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Nonimmunodominant regions are effective as building blocks in a streptococcal fusion protein vaccine.

Author

  • Margaretha Stålhammar-Carlemalm
  • Johan Waldemarsson
  • Eskil Johnsson
  • Thomas Areschoug
  • Gunnar Lindahl

Summary, in English

Identification of antigens that elicit protective immunity is essential for effective vaccine development. We investigated the related surface proteins of group B Streptococcus, Rib and alpha, as potential vaccine candidates. Paradoxically, nonimmunodominant regions proved to be of particular interest as vaccine components. Mouse antibodies elicited by Rib and alpha were directed almost exclusively against the C-terminal repeats and not against the N-terminal regions. However, a fusion protein derived from the nonimmunodominant N-terminal regions of Rib and alpha was much more immunogenic than one derived from the repeats and was immunogenic even without adjuvant. Moreover, antibodies to the N-terminal fusion protein protected against infection and inhibited bacterial invasion of epithelial cells. Similarly, the N-terminal region of Streptococcus pyogenes M22 protein, which is targeted by opsonic antibodies, is nonimmunodominant. These data indicate that nonimmunodominant regions of bacterial antigens could be valuable for vaccine development.

Publishing year

2007

Language

English

Pages

427-434

Publication/Series

Cell Host and Microbe

Volume

2

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Microbiology in the medical area

Keywords

  • Epithelial Cells: microbiology
  • Epitopes: immunology
  • ISCOMs: immunology
  • Membrane Proteins: immunology
  • Streptococcal Infections: blood
  • Streptococcal Infections: prevention & control
  • Streptococcal Vaccines: immunology
  • Streptococcus pyogenes: immunology
  • Streptococcus agalactiae: immunology
  • Bacterial Proteins: immunology
  • Antigens
  • Surface: immunology
  • Bacterial: immunology
  • Antibodies
  • Bacterial: blood

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1934-6069