Gamma-glutamyl Aminopeptidase Research Articles

わが国の健康者における髄膜炎菌の保菌状況

Between September 2000 and March 2003 healthy subjects in 10 prefectures of Japan were investigated to identify carriers of Neisseria meningitidis. Twenty-five N. meningitidis strains were isolated from 5886 throat swab specimens collected from healthy persons, such as students, elderly, and foreigners. Of the 25 carriers, 9 were teenagers, 15 were in their twenties, and only one was in the fifties. The male-female ratio of the carriers was 17 to 8, showing male dominance. The serogroups of the 25 strains were B (9 strains), Y (4 strains) and non-groupable (12 strains). One of the strains was found to be deficient in gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase activity, which is an identification marker for N. meningitidis.

Evaluation of the BactiCard Neisseria for identification of pathogenic Neisseria species and Moraxella catarrhalis.

The BactiCard Neisseria (Remel, USA) is a chromogenic enzyme substrate system for identifying Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria lactamica, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The identification system consists of a card with four test circles impregnated with chromogenic substrates for indoxyl butyrate esterase (IB), prolyl aminopeptidase (PRO), gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase (GLUT), and ss-galactosidase (BGAL). These substrates permit the identification of Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Neisseria lactamica, respectively. After hydration of the circles with buffer, colonies from growth on selective media or a subculture are applied to the four circles. IB and BGAL reactions are read for a blue-green color after 2 and 15 min, respectively. PRO and GLUT reactions are read at 15 min for a red color after addition of a developer reagent. Identifications obtained with the BactiCard Neisseria were compared with those obtained using conventional procedures for 558 isolates in a blinded fashion. The BactiCard Neisseria identified 100% of 254 Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 100% of 125 Neisseria meningitidis, 53 (98.2%) of 54 Neisseria lactamica, and 123 (98.4%) of 125 Moraxella catarrhalis isolates. The BactiCard Neisseria is an accurate and rapid system for identification of these microorganisms in the clinical laboratory.

Superoxol and aminopeptidase tests for identification of pathogenicNeisseria species andMoraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis

The superoxol test, and prolyl aminopeptidase and gammaglutamyl aminopeptidase tests were evaluated for the detection of pathogenic Neisseria spp. using 317 strains of Neisseria-ceae. The superoxol test was positive for all 116 gonococci and 62 Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis strains, but also for three strains of Neisseria meningitidis, one strain of Neisseria lactamica and eight saprophytic neisseriae. When using strains grown on Thayer-Martin medium, the positive and negative predictive values of the superoxol test for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were 96.7% and 100% respectively. Meningococci were the only neisseriae growing on Thayer-Martin medium that showed gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase activity. The prolyl aminopeptidase test showed low specificity.

Rapid identification of Campylobacter pylori (C. pyloridis) by preformed enzymes.

Campylobacter pylori (C. pyloridis) is a fastidious organism found in the gastric mucosa associated with histological gastritis and peptic ulceration. A rapid identification scheme that detects the presence of preformed enzymes (Rosco Diagnostica, Taastrup, Denmark) was applied to clinical isolates of C. pylori. The isolates tested were a very homogeneous group. They all produced oxidase, catalase, urease, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, and DNase. None produced any of 44 other enzymes tested. No other campylobacter strains produced gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase, except the six strains of Campylobacter jejuni biotype 2. Different results were obtained with similar substrates produced by other manufacturers, probably due to small substrate differences. These tests are useful for the rapid identification of C. pylori but would be unhelpful in any biotyping scheme. They can also be used to help differentiate other groups within the genus Campylobacter.

Diagnostic value of interactions between members of the family Neisseriaceae and lectins.

The lectin slide agglutination test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been modified and improved. Results show that wheat germ agglutinin and soybean lectin agglutinate 100% (193 of 193 tested) of clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae. Lectin-reactive meningococci can be readily identified by the hydrolysis of gamma-glutamyl-beta-naphthylamide. Branhamella catarrhalis, Neisseria lactamica, Neisseria sicca, Neisseria subflava, Neisseria perflava, and meningococcal serogroups A, B, C, X, Y, and Z do not interfere with the positive identification of N. gonorrhoeae. The frequently encountered problem of autoagglutination of members of the family Neisseriaceae may be circumvented by a short treatment of cellular suspensions with DNase. Based on agglutination assays, the enzyme treatment did not result in a loss of wheat germ agglutinin receptors from the bacteria. The lectin agglutination test, coupled with the gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase assay, is proposed as a rapid and accurate means of identifying clinical isolates of gonococci.