title: Immunization with a streptococcal multiple-epitope recombinant protein protects mice against invasive group A streptococcal infection.
abstract: Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus; GAS) causes clinical diseases, including pharyngitis, scarlet fever, impetigo, necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. A number of group A streptococcus vaccine candidates have been developed, but only one 26-valent recombinant M protein vaccine has entered clinical trials. Differing from the design of a 26-valent recombinant M protein vaccine, we provide here a vaccination using the polyvalence epitope recombinant FSBM protein (rFSBM), which contains four different epitopes, including the fibronectin-binding repeats domain of streptococcal fibronectin binding protein Sfb1, the C-terminal immunogenic segment of streptolysin S, the C3-binding motif of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B, and the C-terminal conserved segment of M protein. Vaccination with the rFSBM protein successfully prevented mortality and skin lesions caused by several emm strains of GAS infection. Anti-FSBM antibodies collected from the rFSBM-immunized mice were able to opsonize at least six emm strains and can neutralize the hemolytic activity of streptolysin S. Furthermore, the internalization of GAS into nonphagocytic cells is also reduced by anti-FSBM serum. These findings suggest that rFSBM can be applied as a vaccine candidate to prevent different emm strains of GAS infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Chen
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yee-Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.|Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Jong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005260:Female; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D064166:Vaccine Potency; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C042477:streptopain