The Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan protects mice against the pathogen and eradicates experimentally induced infection

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 6; no. 12; p. e28377
• Main Authors: Capparelli, Rosanna, Nocerino, Nunzia, Medaglia, Chiara, Blaiotta, Giuseppe, Bonelli, Patrizia, Iannelli, Domenico
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.12.2011; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acids; Analysis; Animals; Antibacterial activity; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics; Antigens; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacteria; Bacterial Vaccines - therapeutic use; Biology; Chromatography, Affinity; Colonization; Dairy products; Drug resistance; Experiments; Female; Genes; Gram-positive bacteria; Health aspects; Humans; Identification; Immunization; Immunization (passive); Immunology; Infection; Infections; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Intravenous administration; Lethal dose; Lung Diseases - immunology; Lung Diseases - microbiology; Lung Diseases - mortality; Lung Diseases - prevention & control; Medical research; Medicine; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Pathogens; Peptide Fragments - immunology; Peptide Fragments - therapeutic use; Peptidoglycan - immunology; Peptidoglycan - therapeutic use; Peptidoglycans; Salmonella; Salmonella Typhimurium; Staphylococcal infections; Staphylococcal Infections - immunology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - mortality; Staphylococcal Infections - prevention & control; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - immunology; Staphylococcus aureus - pathogenicity; Staphylococcus infections; Survival Rate; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Vaccines; Vaccines, Synthetic - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028377

Staphylococcus aureus, in spite of antibiotics, is still a major human pathogen causing a wide range of infections. The present study describes the new vaccine A170PG, a peptidoglycan-based vaccine. In a mouse model of infection, A170PG protects mice against a lethal dose of S. aureus. Protection lasts at least 40 weeks and correlates with increased survival and reduced colonization. Protection extends into drug-resistant (MRSA or VISA) and genetically diverse clinical strains. The vaccine is effective when administered - in a single dose and without adjuvant - by the intramuscular, intravenous or the aerosol routes and induces active as well as passive immunization. Of note, A170PG also displays therapeutic activity, eradicating staphylococci, even when infection is systemic. Sustained antibacterial activity and induction of a strong and rapid anti-inflammatory response are the mechanisms conferring therapeutic efficacy to A170PG.