title: Induction of a protective capsular polysaccharide antibody response to a multiepitope DNA vaccine encoding a peptide mimic of meningococcal serogroup C capsular polysaccharide.
abstract: Systemic infection by encapsulated organisms, such as Neisseria meningitidis, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in individuals less than 2 years of age. Antibodies directed at the capsular polysaccharide are shown to be protective against disease by inducing complement-dependent bactericidal activity. The current polysaccharide vaccine has been shown to be poorly immunogenic in high-risk groups and this is probably related to its T-independent properties. An alternative approach to eliciting a T-dependent serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response to encapsulated pathogens is DNA vaccination. We assessed the immunogenicity of a multiepitope DNA vaccine encoding a T-cell helper epitope and a peptide mimic of N. meningitidis serogroup C. The DNA construct induced a significant anti-polysaccharide antibody response that was bactericidal. Mice immunized with the DNA construct were subsequently protected against challenge with a lethal dose of N. meningitidis serogroup C.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015610:Serum Bactericidal Test; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide