title: Complement evasion by Bordetella pertussis: implications for improving current vaccines.
abstract: Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough or pertussis, a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract. Despite high vaccination coverage, reported cases of pertussis are rising worldwide and it has become clear that the current vaccines must be improved. In addition to the well-known protective role of antibodies and T cells during B. pertussis infection, innate immune responses such as the complement system play an essential role in B. pertussis killing. In order to evade this complement activation and colonize the human host, B. pertussis expresses several molecules that inhibit complement activation. Interestingly, one of the known complement evasion proteins, autotransporter Vag8, is highly expressed in the recently emerged B. pertussis isolates. Here, we describe the current knowledge on how B. pertussis evades complement-mediated killing. In addition, we compare this to complement evasion strategies used by other bacterial species. Finally, we discuss the consequences of complement evasion by B. pertussis on adaptive immunity and how identification of the bacterial molecules and the mechanisms involved in complement evasion might help improve pertussis vaccines.
authors: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors: Ilse
authors: I
authors: Jongerius
authors: Tim J
authors: TJ
authors: Schuijt
authors: Frits R
authors: FR
authors: Mooi
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Pinelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D003165:Complement System Proteins