A vaccine and diagnostic target forClostridium bolteae, an autism-associated bacterium

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 31; no. 26; p. 2787
• Main Authors: Pequegnat, Brittany, Sagermann, Martin, Valliani, Moez, Toh, Michael, Chow, Herbert, Allen-Vercoe, Emma, Monteiro, Mario A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Limited 10.06.2013
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Autism; Bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Immunogenicity; Metabolism; Saccharides; Software packages; Spectrum analysis; Studies; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.04.018

Constipation and diarrhea are common in autistic patients. Treatment with antibiotics against bacteria appears to partially alleviate autistic-related symptoms.Clostridium bolteaeis a bacterium that has been shown to be overabundant in the intestinal tract of autistic children suffering from gastric intestinal ailments, and as such is an organism that could potentially aggravate gastrointestinal symptoms. We set out to investigate the cell-wall polysaccharides ofC. bolteaein order to evaluate their structure and immunogenicity. Our explorations revealed thatC. bolteaeproduces a conserved specific capsular polysaccharide comprised of rhamnose and mannose units: [->3)--D-Manp-(1->4)-β-d-Rhap-(1->], which is immunogenic in rabbits. These findings are the first description of aC. bolteaeimmunogen and indicate the prospect of using this polysaccharide as a vaccine to reduce or preventC. bolteaecolonization of the intestinal tract in autistic patients, and as a diagnostic marker for the rapid detection ofC. bolteaein a clinical setting.