Cross-reactivity of antipneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) antibodies with different strains and evaluation of inhibition of human complement factor H and secretory IgA binding via PspC.

ABSTRACT: Pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) is an important candidate for a cost-effective vaccine with broad coverage against pneumococcal diseases. Previous studies have shown that Streptococcus pneumoniae is able to bind to both human factor H (FH), an inhibitor of complement alternative pathway, and human secretory IgA (sIgA) via PspC. PspC was classified into 11 groups based on variations of the gene. In this work, we used three PspC fragments from different groups (PspC3, PspC5, and PspC8) to immunize mice for the production of antibodies. Immunization with PspC3 induced antibodies that recognized the majority of the clinical isolates as analyzed by Western blotting of whole-cell extracts and flow cytometry of intact bacteria, while anti-PspC5 antibodies showed cross-reactivity with the pa

SUBMITTER: Moreno AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3318277 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature