Mucosal vaccination promotes clearance of Streptococcus agalactiae vaginal colonization.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in infants, and colonization of the maternal genital tract is the primary risk factor for newborn infection. Despite the importance of mucosal colonization in GBS pathogenesis, relevant host and bacterial factors are incompletely understood. We investigated the role of humoral immunity in clearance of vaginal colonization in vivo. B-cell-deficient mice or those lacking neonatal Fc-receptor, a mediator of IgG transport to the vaginal mucosa, exhibit prolonged GBS vaginal colonization compared to wild type animals. Intranasal but not intramuscular immunization induced systemic and mucosal immune responses and decreased GBS colonization duration without altering initial colonization density. Vaccine-induced clearance of GBS was serotype-specific, suggesting a role for anti-capsule antibodies in protection. Our results support a role for humoral immunity in GBS eradication from the female genital tract and suggest that mucosal vaccination may prime colonization clearance.
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
Jacqueline A
JA
Baker
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
Emma L
EL
Lewis
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
Leah M
LM
Byland
Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
Maryam
M
Bonakdar
Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
Tara M
TM
Randis
Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States. Electronic address: Adam.Ratner@nyumc.org.
Adam J
AJ
Ratner
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000172:deficiency; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D011961:Receptors, Fc; C100688:Fc receptor, neonatal
Colonization; Group B Streptococcus; Vaccine