title: Role of immune sera in the in-vitro phagocytosis of Bordetella pertussis strains.
abstract: In this study, phagocytosis of Bordetella pertussis was assessed using a human monocyte-derived macrophage line (THP-1) and immune sera from children who had received primary vaccination during the Italian clinical trial on the efficacy of two acellular three-component (PT-FHA-PRN) and one whole-cell pertussis vaccines. The results demonstrate that phagocytosis of opsonized bacteria with specific immune sera is not significantly enhanced compared with that of non-opsonized bacteria or bacteria opsonized with non-immune sera. A similar result was obtained also using B. pertussis strains showing variants of the pertactin antigen suggesting that those variations do not reduce the capability of the bacterium to invade the monocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Medical Mycology, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ippoliti
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastrantonio
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; C068929:pertactin