Testing the vaccine potential of PilV, PilX and ComP, minor subunits of Neisseria meningitidis type IV pili

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 29; no. 40; pp. 6858 - 6865
• Main Authors: Cehovin, Ana, Kroll, J. Simon, Pelicic, Vladimir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 16.09.2011; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Amino Acid Sequence; antibodies; Antigenic Variation; Applied microbiology; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - immunology; Bacterial Vaccines - immunology; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Bactericidal Activity; Cell Adhesion - immunology; Cell Aggregation - immunology; Cell Movement - immunology; Child, Preschool; Conserved Sequence; DNA Transformation Competence - immunology; Female; fimbriae; Fimbriae, Bacterial - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immune Sera - immunology; Infections; Life Sciences; Male; Meningitis; Meningococcal Infections - blood; Meningococcal Infections - immunology; Meningococcal Infections - prevention & control; Microbiology; Microbiology and Parasitology; Miscellaneous; Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria meningitidis - immunology; Pathogenesis; patients; Proteins; public health; septicemia; Studies; Type IV pili; Vaccine; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Neisseria meningitidis; Vaccine; Type IV pili; Neisseriaceae; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Pilus; Subunit
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518; 0264-410X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.07.060

Highlights ► Vaccine design against N. meningitidis remains a priority. ► We examined the vaccine potential of the conserved minor components of meningococcal pili: PilX, PilV and ComP. ► We show that minor pilin proteins are recognized by sera of patients convalescent from meningococcal disease. ► We show that antibodies directed against pilus components are not bactericidal but can selectively interfere with Tfp-linked functions.