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Updated: Jul 26, 2026

Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoprobes for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Detection
Published on: February 16, 2020
Self-assembled ferritin nanoparticles using SpyCatcher/SpyTag multimerization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis TB10.4
Fangzheng Guo1, Sihang Dong1, Yamin Song1
1Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Immunology in Chronic Diseases, Laboratory Medicine Experimental Center, Laboratory Medicine College, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu 233000, China.
Abstract:
Although Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) continues to play a role in alleviating tuberculosis as a global public health crisis, its potential to cause disseminated disease in immunocompromised individuals further limits its widespread use. However, traditional subunit vaccines face the challenge of weak immunogenicity. In this study, we employed the SpyCatcher/SpyTag system and a ferritin (Fer) nanoparticle (NP) to construct an NP-based vaccine targeting the non-region of difference antigen TB10.4. The construct comprises two components: a SpyCatcher003-Fer vector and SpyTag003-TB10.4 antigen, expressed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, respectively. These components were self-assembled into the tuberculosis nanovaccine candidate, SpyCatcher-Fer-TB10.4 (SFT), in vitro. Compared with the monomeric TB10.4, subcutaneous immunization with SFT-without an adjuvant-markedly enhanced cell proliferation, promoted T lymphocyte activation, and stimulated multiple TB-related cytokines, with responses comparable to or exceeding those induced by BCG. These findings suggest that SFT is superior to conventional recombinant proteins and holds promise for eliciting immunoprotective effects similar to those of BCG in the future.
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