Identification of the Bartonella autotransporter CFA as a protective antigen and hypervariable target of neutralizing antibodies in mice.

ABSTRACT: The bacterial genus Bartonella comprises numerous emerging pathogens that cause a broad spectrum of disease manifestations in humans. The targets and mechanisms of the anti-Bartonella immune defense are ill-defined and bacterial immune evasion strategies remain elusive. We found that experimentally infected mice resolved Bartonella infection by mounting antibody responses that neutralized the bacteria, preventing their attachment to erythrocytes and suppressing bacteremia independent of complement or Fc receptors. Bartonella-neutralizing antibody responses were rapidly induced and depended on CD40 signaling but not on affinity maturation. We cloned neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and by mass spectrometry identified the bacterial autotransporter CFA (CA

SUBMITTER: Siewert LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9231624 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature