Immune reactivity of Brucella melitensis-vaccinated rabbit serum with recombinant Omp31 and DnaK proteins

Brucella melitensis infection is still a major health problem for human and cattle in developing countries and the Middle East. In this study, in order to screen immunogenic candidate antigens for the development of a Brucella subunit vaccine, a cytoplasmic protein [DnaK] and an outer membrane protein [Omp31] of B. melitensis were cloned, expressed in E.coli BL21 and then purified using Ni-NTA agarose. Immunized serum was prepared from a rabbit inoculated with attenuated B. melitensis. It was proved that immunized serum contains antibodies against recombinant Omp31 [rOmp31] and DnaK [rDnaK] by Western blot and ELISA assays. The results may suggest the importance of these proteins as subunit vaccines against B. melitensis as well as targets for immunotherapy

Antibacterial effects of enoxolone on periodontopathogenic and capnophilic bacteria isolated from specimens of periodontitis patients

Enoxolone is a major component of a traditional plant called Licorice. This substance has been found to contain some pharmaceutical properties including of both antiviral and antifungal activities. Microbiological studies have identified more than seven periodontopathogens in the periodontal pockets, which less than 4 species were capnophile. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro antibacterial effects of enoxolone against isolated periodontopathogenic and capnophilic bacteria. Total specimens were collected with sterile paper points from the deepest periodontal pockets of 400 patients, and cultured under capnophilic condition using selective media. The isolates were characterized to species level by conventional biochemical tests. Antibacterial activities of enoxolone against those microorganisms were investigated by determining minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] and minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC] methods. In this study, 186 species of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans [46.5%], 120 species of Eikenella corrodens [30%] and 136 Capnocytophaga species [34%] were isolated from specimens of periodontitis patients. The rate of periodontitis specimens associated with monobacteria and polybacteria were 105 [26.3%] and 158 [39.5%], respectively. The MIC of enoxolone was 8, 16 and 8 g/ml for A. actinomycetemcomitans, E. corrodens and Capnocytophaga species, respectively and the MBC was 16 micro g/ml for all species. It is concluded that enoxolone with above mentioned concentration is effective against isolated periodontopathogenic and capnophilic bacteria

Antibacterial effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on 55 hospital strains of staphylococcus aureus and 32 actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Glycyrrhetinic acid is a major component of a traditional plant called Licorice. This substance has been found to have some pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-allergic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-peptic-ulcer. Glycyrrhetinic acid also affects against some parasites such as Trichomonas vaginalis. In this study, 55 hospital strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 32 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, were isolated from patient's specimens by culture method. Antibacterial activities of glycyrrhetinic acid against those microorganisms were investigated by determining minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] and minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC] methods. The MIC for S. aureus and A. actinomycetemcomitans were 64 and 8 micro g/ml respectively. The MBC for S. aureus and A. actinomycetemcomitans were 64 and 16 micro g/ml respectively. It is concluded that Glycyrrhetinic acid is effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in appropriate concentrations