Prevalence of factor H-binding protein variants and NadA among meningococcal group B isolates from the United States: implications for the development of a multicomponent group B vaccine.
BACKGROUND
Two promising recombinant meningococcal protein vaccines are in development. One contains factor H-binding protein (fHBP) variants (v.) 1 and 2, whereas the other contains v.1 and 4 other antigens discovered by genome mining (5 component [5C]). Antibodies against fHBP are bactericidal against strains within a variant group. There are limited data on the prevalence of strains expressing different fHBP variants in the United States.


METHODS
A total of 143 group B isolates from patients hospitalized in the United States were tested for fHBP variant by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, for reactivity with 6 anti-fHBP monoclonal antibodies (MAb) by dot immunoblotting, and for susceptibility to bactericidal activity of mouse antisera.


RESULTS
fHBP v.1 isolates predominated in California (83%), whereas isolates expressing v.1 (53%) or v.2 (42%) were common in 9 other states. Isolates representative of 5 anti-fHBP MAb-binding phenotypes (70% of isolates) were highly susceptible to anti-fHBP v.1 or v.2 bactericidal activity, whereas 3 phenotypes were approximately 50% susceptible. Collectively, antibodies against the fHBP v.1 and v.2 vaccine and the 5C vaccine killed 76% and 83% of isolates, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Susceptibility to bactericidal activity can be predicted, in part, on the basis of fHBP phenotypes. Both vaccines have the potential to prevent most group B disease in the United States.
Beernink
Peter T
PT
Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.
Welsch
Jo Anne
JA
Harrison
Lee H
LH
Leipus
Arunas
A
Kaplan
Sheldon L
SL
Granoff
Dan M
DM
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000378:metabolism*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000382:microbiology; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007106:Immune Sera; C501982:NadA protein, Neisseria meningitidis; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C484699:factor H-binding protein, Neisseria meningitidis; D017242:Complement Factor H