Comprehensive Overview of Treponema pallidum Outer Membrane Proteins


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Abstract

Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, is a sexually transmitted microorganism that exhibits remarkable motility capabilities, allowing it to affect various systems. Despite its structural resemblance to gram-negative bacteria due to its dual-membrane, T. pallidum possesses a lower abundance of outer membrane proteins (OMPs), which enables it to effectively conceal itself. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the clinical diagnostic potential associated with the OMPs of T. pallidum. Furthermore, the known OMPs in T. pallidum that are responsible for mediating host interactions have been progressively elucidated. This review aims to shed light on the pathogenesis of syphilis, encompassing aspects such as vascular inflammation, chancre self-healing, neuroinvasion, and reinfection. Additionally, this review offers a detailed overview of the current state and prospects of development in the field of syphilis vaccines, with the ultimate goal of establishing a foundation for understanding the pathogenesis and implementing effective prevention strategies against syphilis.

About the authors

Sirui Wu

Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Email: info@benthamscience.net

Lan Luo

Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Email: info@benthamscience.net

Fei Ye

Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Email: info@benthamscience.net

Yuanfang Wang

Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Email: info@benthamscience.net

Dongdong Li

Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Author for correspondence.
Email: info@benthamscience.net

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