VIOLIN: Vaccine Investigation and Online Information Network

Treponema pallidum

Table of Contents

General Information
Vaccine Related Pathogen Genes
1. GlpQ (Protective antigen)
2. gpd (Protective antigen)
3. TmpB (Protective antigen)
4. tp92 (Protective antigen)
5. tp92 (Protective antigen)
6. tpf1 (Protective antigen)
7. tprF (Protective antigen)
8. TP_RS03795 (Protective antigen)
Vaccine Information
References

I. General Information

1. NCBI Taxonomy ID:

160

2. Disease:

Syphilis

3. Introduction

T. pallidum pallidum is a motile spirochaete that is generally acquired by close sexual contact, entering the host via breaches in squamous or columnar epithelium. The organism can also be transmitted to a fetus by transplacental passage during the later stages of pregnancy, giving rise to congenital syphilis. The helical structure of T. pallidum pallidum allows it to move in a corkscrew motion through a viscous medium such as mucus. It gains access to host's blood and lymph systems through tissue and mucous membranes. The subspecies causing yaws, pinta, and bejel are morphologically and serologically indistinguishable from T. pallidum pallidum (syphilis); however, their transmission is not venereal in nature and the course of each disease is significantly different (Wiki: T. pallidum).

4. Microbial Pathogenesis

T. pallidum (in the case of syphilis) generally first forms a chancre at the site of infection and the spirochetes are infectious. The bacteria then penetrate mucosal membranes, and invade the bloodstream as well as other tissues. The bacteria cause latent syphilis which can progress into tertiary syphilis by the bacteria causing inflammatory disease and thus creating problems in infected (Salyers and Whitt., 2002).

5. Host Ranges and Animal Models

T. pallidum is an obligate internal parasite, meaning that it requires a mammalian host for survival. In the absence of mammalian cells, T. pallidum will be killed by the absence of nutrients, exposure to oxygen and heat. T. pallidum causes the human disease syphilis. Since T. pallidum cannot be grown in culture, animal models are needed to study syphilis. Although mice and monkeys can be used, rabbits are the animal model almost exclusively studied in the lab. Rabbits are used because unlike monkeys they are inexpensive and unlike mice, rabbits develop the signs and symptoms of human primary and secondary syphilis (MicrobeWiki: T. pallidum).

6. Host Protective Immunity

The primary clearance mechanism responsible for removal of T. pallidum from syphilitic chancres is believed to be antibody‐mediated treponemal opsonization and subsequent phagocytosis and killing by macrophages (Cameron et al., 1998).

II. Vaccine Related Pathogen Genes

1. GlpQ

Gene Name : GlpQ
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols
VO ID : VO_0012399
NCBI Gene ID : 2611763
NCBI Protein GI : 499184166
Locus Tag : TP_RS01315
Genbank Accession : AE000520
Protein Accession : WP_010881706
Taxonomy ID : 243276
Gene Starting Position : 268189
Gene Ending Position : 269259
Gene Strand (Orientation) : +
Protein Name : glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase
Protein pI : 9.44
Protein Weight : 38335.23
Protein Length : 356
Protein Note : hydrolyzes deacylated phospholipids to glycerol 3-phosphate and the corresponding alcohols; periplasmic

DNA Sequence : Show Sequence

>NC_000919.1:268189-269259 Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols complete genome
TATGCGGGGAACATATTGTGTGACGCTTTGGGGGGGGGTGTTTGCGGCATTGGTTGCAGGCTGTGCGTCC
GAACGTATGATAGTTGCGTATCGGGGCGCTGCAGGATATGTGCCCGAGCACACCTTTGCCTCGAAAGTTC
TTGCTTTTGCACAAGGAGCAGATTACCTGCAGCAGGATGTCGTGCTTTCAAAGGATAATCAGCTTATCGT
AGCGCAAAGCCATATTCTGGATAATATGACTGACGTGGCAGAAAAATTTCCACGCCGGCAGCGTGCGGAT
GGGCATTTCTATGTCATAGATTTTACGGTAGAAGAACTTTCCCTCCTCCGTGCAACCAATAGTTTCTATA
CGCGCGGTAAGCGACATACGCCGGTGTATGGCCAGCGCTTTCCTCTTTGGAAGCCTGGTTTTAGGCTGCA
CACTTTTGAAGAGGAGTTGCAGTTTATCCGTGGGTTGGAACAGACAACCGGGAAAAAGATTGGAATTTAC
TCTGAAATAAAGGTGCCGTGGTTTCATCATCAGGAAGGAAAAGACATCGCAGCGCTTACCCTCGCTCTGT
TGAAAAAATACGGTTACCAAAGTCGATCGGATCTAGTGTATGTGCAAACGTATGATTTTAACGAGCTGAA
GCGTATCAAACGAGAACTTTTACCAAAGTACGAAATGAACGTGAAGCTGATTCAGCGTGTTGCTTACACA
GATCAACGTGAAACACAGGAGAAGGACTCGCGTGGGAAATGGATAAACTACAATTACAATTGGATGTTTG
AGCCCGGTGGTATGCAGAAAATAGCAAAATATGCAGACGGCGTGGGTCCTGACTGGAGGATGCTCATAGA
GAATGAATGGTCGAAGGTGGGCGCTGTTCGCCTGAGTCCGATGGTTTCTGCAATCCAAGATGCGAAATTG
GAATGTCATGTGCACACGGTACGGAAAGAAACACTGCCTAGCTACGCGCGCACCATGGACGAGATGTTTT
CCATTTTGTTCAAACAGACGGGCGCAAACGTGGTGCTCACGGATTTTCCTGATCTTGGGGTAAAGTTTCT
GGGCAAACCCGCCCGCTATTG

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>WP_010881706.1 glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase [Treponema pallidum]
MRGTYCVTLWGGVFAALVAGCASERMIVAYRGAAGYVPEHTFASKVLAFAQGADYLQQDVVLSKDNQLIV
AQSHILDNMTDVAEKFPRRQRADGHFYVIDFTVEELSLLRATNSFYTRGKRHTPVYGQRFPLWKPGFRLH
TFEEELQFIRGLEQTTGKKIGIYSEIKVPWFHHQEGKDIAALTLALLKKYGYQSRSDLVYVQTYDFNELK
RIKRELLPKYEMNVKLIQRVAYTDQRETQEKDSRGKWINYNYNWMFEPGGMQKIAKYADGVGPDWRMLIE
NEWSKVGAVRLSPMVSAIQDAKLECHVHTVRKETLPSYARTMDEMFSILFKQTGANVVLTDFPDLGVKFL
GKPARY

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : Immunization with the recombinant GlpQ significantly protected rabbits from subsequent T. pallidum challenge, altering lesion development at the sites of challenge (Cameron et al., 1998).
Related Vaccine(s): T. pallidum GlpQ Protein Vaccine

2. gpd

Gene Name : gpd
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum
NCBI Protein GI : 2352433
Other Database IDs : CDD:236859
Taxonomy ID : 243276
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase
Protein pI : 9.44
Protein Weight : 38692.55
Protein Length : 465
Protein Note : glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase; Provisional; PRK11143

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>AAB81591.1 glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase [Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols]
MRGTYCVTLWGGVFAALVAGCASERMIVAYRGAAGYVPEHTFASKVLAFAQGADYLQQDVVLSKDNQLIV
AQSHILDNMTDVAEKFPRRQRADGHFYVIDFTVEELSLLRATNSFYTRGKRHTPVYGQRFPLWKPGFRLH
TFEEELQFIRGLEQTTGKKIGIYSEIKVPWFHHQEGKDIAALTLALLKKYGYQSRSDLVYVQTYDFNELK
RIKRELLPKYEMNVKLIQRVAYTDQRETQEKDSRGKWINYNYNWMFEPGGMQKIAKYADGVGPDWRMLIE
NEWSKVGAVRLSPMVSAIQDAKLECHVHTVRKETLPSYARTMDEMFSILFKQTGANVVLTDFPDLGVKFL
GKPARY

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : (Cameron et al., 1998)

3. TmpB

Gene Name : TmpB
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols
VO ID : VO_0012400
NCBI Gene ID : 2611387
NCBI Protein GI : 499184674
Locus Tag : TP_RS03880
Genbank Accession : AE000520
Protein Accession : WP_010882214
Taxonomy ID : 243276
Gene Starting Position : 834955
Gene Ending Position : 835932
Gene Strand (Orientation) : +
Protein Name : treponemal membrane protein B
Protein pI : 9.18
Protein Weight : 35471.38
Protein Length : 325
Protein Note : similar to GB:M58562 SP:P19649 PID:155065 percent identity: 100.00; identified by sequence similarity; putative

