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ABSTRACTBordetella pertussisfimbriae (Fim2 and Fim3) are components of a five-component acellular pertussis vaccine (diphtheria–tetanus–acellular pertussis vaccine [DTaP5]), and antibody responses to fimbriae have been associated with protection. We analyzed the IgG responses to individual Fim2 and Fim3 in sera remaining from a Swedish placebo-controlled efficacy trial that compared a whole-cell vaccine (diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis vaccine [DTwP]), a two-component acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP2), and DTaP5. One month following three doses of the Fim-containing vaccines (DTwP or DTaP5), anti-Fim2 geometric mean IgG concentrations were higher than those for anti-Fim3, with a greater anti-Fim2/anti-Fim3 IgG ratio elicited by DTaP5. We also determined the responses in vaccinated children following an episode of pertussis. Those who received DTaP5 showed a large rise in anti-Fim2 IgG, reflecting the predominant Fim2 serotype at the time. In contrast, those who received DTwP showed an equal rise in anti-Fim2 and anti-Fim3 IgG concentrations, indicating that DTwP may provide a more efficient priming effect for a Fim3 response following contact with B. pertussis. Anti-Fim2 and anti-Fim3 IgG concentrations were also determined in samples from two seroprevalence studies conducted in Sweden in 1997, when no pertussis vaccine was used and Fim2 isolates predominated, and in 2007, when either DTaP2 or DTaP3 without fimbriae was used and Fim3 isolates predominated. Very similar distributions of anti-Fim2 and anti-Fim3 IgG concentrations were obtained in 1997 and 2007, except that anti-Fim3 concentrations in 1997 were lower. This observation, together with the numbers of individuals with both anti-Fim2 and anti-Fim3 IgG concentrations, strongly suggests that B. pertussisexpresses both Fim2 and Fim3 during infection.

ABSTRACTBordetella pertussisexpresses two serologically distinct fimbriae (Fim2 and Fim3) which are included in the Sanofi Pasteur 5-component acellular pertussis vaccine, and antibody responses to these antigens have been shown to be associated with protection. Studies to date have assessed the IgG response to this vaccine using a copurified mixture of Fim2 and Fim3, and the response to the individual antigens has not been characterized. We have purified separate Fim2 and Fim3 from strains that express either Fim2 or Fim3 and have used these antigens in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify IgG responses following immunization with 5-component acellular pertussis vaccine in 15-month-old, 4- to 6-year-old, and 11- to 18-year-old subjects. All individuals showed increases in Fim2 and Fim3 IgG concentrations following immunization, with 3-fold-greater Fim2 than Fim3 IgG concentrations seen in the younger two age groups. Fim2 IgG concentrations were 1.5-fold greater than Fim3 IgG concentrations in the 11- to 18-year-olds. We have also compared Fim2 and Fim3 IgG concentrations in individuals with prolonged cough who were diagnosed as having recent pertussis using a pertussis toxin (Ptx) IgG ELISA with individuals with prolonged cough but without elevated Ptx IgG concentrations. Individuals with evidence of recent pertussis had greater Fim3 IgG concentrations, consistent with the predominant serotype of isolates obtained in the United Kingdom. However, a surprising number of individuals had moderate Fim2 IgG concentrations despite very few isolates of that serotype obtained in the sampling period.

ABSTRACTNatural immunity to meningococcal disease in young children is associated epidemiologically with carriage of commensal Neisseriaspecies, including Neisseria lactamica. We have previously demonstrated that outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from N. lactamicaprovide protection against lethal challenge in a mouse model of meningococcal septicemia. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of an N. lactamicaOMV vaccine in a phase I placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial. Ninety-seven healthy young adult male volunteers were randomized to receive three doses of either an OMV vaccine or an Alhydrogel control. Subsequently, some subjects who had received the OMV vaccine also received a fourth dose of OMV vaccine, 6 months after the third dose. Injection site reactions were more frequent in the OMV-receiving group, but all reactions were mild or moderate in intensity. The OMV vaccine was immunogenic, eliciting rises in titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) against the vaccine OMVs, together with a significant booster response, as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, the vaccine induced modest cross-reactive immunity to six diverse strains of serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis, including IgG against meningococcal OMVs, serum bactericidal antibodies, and opsonophagocytic activity. The percentages of subjects showing =4-fold rises in bactericidal antibody titer obtained were similar to those previously reported for the Norwegian meningococcal OMV vaccine against the same heterologous meningococcal strain panel. In conclusion, this N. lactamicaOMV vaccine is safe and induces a weak but broad humoral immune response to N. meningitidis.

