Human vaccination with Escherichia coli J5 mutant induces cross-reactive bactericidal antibody against Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide.
The lipopolysaccharides of enteric gram-negative bacteria and the lipooligosaccharides (LOS) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae may share antigenic determinants that are targets of bactericidal antibody. Natural (disseminated) infection with a serum-resistant gonococcal strain and immunization with Escherichia coli J5 stimulated bactericidal IgG anti-LOS antibodies that recognize different serum-resistant gonococcal LOS epitopes. In bactericidal assays, convalescent serum from disseminated infection killed only the homologous strain while post-J5 vaccination serum killed 6 of 9 additional strains. Both convalescent and post-J5 vaccination sera mediated marker (51Cr) release from liposomes sensitized with serum-resistant gonococcal LOS (homologous strain), linking acquired killing activity to cross-reacting anti-LOS antibody. Post-J5 IgG mediated 51Cr release more effectively than did convalescent IgG. Thus, bactericidal antibody elicited by J5 vaccination is more efficacious and broadly cross-reactive against serum-resistant gonococci than is antibody elicited by natural infection. Moreover, multiple LOS epitopes may serve as bactericidal targets on serum-resistant gonococci.
Dale
P A
PA
Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Boston City Hospital, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts 02118.
McQuillen
D P
DP
Gulati
S
S
Rice
P A
PA
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008081:Liposomes; D009154:Mutation; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008081:Liposomes; C023023:lipid-linked oligosaccharides