Humoral response to recombinant YeuB, Ail, YadA and Inv proteins of Yersinia enterocolitica in patients with yersiniosis

Recombinant YeuB, Ail, YadA and Inv proteins of Y enterocolitica were expressing in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using the pET-30 Ek/LIC expression vector. Purification was accomplished by immobilized metal (Ni2+) affinity column chromatography (His-trap). The study population consisted of 193 patients with Y enterocolitica infection and 85 blood donors. The results of the study revealed that antibodies to all recombinant proteins in diagnostically significant titers were diagnosed only in about half of the tested patients with yersiniosis confirmed by routine ELISA with Yop proteins as antigen. However, statistical analysis of the results showed that the frequency of detecting antibodies among the patients with yersiniosis was significantly higher in relation to blood donors (P < 0.05). All the patients showed a roughly parallel development of the IgA, IgG and IgM-class antibodies during the acute phase of the infection. A maximum level of all three classes of immunoglobulins was registered during the second or third week after the beginning of clinical symptoms. More frequently the elevated antibody levels were detected among patients with gastrointestinal symptoms than with reactive arthritis.