Pathogenic Neisseria bacteria naturally liberate outer membrane "blebs," which are presumed to contribute to pathology, and the detergent-extracted outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from Neisseria meningitidis are currently employed as meningococcal vaccines in humans. While the composition of these vesicles reflects the bacteria from which they are derived, the functions of many of their constituent proteins remain unexplored. The neisserial colony opacity-associated Opa proteins function as adhesins, the majority of which mediate bacterial attachment to human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecules (CEACAMs). Herein, we demonstrate that the Opa proteins within OMV preparations retain the capacity to bind the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif-containing coinhibitory receptor CEACAM1. When CD4+T lymphocytes were exposed to OMVs from Opa-expressing bacteria, their activation and proliferation in response to a variety of stimuli were effectively halted. This potent immunosuppressive effect suggests that localized infection will generate a "zone of inhibition" resulting from the diffusion of membrane blebs into the surrounding tissues. Moreover, it demonstrates that OMV-based vaccines must be developed from strains that lack CEACAM1-binding Opa variants.

Neisseria lactamicais a commensal organism that is closely related to Neisseria meningitidis, the causative agent of meningococcal disease. N. lactamicahas many antigens in common with N. meningitidis, but it lacks a polysaccharide capsule and the serosubtyping antigen PorA. Carriage studies have demonstrated that N. lactamicais carried in the nasopharynx of young children at a time when meningococcal carriage is rare. However, natural immunity to meningococcal disease develops during this period and carriage of commensal Neisseriais implicated in the development of this immunity. Recent studies have characterized the antigens which may be responsible for inducing a crossreactive antibody response and have demonstrated that N. lactamica-based vaccines can protect in experimental models of meningococcal disease. The potential for these vaccines to be effective in preventing meningococcal disease is discussed.

Neisseria meningitidis, a causative agent of bacterial meningitis, obtains transferrin-bound iron by expressing two outer membrane located transferrin-binding proteins, TbpA and TbpB. TbpA is thought to be an integral outer membrane pore that facilitates iron uptake. Evidence suggests that TbpA is a useful antigen for inclusion in a vaccine effective against meningococcal disease, hence the identification of regions involved in ligand binding is of paramount importance to design strategies to block uptake of iron. The protein shares sequence and functional similarities to the Escherichia coli siderophore receptors FepA and FhuA, whose structures have been determined. These receptors are composed of two domains, a 22-stranded β-barrel and an N-terminal plug region that sits within the barrel and occludes the transmembrane pore. A three-dimensional TbpA model was constructed using FepA and FhuA structural templates, hydrophobicity analysis and homology modelling. TbpA was found to possess a similar architecture to the siderophore receptors. In addition to providing insights into the highly immunogenic nature of TbpA and allowing the prediction of potentially important ligand-binding epitopes, the model also reveals a narrow channel through its entire length. The relevance of this channel and the spatial arrangement of external loops, to the mechanism of iron translocation employed by TbpA is discussed.

ABSTRACTCommensal neisseriae share with Neisseria meningitidis(meningococcus) a tendency towards overproduction of the bacterial outer envelope, leading to the formation and release during growth of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). OMVs from both meningococci and commensal neisseriae have shown promise as vaccines to protect against meningococcal disease. We report here the successful expression at high levels of heterologous proteins in commensal neisseriae and the display, in its native conformation, of one meningococcal outer membrane protein vaccine candidate, NspA, in OMVs prepared from such a recombinant Neisseria flavescensstrain. These NspA-containing OMVs conferred protection against otherwise lethal intraperitoneal challenge of mice with N. meningitidisserogroup B, and sera raised against them mediated opsonophagocytosis of meningococcal strains expressing this antigen. This development promises to facilitate the design of novel vaccines containing membrane protein antigens that are otherwise difficult to present in native conformation that provide cross-protective efficacy in the prevention of meningococcal disease.

ABSTRACTImmunological and epidemiological evidence suggests that the development of natural immunity to meningococcal disease results from colonization of the nasopharynx by commensal Neisseriaspp., particularly with N. lactamica. We report here that immunization with N. lactamicakilled whole cells, outer membrane vesicles, or outer membrane protein (OMP) pools and protected mice against lethal challenge by a number of diverse serogroup B and C meningococcal isolates in a model of bacteremic infection. Sera raised to N. lactamicakilled whole cells, OMPs, or protein pools were found to cross-react with meningococcal isolates of a diverse range of genotypes and phenotypes. The results confirm the potential of N. lactamicato form the basis of a vaccine against meningococcal disease.

Serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccines generally use diphtheria or tetanus toxoids as the protein carriers. The use of alternative carrier proteins may allow multivalent conjugate vaccines to be formulated into a single injection and circumvent potential problems of immune suppression in primed individuals. Bordetella pertussisfimbriae were assessed as carrier proteins for Neisseria meningitidisserogroup C polysaccharide. Fimbriae were conjugated to the polysaccharide using modifications of published methods and characterised by size exclusion chromatography; co‐elution of protein and polysaccharide moieties confirmed conjugation. The conjugates elicited boostable IgG responses to fimbriae and serogroup C polysaccharide in mice, and IgG:IgM ratios indicated that the responses were thymus‐dependent. High bactericidal antibody titres against a serogroup C strain of N. meningitidiswere also observed. In a mouse infection model, the conjugate vaccine protected against lethal infection with N. meningitidis. Therefore, B. pertussisfimbriae are effective carrier proteins for meningococcal serogroup C polysaccharide and could produce a vaccine to protect against meningococcal disease and to augment protection against pertussis.