Sortase A confers protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice.
Streptococcus pneumoniae sortase A (SrtA) is a transpeptidase that is highly conserved among pneumococcal strains, whose involvement in adhesion/colonization has been reported. We found that intraperitoneal immunization with recombinant SrtA conferred to mice protection against S. pneumoniae intraperitoneal challenge and that the passive transfer of immune serum before intraperitoneal challenge was also protective. Moreover, by using the intranasal challenge model, we observed a significant reduction of bacteremia when mice were intraperitoneally immunized with SrtA, while a moderate decrease of lung infection was achieved by intranasal immunization, even though no influence on nasopharynx colonization was seen. Taken together, our results suggest that SrtA is a good candidate for inclusion in a multicomponent, protein-based, pneumococcal vaccine.
Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics srl, Research Center, Siena, Italy.
Claudia
C
Gianfaldoni
Silvia
S
Maccari
Laura
L
Pancotto
Giacomo
G
Rossi
Markus
M
Hilleringmann
Werner
W
Pansegrau
Antonia
A
Sinisi
Monica
M
Moschioni
Vega
V
Masignani
Rino
R
Rappuoli
Giuseppe
G
Del Giudice
Paolo
P
Ruggiero
D019881:Aminoacyltransferases / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000517:prevention & control; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000517:prevention & control; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases; C120542:sortase A; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases