在疾病动物模型中测试重组抗原。这项研究的预期结果是：（i）我们将开发可用于鉴定任何致病细菌的细胞表面抗原的技术。(ii)我们将确定牙龈卟啉单胞菌细胞表面蛋白的组织和结构。(iii)我们将鉴定牙龈卟啉单胞菌表面的丰富的、独特的和免疫原性的蛋白质，其将是用于开发敏感的和特异的免疫诊断的合适的候选抗原。(iv)我们将鉴定出一种细胞表面抗原，当用作动物疫苗时，它能预防牙龈卟啉单胞菌引起的疾病。

Periodontitis is a bacterial-associated disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and can result in tooth loss. The disease is classified as a major public health problem with an enormous economic burden. A bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis has now been identified as a major causative agent of periodontitis in adults. We have developed methods to rapidly identify all the surface protein antigens of P. gingivalis using mass spectrometry and then using recombinant DNA technology to express these recombinant antigens for testing in animal models of disease. The aim of this project is: (i) to rapidly identify cell surface protein antigens of P. gingivalis using novel techniques. (ii) prepare these antigens using recombinant DNA technology. (iii) use patient and healthy subject sera as well as animal antisera to screen the recombinant antigens for suitable candidates for an immunodiagnostic product and-or vaccine. (iv) test the recombinant antigens in animal models of disease in an approach to identify a candidate antigen for a vaccine. The expected outcomes of this research are that (i) we will develop techniques that can be used to characterise the cell surface antigens of any pathogenic bacterium. (ii) we will determine the organisation and the structure of the cell surface proteins of P. gingivalis. (iii) we will identify an abundant, unique and immunogenic protein of the P. gingivalis surface that will be a suitable candidate antigen for the development of a sensitive and specific immunodiagnostic. (iv) we will identify a cell surface antigen that when used as a vaccine in animals prevents disease caused by P. gingivalis.