Human immune response to epitopes on the meningococcal outer membrane class 5 protein following natural infection

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 1996 Sep;15(2-3):159-68. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1996.tb00067.x.

Abstract

Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against a serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strain. These mAbs recognized two epitopes in the class 5 outer membrane proteins (OMP), designated P5.7 and P5.Bm, and were able to kill the homologous strain through complement activation. Both epitopes were surface exposed and 68% of group B meningococcal clinical isolates had one or both epitopes present in their class 5 OMP. Antibodies to one or both epitopes were demonstrated in 17 patients with meningococcal meningitis using an ELISA inhibition assay. Of the 17 paired sera, 41% and 29% of the acute-phase sera had antibodies to the P5.7 and P5.Bm epitopes, respectively. Immunoglobulin G to P5.Bm were found in all 17 convalescent-phase sera while specific antibodies against P5.7 were only found in 6 of these sera. These results demonstrate the potential importance of the P5.Bm and P5.7 epitopes on the class 5 OMP as candidates for vaccine composition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / immunology*
  • Neisseria meningitidis / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Epitopes