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Induction of a protective capsular polysaccharide antibody response to a multiepitope DNA vaccine encoding a peptide mimic of meningococcal serogroup C capsular polysaccharide
Author(s) -
Prinz Deborah M.,
Smithson S. Louise,
KieberEmmons Thomas,
Westerink M. A. Julie
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2003.01732.x
Subject(s) - immunogenicity , neisseria meningitidis , microbiology and biotechnology , dna vaccination , virology , antibody , biology , epitope , polysaccharide , vaccination , immune system , immunology , immunization , bacteria , genetics , biochemistry
Summary Systemic infection by encapsulated organisms, such as Neisseria meningitidis , is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in individuals less than 2 years of age. Antibodies directed at the capsular polysaccharide are shown to be protective against disease by inducing complement‐dependent bactericidal activity. The current polysaccharide vaccine has been shown to be poorly immunogenic in high‐risk groups and this is probably related to its T‐independent properties. An alternative approach to eliciting a T‐dependent serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response to encapsulated pathogens is DNA vaccination. We assessed the immunogenicity of a multiepitope DNA vaccine encoding a T‐cell helper epitope and a peptide mimic of N. meningitidis serogroup C. The DNA construct induced a significant anti‐polysaccharide antibody response that was bactericidal. Mice immunized with the DNA construct were subsequently protected against challenge with a lethal dose of N. meningitidis serogroup C.