title: Protection of rhesus macaques against inhalational anthrax with a Bacillus anthracis capsule conjugate vaccine.
abstract: The efficacy of currently licensed anthrax vaccines is largely attributable to a single Bacillus anthracis immunogen, protective antigen. To broaden protection against possible strains resistant to protective antigen-based vaccines, we previously developed a vaccine in which the anthrax polyglutamic acid capsule was covalently conjugated to the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serotype B and demonstrated that two doses of 2.5μg of this vaccine conferred partial protection of rhesus macaques against inhalational anthrax . Here, we demonstrate complete protection of rhesus macaques against inhalational anthrax with a higher 50μg dose of the same capsule conjugate vaccine. These results indicate that B. anthracis capsule is a highly effective vaccine component that should be considered for incorporation in future generation anthrax vaccines.
authors.affiliation: United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. Electronic address: donald.j.chabot.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chabot
authors.affiliation: United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. Electronic address: wilson.j.ribot.civ@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Wilson J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ribot
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Electronic address: Joseph_Joyce@Merck.com.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Electronic address: James_Cook@merck.com.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Electronic address: rhepler2@its.jnj.com.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hepler
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. Electronic address: debbie_nahas@merck.com.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nahas
authors.affiliation: United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. Electronic address: Jennifer.chua.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Electronic address: arthur.m.friedlander.civ@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Arthur M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Friedlander
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C030325:anthrax toxin; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid
keywords: Anthrax; Capsule; Conjugate; Polyglutamate; Rhesus macaque; Vaccine