DNA Sequence : Show Sequence

>NC_000919.1:834955-835932 Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols complete genome
GATGAAGACACGTAATTTCTCGCTCGTATCCGCGTTGTACGTACTGCTGGGTGTTCCTCTGTTTGTGTCT
GCCGCTTCCTACGACGACAATGAATTTTCTCGCAAGAGTCGTGCGTACTCGGAGCTTGCAGAGAAGACAT
ACGATGCGGGAGAGTATGACGTCTCTGCAGAGTACGCCCGGCTCGCTGAGGATTTTGCGCAAAAATCCTC
GGTCTACATCAAGGAAACTATGGCGCGCACCACTGCCGAGGACGCTATGAACGCTGCGCGCACCCGCCAC
GCGTGGGCGAAAAATGAGCGCATCGATCGCGCCTATCCGACCGAGTATTTGCTCGCTAGCGAGGCTATCA
AGACCGGAGGGCTCGCTTTTGACAGCAAGCAGTACGACGTAGCGCTCACGTGGGCGCGTAAGGCGTTGGA
CGCACTCAAAAACGTAAAGCCTGAAAGTCAGTTGCTTGCAAAGGCCGCGAAGGAGGAGGCTGCGCGCAAG
GCCGCCGAGGCACGAAAACTCGAAGAACAAAGAATTGCAGCCCAGAAAGCGCAGGAAGAACGTAAGCGTG
CGGAGGAGGAAGCTGCGCGCAAGGCCGCCGAGGCACGAAAACTCGAAGAACAAAGAATTGCAGCCCAGAA
AGCGCAGGAAGAACGTAAGCGTGCGGAGGAGGAAGCTGCGCGCAAGGCCGCCGAGGAAGCAGCGCGAAAG
GCGGAGGAACTCGAGAAGGGTCGTGTGCTACCTGCGCAATACAAGGTGACTACGTGGTCCATTGACCGGG
AATGTTTCTGGAATATTGCCAAAAACCCCGCCGTTTATGGCAACCCCTTCCTCTGGAAGAAGTTGTATGA
GGCGAACAAGGACAAAATTCCTCAGTCCAAAAACCCCAATTGGGTAGAGCCTGAGACAGTCCTGGTCATC
CCCAGTCTCAAGGGAGAGGAGCGCGAGGGTCTGTATGAGCCCAACGTGAAATACCGTCCTCTGCCGTA

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>WP_010882214.1 membrane protein TmpB [Treponema pallidum]
MKTRNFSLVSALYVLLGVPLFVSAASYDDNEFSRKSRAYSELAEKTYDAGEYDVSAEYARLAEDFAQKSS
VYIKETMARTTAEDAMNAARTRHAWAKNERIDRAYPTEYLLASEAIKTGGLAFDSKQYDVALTWARKALD
ALKNVKPESQLLAKAAKEEAARKAAEARKLEEQRIAAQKAQEERKRAEEEAARKAAEARKLEEQRIAAQK
AQEERKRAEEEAARKAAEEAARKAEELEKGRVLPAQYKVTTWSIDRECFWNIAKNPAVYGNPFLWKKLYE
ANKDKIPQSKNPNWVEPETVLVIPSLKGEEREGLYEPNVKYRPLP

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : Treponema pallidum-susceptible guinea pigs of strain C4D were immunized with recombinant T. pallidum antigen TmpB. Guinea pigs receiving TmpB antigen demonstrated protection expressed by the development of significantly (P less than 0.01) smaller, atypical lesions of significantly (P less than 0.01) shorter duration and devoid of or containing fewer T. pallidum organisms than lesions in the remaining immunized and control animals (Wicher et al., 1991).
Related Vaccine(s): T. pallidum TmpB Protein Vaccine

4. tp92

Gene Name : tp92
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols
VO ID : VO_0012401
NCBI Protein GI : AAC16524
Other Database IDs : CDD:227116
Taxonomy ID : 243276
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : putative outer membrane protein
Protein pI : 8.68
Protein Weight : 88079.37
Protein Length : 944
Protein Note : Outer membrane protein assembly factor BamA [Cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis]; COG4775

