The Humoral Immune Response to Various Domains of Protective Antigen of Bacillus anthracis in Cutaneous Anthrax Cases in India

Anshul Varshney; Nidhi Puranik; M. Kumar; A.K. Goel

doi:10.14429/dsj.66.10805

Anshul Varshney Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
Nidhi Puranik Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
M. Kumar Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
A.K. Goel Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.66.10805

Keywords: Anthrax, Bacillus anthracis, domain, protective antigen, vaccine

Abstract

Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis is known to occur globally since antiquity. Besides being an important biothreat agent, it is an important public health importance pathogen also in countries like India. B. anthracis secretes three distinct toxins, namely protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). PA is the central moiety of the anthrax toxin complex and therefore has been a molecule of choice for vaccine development. PA has four different domains with different functions. In this study, the major domains of PA were cloned and expressed in bacterial system. The purified recombinant proteins were used to determine the humoral immune response by ELISA using 43 human cutaneous anthrax serum samples. The maximum immunoreactivity was observed with the whole PA protein followed by domain 2, 4 and 1. The study corroborated that in addition to full PA, individual domain 2 and 4 can also be good target for vaccine development as well as for serodiagnostic assays for cutaneous anthrax

Author Biographies

Anshul Varshney, Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Mr Anshul Varshney received the Master from Banasthali University, Raj, India in 2010. Currently working as SRF at Defence Research & Development Establishment and pursuing PhD from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. His field of work include: Studies on immunogenic and protective potential of recombinant protective antigen and lethal factor domains of Bacillus anthracis in mouse model.

Nidhi Puranik, Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Ms Nidhi Puranik received the Master from DAVV, Indore, M.P., India in 2009. Currently working as JRF at Defence Research & Development Establishment and pursuing PhD from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. Her field of work include: Development of rapid immunological systems for detection and diagnosis of anthrax from environmental and clinical samples.

M. Kumar, Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Mr Manoj Kumar received Master from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, M.P. India in 2011. Currently working as JRF at Defence Research & Development Establishment and pursuing PhD from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. His field of work include: Identification and characterisation of immunodominant antigen/s: evaluation as subunit vaccine candidate/s in a mouse model against Bacillus anthracis.

A.K. Goel, Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Dr A.K. Goel, obtained his MSc and PhD from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. He was conferred the Young Scientist Award by Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) for the year 1999. He also received ‘Young Scientist Research Fellowship’ from Department of Science & Technology (DST) in 2001. Besides, he has been recipient of ‘DRDO Laboratory Scientist of the Year’ award for 2004, DRDO Young Scientist Award-2005, AMI Young Scientist Award-2005, DRDO Technology Group Award-2006 & 2015, DBT Overseas Associateship-2008 and DRDO Technology Day Oration Award-2013. Dr Goel Sc ‘F’ is presently engaged in development of molecular and immunological systems for biothreat agents. He has published more than 80 research papers in journals of repute beside various patents, popular articles and radio talks.