title: Measuring antigen-specific bactericidal responses to a multicomponent vaccine against serogroup B meningococcus.
abstract: Serum bactericidal activity using human complement is the basis for established correlates of protection against invasive meningococcal disease. During the development of multicomponent protein-based vaccines against meningococcus B, it is necessary to measure antigen-specific bactericidal responses. This is not straightforward because each strain may be killed by antibodies to multiple antigens. We characterized a large panel of strains and, using a competitive inhibition SBA, we identified four strains that are each specifically killed by bactericidal antibodies to one of the major vaccine components. These strains provide a straightforward approach to demonstrate protective responses to each component of the vaccine and demonstrate that each of the antigens in the vaccine is sufficient to provide a potentially protective level of bactericidal activity.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Via Fiorentina 1, Siena 53100, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biolchi
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serruto
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferlicca
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vienken
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oster
authors.forename: Rino
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rappuoli
authors.forename: Mariagrazia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donnelly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D003165:Complement System Proteins