Human antibody responses to the meningococcal factor H binding protein (LP2086) during invasive disease, colonization and carriage.
Recombinant forms of Neisseria meningitidis factor H binding protein (fHBP) are undergoing clinical trials in candidate vaccines against serogroup B meningococcal disease. Little is known, however, about the host response to fHBP during natural carriage and disease. Here we report a longitudinal study of the antibody response to fHBP in healthy meningococcal carriers and non-carriers, and in patients with invasive meningococcal disease. Using a highly sensitive quantitative immunoassay, anti-fHBP antibodies were detected in sera from all healthy carriers and non-carriers. Carriers had significantly higher anti-fHBP antibody concentrations than non-carriers. Antibody responses similar to those seen in non-carrier subjects were detected in the sera of patients with invasive disease upon their admission to the hospital. The serum anti-fHBP antibody concentrations in these patients generally rose to reach levels similar to those seen in carriers. No correlation between levels of surface fHBP expressed in vitro by the infecting N. meningitidis strain and the magnitude of antibody responses was observed. These data suggest that fHBP is expressed in vivo during both carriage and invasive disease at levels high enough to elicit a robust antibody response.
Ala'aldeen
Dlawer A A
DA
Molecular Bacteriology and Immunology Group, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom. daa@nottingham.ac.uk
Flint
Mike
M
Oldfield
Neil J
NJ
Omer
Sherko A
SA
McNeil
Lisa K
LK
Jiang
Qin
Q
Murphy
Ellen
E
Giardina
Peter C
PC
Novikova
Elena G
EG
Dodge-Scully
Ingrid L
IL
Bayliss
Christopher D
CD
Turner
David P J
DP
Neal
Keith R
KR
Hoiseth
Susan K
SK
Jansen
Kathrin U
KU
Anderson
Annaliesa S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D055815:Young Adult
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C484699:factor H-binding protein, Neisseria meningitidis