Immunogenicity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharide epitope 2C7, widely expressed in vivo with no immunochemical similarity to human glycosphingolipids.
Natural infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae may elicit a substantial antibody response directed against gonococcal lipooligosaccharide. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 2C7 recognized a gonococcal lipooligosaccharide epitope, identified the epitope directly in 94% of 68 consecutive culture-positive genital secretions, and recognized 95% of 101 randomly chosen fresh (second-passage) gonococcal isolates. The epitope was stably maintained after multiple in vitro passages and did not compete with any of the known cross-reactive human glycosphingolipid structures. MAb 2C7 mediated in vitro killing and phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes of 1 serum-sensitive (sialylated or not) and 1 stably serum-resistant gonococcal isolate that expressed the epitope. Gonococcal endometritis and disseminated infection elicited increases (6.5-fold IgM, 4.4-fold IgG; 18-fold IgM, 17-fold IgG, respectively) in anti-2C7 epitope antibody. Immunization with a gonococcal outer membrane vaccine elicited a mean 44.5-fold increase in IgG anti-2C7 epitope antibody in 20 of 28 subjects. The epitope identified by MAb 2C7 may represent an excellent target for a potentially protective gonococcal vaccine candidate.
Gulati
S
S
Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
McQuillen
D P
DP
Mandrell
R E
RE
Jani
D B
DB
Rice
P A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial