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.
Gianfaldoni
Claudia
C
Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics srl, Research Center, Siena, Italy.
Maccari
Silvia
S
Pancotto
Laura
L
Rossi
Giacomo
G
Hilleringmann
Markus
M
Pansegrau
Werner
W
Sinisi
Antonia
A
Moschioni
Monica
M
Masignani
Vega
V
Rappuoli
Rino
R
Del Giudice
Giuseppe
G
Ruggiero
Paolo
P
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