Effect of FHA and Prn on Bordetella pertussis colonization of mice is dependent on vaccine type and anatomical site

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 21;15(8):e0237394. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237394. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Bordetella pertussis vaccine escape mutants that lack expression of the pertussis antigen pertactin (Prn) have emerged in vaccinated populations in the last 10-20 years. Additionally, clinical isolates lacking another acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine component, filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), have been found sporadically. Here, we show that both whole-cell pertussis (wP) and aP vaccines induced protection in the lungs of mice, but that the wP vaccine was more effective in nasal clearance. Importantly, bacterial populations isolated from the lungs shifted to an FHA-negative phenotype due to frameshift mutations in the fhaB gene. Loss of FHA expression was strongly selected for in Prn-deficient strains in the lungs following aP but not wP vaccination. The combined loss of Prn and FHA led to complete abrogation of bacterial surface binding by aP-induced serum antibodies. This study demonstrates vaccine- and anatomical site-dependent adaptation of B. pertussis and has major implications for the design of improved pertussis vaccines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bordetella pertussis / immunology
  • Bordetella pertussis / physiology*
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / immunology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hemagglutinins / metabolism*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Vaccination
  • Virulence Factors, Bordetella / metabolism*
  • Whooping Cough / metabolism
  • Whooping Cough / pathology
  • Whooping Cough / prevention & control

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines
  • Hemagglutinins
  • Virulence Factors, Bordetella
  • pertactin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), The Netherlands (SOR project S/230456).