Insight into the Structure, Functions, and Dynamics of the Outer Membrane Proteins with the Pathogenicity.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis that frequently occurs in tropical and subtropical countries. enters the host through wounds or mucous membranes and spreads to the whole body through the blood, causing systemic infection. Kidneys are the preferential site where accumulates, especially in the renal interstitium and renal tubule epithelial cells. Clinical symptoms in humans include high fever, jaundice, renal failure, and severe multiple-organ failure (Weil's syndrome). Surface-exposed antigens are located at the outermost layer of and these potential virulence factors are likely involved in primary host-pathogen interactions, adhesion, and/or invasion. Using the knockout/knockdown techniques to the evaluation of pathogenicity in the virulence factor are the most direct and effective methods and many virulence factors are evaluated including lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipoprotein 32 (LipL32), ompA domain protein 22 (Loa22), LipL41, LipL71, immunoglobulin-like repeat A (LigA), LigB, and LipL21. In this review, we will discuss the structure, functions, and dynamics of these virulence factors and the roles of these virulence factors in pathogenicity. In addition, a protein family with special Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) will also be discussed for their vital role in pathogenicity. Finally, these surface-exposed antigens are discussed in the application of the diagnosis target for leptospirosis and compared with the serum microscope agglutination test (MAT), the gold standard for leptospirosis.