Peptide mimics of the group B meningococcal capsule induce bactericidal and protective antibodies after immunization.
Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in children. No vaccine is available for the prevention of these infections because the group B capsular polysaccharide (CP) (MenB CP) is unable to stimulate an immune response, due to its similarity with human polysialic acid. Because the MenB CP bears both human cross-reactive and non-cross-reactive determinants, we developed immunogenic peptide mimics of the latter epitopes. Peptides were selected from phage display libraries for their ability to bind to a protective anti-MenB CP mAb. One of these peptides (designated 9M) induced marked elevations in serum bactericidal activity, but not polysialic acid cross-reacting Abs, after gene priming followed by carrier-conjugate boosting. Moreover, the occurrence of bacteremia was prevented in infant rats by administration of immune sera before MenB challenge. 9M is a promising lead candidate for the development of an effective and affordable anti-MenB vaccine.
Lo Passo
Carla
C
Dipartimento di Scienze Microbiologiche, Genetiche e Molecolari, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy.
Romeo
Angela
A
Pernice
Ida
I
Donato
Paolo
P
Midiri
Angelina
A
Mancuso
Giuseppe
G
Arigò
Milena
M
Biondo
Carmelo
C
Galbo
Roberta
R
Papasergi
Salvatore
S
Felici
Franco
F
Teti
Giuseppe
G
Beninati
Concetta
C
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007106:Immune Sera; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C039455:capsular polysaccharide, meningococcal group B; C520366:peptide 9M; D004247:DNA