The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells
Due to the continuing emergence of multidrug resistant strains of <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> there is an urgent need for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. We evaluated the gonococcal <i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA) as a potential vaccine candidate, in...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/219 |
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| author | Evgeny A. Semchenko Christopher J. Day Kate L. Seib |
| author_facet | Evgeny A. Semchenko Christopher J. Day Kate L. Seib |
| author_sort | Evgeny A. Semchenko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to the continuing emergence of multidrug resistant strains of <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> there is an urgent need for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. We evaluated the gonococcal <i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA) as a potential vaccine candidate, in terms of its sequence conservation and expression in a range of <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> strains, as well as its immunogenicity and the functional activity of antibodies raised to either the full length NHBA or a C-terminal fragment of NHBA (NHBA-c). The gene encoding NHBA is highly conserved and expressed in all <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> strains investigated. Recombinant NHBA is immunogenic, and mice immunized with either NHBA or NHBA-c adjuvanted with either Freund’s or aluminium hydroxide (alum) generated a humoral immune response, with predominantly IgG1 antibodies. Antibodies generated by both NHBA and NHBA-c antigens promoted complement activation and mediated bacterial killing via both serum bactericidal activity and opsonophagocytic activity, with slightly higher titers seen for the NHBA-c antigen. Anti-NHBA was also able to block the functional activity of NHBA by reducing binding to heparin and adherence to cervical and urethral epithelial cells. These data suggest that the gonococcal NHBA is a promising vaccine antigen to include in a vaccine to control <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:51:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1b31d314d7b5408f9938fe3b0773525e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:51:15Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b31d314d7b5408f9938fe3b0773525e2023-11-20T00:21:50ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2020-05-018221910.3390/vaccines8020219The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial CellsEvgeny A. Semchenko0Christopher J. Day1Kate L. Seib2Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4215, AustraliaInstitute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4215, AustraliaInstitute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4215, AustraliaDue to the continuing emergence of multidrug resistant strains of <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> there is an urgent need for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. We evaluated the gonococcal <i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA) as a potential vaccine candidate, in terms of its sequence conservation and expression in a range of <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> strains, as well as its immunogenicity and the functional activity of antibodies raised to either the full length NHBA or a C-terminal fragment of NHBA (NHBA-c). The gene encoding NHBA is highly conserved and expressed in all <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i> strains investigated. Recombinant NHBA is immunogenic, and mice immunized with either NHBA or NHBA-c adjuvanted with either Freund’s or aluminium hydroxide (alum) generated a humoral immune response, with predominantly IgG1 antibodies. Antibodies generated by both NHBA and NHBA-c antigens promoted complement activation and mediated bacterial killing via both serum bactericidal activity and opsonophagocytic activity, with slightly higher titers seen for the NHBA-c antigen. Anti-NHBA was also able to block the functional activity of NHBA by reducing binding to heparin and adherence to cervical and urethral epithelial cells. These data suggest that the gonococcal NHBA is a promising vaccine antigen to include in a vaccine to control <i>N. gonorrhoeae</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/219<i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i>gonococcus<i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA)bactericidal activityopsonophagocytic activityinfection blocking |
| spellingShingle | Evgeny A. Semchenko Christopher J. Day Kate L. Seib The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells Vaccines <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> gonococcus <i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA) bactericidal activity opsonophagocytic activity infection blocking |
| title | The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells |
| title_full | The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells |
| title_fullStr | The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells |
| title_short | The <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells |
| title_sort | i neisseria gonorrhoeae i vaccine candidate nhba elicits antibodies that are bactericidal opsonophagocytic and that reduce gonococcal adherence to epithelial cells |
| topic | <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> gonococcus <i>Neisseria</i> heparin binding antigen (NHBA) bactericidal activity opsonophagocytic activity infection blocking |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/219 |
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