Protection from Staphylococcus aureus mastitis associated with poly- N -acetyl β-1,6 glucosamine specific antibody production using biofilm-embedded bacteria

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 27; no. 17; pp. 2379 - 2386
• Main Authors: Pérez, M.M, Prenafeta, A, Valle, J, Penadés, J, Rota, C, Solano, C, Marco, J, Grilló, M.J, Lasa, I, Irache, J.M, Maira-Litran, T, Jiménez-Barbero, J, Costa, L, Pier, G.B, de Andrés, D, Amorena, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 14.04.2009
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Antibody; Antibody Formation; beta-Glucans - immunology; Biofilms; Female; Mammary Glands, Animal - pathology; Mastitis; Mastitis - etiology; Mastitis - pathology; Mastitis - prevention & control; Milk - microbiology; poly- N-acetyl β-1,6 glucosamine; Pregnancy; S. aureus; Sheep; Staphylococcal Infections - complications; Staphylococcal Infections - immunology; Staphylococcal Infections - pathology; Staphylococcal Infections - prevention & control; Staphylococcal Vaccines - therapeutic use; Staphylococcus aureus - physiology; Treatment Outcome; Vaccine; Mastitis; Vaccine; S. aureus; poly- N-acetyl β-1,6 glucosamine; Antibody
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.02.005

Abstract Staphylococcus aureus vaccines based on bacterins surrounded by slime, surface polysaccharides coupled to protein carriers and polysaccharides embedded in liposomes administered together with non-biofilm bacterins confer protection against mastitis. However, it remains unknown whether protective antibodies are directed to slime-associated known exopolysaccharides and could be produced in the absence of bacterin immunizations. Here, a sheep mastitis vaccination study was carried out using bacterins, crude bacterial extracts or a purified exopolysaccharide from biofilm bacteria delivered in different vehicles. This polysaccharide reacted specifically with antibodies to poly- N -acetyl-β-1,6-glucosamine (PNAG) and not with antibodies to other capsular antigens or bacterial components. Following intra-mammary challenge with biofilm-producing bacteria, antibody production against the polysaccharide, milk bacterial counts and mastitis lesions were determined. Bacterins from strong biofilm-producing bacteria triggered the highest production of antibodies to PNAG and conferred the highest protection against infection and mastitis, compared with weak biofilm-producing bacteria and non-cellular inocula. Thus, bacterins from strong biofilm bacteria, rather than purified polysaccharide, are proposed as a cost-efficient vaccination against S. aureus ruminant mastitis.