Impaired Immunogenicity of Meningococcal Neisserial Surface Protein A in Human Complement Factor H Transgenic Mice.

ABSTRACT: Neisserial surface protein A (NspA) is a highly conserved outer membrane protein previously investigated as a meningococcal vaccine candidate. Despite eliciting serum bactericidal activity in mice, a recombinant NspA vaccine failed to elicit serum bactericidal antibodies in a phase 1 clinical trial in humans. The discordant results may be explained by the recent discovery that NspA is a human-specific ligand of the complement inhibitor factor H (FH). Therefore, in humans but not mice, NspA would be expected to form a complex with FH, which could impair human anti-NspA protective antibody responses. To investigate this question, we immunized human FH transgenic BALB/c mice with three doses of recombinant NspA expressed in Escherichia coli microvesicles, with each dose being separated by 3 w

SUBMITTER: Lujan E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4730568 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature