Additive and synergistic bactericidal activity of antibodies directed against minor outer membrane proteins of Neisseria meningitidis

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Weynants, Vincent E
Feron, Christiane M
Goraj, Karine K
Bos, Martine P
Denoeal, Philippe A
Verlant, Vincent G
Tommassen, Jan
Peak, Ian RA
Judd, Ralph C
Jennings, Michael P
Poolman, Jan T
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Alison D. O'Brien

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2007
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Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B is a major cause of bacterial meningitis in younger populations. The available vaccines are based on outer membrane vesicles obtained from wild-type strains. In children less than 2 years old they confer protection only against strains expressing homologous PorA, a major, variable outer membrane protein (OMP). We genetically modified a strain in order to eliminate PorA and to overproduce one or several minor and conserved OMPs. Using a mouse model mimicking children's PorA-specific bactericidal activity, it was demonstrated that overproduction of more than one minor OMP is required to elicit antibodies able to induce complement-mediated killing of strains expressing heterologous PorA. It is concluded that a critical density of bactericidal antibodies needs to be reached at the surface of meningococci to induce complement-mediated killing. With minor OMPs, this threshold is reached when more than one antigen is targeted, and this allows cross-protection.

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Infection and Immunity

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75

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11

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Biological sciences

Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences

Biomedical and clinical sciences

Microbiology

Immunology

Medical microbiology

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