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>AAC16524.1 putative outer membrane protein [Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols]
MLKKASAFLIASCCVMSLAWAQANDNWYEGKPISAISFEGLEYIARGQLDTIFSQYKGQKWTYELYLEIL
QKVYDLEYFSEVSPKAVPTDPEYQYVMLQFTVKERPSVKGIKMVGNSQIRSGDLLSKILLKKGDIYNEVK
MKVDQESLRRHYLDQGYAAVKISCEAKTEAGGVVVQFTIQEGKQTVVSRIQFKGNKAFTESVLKKVLSTQ
EARFLTSGVFKENALEADKAAVHSYYAERGYIDARVEGVAKTVDKKTDASRNLVTLTYTVVEGEQYRYGG
VTIVGNQIFSTEELQAKIRLKRGAIMNMVAFEQGFQALADAYFENGYTSNYLNKEEHRDTAEKTLSFKIT
VVERERSHVEHIIIKGTKNTKDEVILREMLLKPGDVFSKSKFTDSLRNLFNLRYFSSLVPDVRPGSEQDL
VDIILNVEEQSTANVQFGVTFSGVGEAGTFPLSLFCQWEEKNFLGKGNEISVNATLGSEAQSLKLGYVER
WFLGSPLTVGFDFELTHKNLFVYRAGSYGNGLPHPYTSREQWASSPGLAESFRLKYSRFESAIGAHTGYQ
WYPRYAVIRVNGGVDFRVVKNFYDKDNNQPFDLTVKEQLNWTSINSFWTSVSFDGRDFAYDPSSGWFLGQ
RCTFNGLVPFLEKEHSFRSDTKAEFYVTLLNYPVSAVWNLKFVLAFYTGVSVQTYYGRRKSENGKGNGVR
SGALVIDGVLVGRGWSEDAKKNTGDLLLHHWIEFRWPLAHGIVSFDFFFDAAMVYNIESQSPNGSSSASS
SSSSSSSSSRTTSSEGLYKMSYGPGLRFTLPQFPLKLAFANTFTSPGGIPKTKKNWNFVLSFTVNNL

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : Immunization with recombinant Tp92 partially protected rabbits from subsequent T. pallidum challenge (Cameron et al., 2000).
Related Vaccine(s): T. pallidum Tp92 Protein Vaccine

5. tp92

Gene Name : tp92
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum
NCBI Protein GI : AAF61471
Other Database IDs : CDD:227116
CDD:284624
CDD:279448
Taxonomy ID : 161
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : Tp92
Protein pI : 8.69
Protein Weight : 87871.23
Protein Length : 904
Protein Note : Outer membrane protein assembly factor BamA [Cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis]; COG4775

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>AAF61471.1 Tp92 [Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum]
MLKKASAFLIASCCVMSLAWAQANDNWYEGKPISAISFEGLEYIARGQLDTIFSQYKGQKWTYELYLEIL
QKVYDLEYFSEVSPKAVPTDPEYQYVMLQFTVKERPSVKGIKMVGNSQIRSGDLLSKILLKKGDIYNEVK
MKVDQESLRRHYLDQGYAAVKISCEAKTEAGGVVVQFTIQEGKQTVVSRIQFKGNKAFTESVLKKVLSTQ
EARFLTSGVFKENALEADKAAVHSYYAERGYIDARVEGVAKTVDKKTDASRNLVTLTYTVVEGEQYRYGG
VTIVGNQIFSTEELQAKIRLKRGAIMNMVAFEQGFQALADAYFENGYTSNYLNKEEHRDTAEKTLSFKIT
VVERERSHVEHIMIKGTKNTKDEVILREMLLKPGDVFSKSKFTDSLRNLFNLRYFSSLVPDVRPGSEQDL
VDIILNVEEQSTANVQFGVTFSGVGEAGTFPLSLFCQWEEKNFLGKGNEISVNATLGSEAQSLKLGYVER
WFLGSPLTVGFDFELTHKNLFVYRAGAKGNGLPHPYVSKEHWANSPGLAESFRLKYSRFESAIGAHTGYQ
WYPRYAVIRVNGGVDFRVVKNFYDKDNNQPFDLTVKEQLNWTSINSFWTSVSFDGRDFAYDPSSGWFLGQ
RCTFNGLVPCLEKEHSFRSDTKAEFYVTLLNYPVSAVWNLKFVLAFYTGVSVQTYYGRRKSENGKGNGVR
SGALVIDGVLVGRGWSEDAKKNTGDLLLHHWIEFRWPLAHGIVSFDFFFDAAMVYNIESQSPNGSSSASS
SSSSSSSSSSTTSSEGLYKMSYGPGLRFTLPQFPLKLAFANTFTSPGGIPKTKKNWNFVLSFTVNNL

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : (Cameron et al., 2000)

6. tpf1

Gene Name : tpf1
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum
NCBI Protein GI : WP_010882482
Other Database IDs : CDD:223854
CDD:153102
Taxonomy ID : 160
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : DNA starvation/stationary phase protection protein
Protein pI : 5.02
Protein Weight : 18954.12
Protein Length : 269
Protein Note : DNA-binding ferritin-like protein (oxidative damage protectant) [Inorganic ion transport and metabolism, Defense mechanisms]; COG0783

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>WP_010882482.1 DNA starvation/stationary phase protection protein [Treponema pallidum]
MNMCTDGKKYHSTATSAAVGASAPGVPDARAIAAICEQLRQHVADLGVLYIKLHNYHWHIYGIEFKQVHE
LLEEYYVSVTEAFDTIAERLLQLGAQAPASMAEYLALSGIAEETEKEITIVSALARVKRDFEYLSTRFSQ
TQVLAAESGDAVTDGIITDILRTLGKAIWMLGATLKA

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : immunization with the r4D Ag alters the course of experimental syphilis in a manner consistent with previously defined parameters of partial protection. (Borenstein et al., 1988)

The reactivities of TpF1 with syphilitic sera were proportional to the titers of the T. pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay. These data indicate that the recombinant protein TpF1 is a highly immunogenic protein in human and rabbit infections and a promising marker for the screening of syphilis.(Jiang et al., 2013)

7. tprF

Gene Name : tprF
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum
NCBI Protein GI : AGF43527
Other Database IDs : CDD:280810
CDD:280819
Taxonomy ID : 491079
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : TprF
Protein pI : 8.2
Protein Weight : 63453.71
Protein Length : 683
Protein Note : Major Outer Sheath Protein N-terminal region; pfam02707

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>AGF43527.1 TprF [Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue str. CDC2]
MGRQVMQAGVLAGMVCAASGYAGVLTPQVSGTAQLQWGIAFQKNPHTVPGEHTHGFRTTNSLTISLPLVS
KHTHTRRGEARSGVWAQLQLKDLAVELASSKSSTALSFTKPTASFQATLHCYGAYLTVGTSPSCVVNFAQ
LWKPFVTRAYSEKDTRYAPGFSGSGAKLGYQAHNVGNSGVDVDIGFLSFLSNGAWDSTDTTHSKYGFGAD
ATLSYGVDRQRLLTLELAGNATLEQHYRKGTEDSTNENKTALLWGVGGRLTLEPGAGFRFSFALDAGNQH
QSNADADCRLPATGSSREKFDRAFDALRVEQYRVKDKYLEFLLGQMAESSILERVGLALTLQDGTLVSTL
TKVATDSGDWFIQMALVKLLPQRAQAEQGLREIVAPSQSDIVLIMLLTWLERARLDRFNADALLTAQWTY
VSAGLYGATAGTNVFGKRVLPALQSWHFDFAGFLKLETKSGDPYTHLLTGLNAGVEARVYIPLTYIRYRN
NGGYPLNGVVPPGTINMPILGKAWCSYRIPLGSHAWLTPHTSVLGTTNRFNVINPAYTLLNERALQYQVG
LTFSPFEKVELSAQWEQGVLADAPYMGIAESKWSERYFGTFICGVNVGW

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : These results demonstrate that epitopes in fragment 1 are recognized by T cells and antibodies during infection and that immunization with this portion of TprK most effectively attenuates syphilitic lesion development.(Morgan et al., 2002)
N-terminal conserved region of TprF elicits strong T-cell responses during infection with different T. pallidum subsp. pallidum isolates(Sun et al., 2004)

8. TP_RS03795

Gene Name : TP_RS03795
Sequence Strain (Species/Organism) : Treponema pallidum
NCBI Protein GI : WP_010882196
Taxonomy ID : 160
Gene Strand (Orientation) : ?
Protein Name : vascular adhesin/metalloprotease pallilysin
Protein pI : 8
Protein Weight : 24862.94
Protein Length : 323
Protein Note : helix 9

Protein Sequence : Show Sequence

>WP_010882196.1 vascular adhesin/metalloprotease pallilysin [Treponema pallidum]
MNRPLLSVAGSLFVAAWALYIFSCFQHGHVPPRRIPPHDTFGALPTAALPSNARDTAAHPSDTADNTSGS
STTTDPRSHGNAPPAPVGGAAQTHTQPPVQTAMRIALWNRATHGEQGALQHLLAGLWIQTEISPNSGDIH
PLLFFDREHAEITFSRASVQEIFLVDSAHTHRKTVSFLTRNTAISSIRRRLEVTFESHEVIHVRAVEDVA
RLKIGSTSMWDGQYTRYHAGPASAPSP

Molecule Role : Protective antigen
Molecule Role Annotation : (Lithgow et al., 2017)

III. Vaccine Information

1. T. pallidum GlpQ Protein Vaccine

a. Vaccine Ontology ID:

VO_0004024

b. Type:

Subunit vaccine

c. Status:

Research

d. Antigen

Recombinant GlpQ

e. Gene Engineering of GlpQ

Type: Recombinant protein preparation
Description:
Detailed Gene Information: Click here.

f. Adjuvant:

VO ID: VO_0001238

g. Vector:

pET-3a vector (Cameron et al., 1998).

h. Immunization Route

IM, SC, IP, and ID

i. Rabbit Response

Host Strain: New Zealand White
Vaccination Protocol: Rabbits were immunized three times (IM, SC, IP, and ID) at 3-week intervals with the Ribi MPL + TDM + CWS adjuvant and 100 μg of purified inclusion bodies from E. coli expressing either the pET-3a vector alone or the Gpd-pET-3a construct (Cameron et al., 1998).
Challenge Protocol: Two weeks after administration of the final immunization, rabbits were challenged ID at each of six sites on their shaved backs with 103 T. pallidum per site (Cameron et al., 1998).
Efficacy: Immunization with the recombinant GlpQ significantly protected rabbits from subsequent T. pallidum challenge, altering lesion development at the sites of challenge. All eight control rabbits developed typical red, raised, and highly indurated lesions at each of the six challenge sites that in some cases progressed to ulceration. All four of the Gpd-immunized rabbits developed atypical pale, flat, slightly indurated, and nonulcerative reactions at each of the six challenge sites. In all cases, induration in the Gpd-immunized animals resolved before lesions appeared in the control animals and resembled delayed-type hypersensitivity responses more than typical syphilis chancres (Cameron et al., 1998).

2. T. pallidum TmpB Protein Vaccine

a. Vaccine Ontology ID:

VO_0004025

b. Type:

Subunit vaccine

c. Status:

Research

d. Antigen

Recombinant TmpB protein.

e. Gene Engineering of TmpB

Type: Recombinant protein preparation
Description:
Detailed Gene Information: Click here.

f. Adjuvant:

VO ID: VO_0001238

g. Immunization Route

Subcutanteous and i.p.

h. Guinea pig Response

Host Strain: C4D
Vaccination Protocol: In the first set of experiments, guinea pigs assigned randomly to seven groups of five animals each were immunized with TmpA, TmpB, TmpC, TmpA plus TmpB plus TmpC (TmpABC), or E. coli membranes. Five animals received adjuvant in phosphate-buffered saline, and five guinea pigs served as nonimmunized control. Each animal received six injections, each of 100 μg of antigen in a 0.4-ml volume, distributed in two subcutaneous injections (0.15 ml each) in the inguinal lymph nodes areas and one intraperitoneal injection (0.1 ml) (Wicher et al., 1991).
Challenge Protocol: A week after immunizing injection 6, all animals, including untreated controls, were injected intradermally in a hind leg with 100 μl of suspension containing 3 X 10^6 T. pallidum Nichols freshly extracted from rabbit testes.
Efficacy: Guinea pigs receiving TmpB antigen demonstrated protection expressed by the development of significantly (P less than 0.01) smaller, atypical lesions of significantly (P less than 0.01) shorter duration and devoid of or containing fewer T. pallidum organisms than lesions in the remaining immunized and control animals (Wicher et al., 1991).

3. T. pallidum Tp92 Protein Vaccine

a. Vaccine Ontology ID:

VO_0004026

b. Type:

Subunit vaccine

c. Status:

Research

d. Antigen

125 μg of purified intact ORF recombinant Tp92 (Cameron et al., 2000).

e. Gene Engineering of tp92

Type: Recombinant protein preparation
Description:
Detailed Gene Information: Click here.

f. Adjuvant:

VO ID: VO_0001238

g. Immunization Route

i.m., s.c., i.p., and i.d.

h. Rabbit Response

Host Strain: New Zealand White
Vaccination Protocol: New Zealand White rabbits were immunized (intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, and intradermally) at 3‐week intervals with Ribi adjuvant and 125 μg of purified intact ORF recombinant Tp92. Unimmunized rabbits were used as a control (Cameron et al., 2000).
Challenge Protocol: At 1–4 weeks after administration of the final immunization in each protection experiment, the immunized rabbits and a total of 4 unimmunized control rabbits were subjected to intradermal challenge at each of 8 sites on their shaved backs with 10^5 T. pallidum subsp. pallidum (Nichols strain) per site. The rabbits were examined daily to monitor the development, morphologic appearance, and progression of lesions appearing at the challenge sites (Cameron et al., 2000).
Efficacy: Immunization with recombinant Tp92 partially protected rabbits from subsequent T. pallidum challenge. the rabbits immunized with the T. pallidum recombinant Tp92 before challenge all demonstrated alteration of lesion development. Significant attenuation of lesion development was observed in these rabbits, with atypical pale, flat, slightly indurated, and for the most part, nonulcerative lesions appearing at the sites of challenge. In these protection experiments, the number of lesions progressing to ulceration and the number of darkfield‐positive lesions in the Tp92‐immunized rabbits were significantly smaller than those of lesions appearing in the control animals (Cameron et al., 2000).

IV. References

1. Borenstein et al., 1988: Borenstein LA, Radolf JD, Fehniger TE, Blanco DR, Miller JN, Lovett MA. Immunization of rabbits with recombinant Treponema pallidum surface antigen 4D alters the course of experimental syphilis. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 1988; 140(7); 2415-2421. [PubMed: 2450921].

2. Brautigam et al., 2016: Brautigam CA, Deka RK, Liu WZ, Norgard MV. The Tp0684 (MglB-2) Lipoprotein of Treponema pallidum: A Glucose-Binding Protein with Divergent Topology. PloS one. 2016; 11(8); e0161022. [PubMed: 27536942].

3. Cameron et al., 1998: Cameron CE, Castro C, Lukehart SA, Van Voorhis WC. Function and protective capacity of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase. Infection and immunity. 1998; 66(12); 5763-5770. [PubMed: 9826352].

4. Cameron et al., 1998: Cameron CE, Castro C, Lukehart SA, Van Voorhis WC. Function and protective capacity of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase. Infection and immunity. 1998; 66(12); 5763-5770. [PubMed: 9826352].

5. Cameron et al., 2000: Cameron CE, Lukehart SA, Castro C, Molini B, Godornes C, Van Voorhis WC. Opsonic potential, protective capacity, and sequence conservation of the Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum Tp92. The Journal of infectious diseases. 2000; 181(4); 1401-1413. [PubMed: 10762571].

6. Cameron et al., 2000: Cameron CE, Lukehart SA, Castro C, Molini B, Godornes C, Van Voorhis WC. Opsonic potential, protective capacity, and sequence conservation of the Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum Tp92. The Journal of infectious diseases. 2000; 181(4); 1401-1413. [PubMed: 10762571].

7. Centurion-Lara et al., 1997: Centurion-Lara A, Arroll T, Castillo R, Shaffer JM, Castro C, Van Voorhis WC, Lukehart SA. Conservation of the 15-kilodalton lipoprotein among Treponema pallidum subspecies and strains and other pathogenic treponemes: genetic and antigenic analyses. Infection and immunity. 1997; 65(4); 1440-1444. [PubMed: 9119485].

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