Immunization with polyamine transport protein PotD protects mice against systemic infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Abstract

The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae contains genes for a putative polyamine ABC transporter which are organized in an operon and designated potABCD. Polyamine transport protein D (PotD) is an extracellular protein which binds polyamines and possibly other structurally related molecules. PotD has been shown to contribute to virulence in both a murine sepsis model and a pneumonia model with capsular type 3 pneumococci. The protective efficacy of recombinant PotD was evaluated by active immunization and intravenous challenge with capsular type 3 pneumococci in CBA/N mice. Immunized mice had 91.7% survival following lethal pneumococcal challenge, compared with 100% mortality in the control group. Immunized animals had high-titer anti-PotD antibodies following three immunizations with alum. Protection in a sepsis model was also seen after passive administration of rabbit antiserum raised against PotD (P < 0.004). These results suggest that antibodies to PotD confer protection against invasive pneumococcal disease and that this protein should be studied further as a potential vaccine candidate for protection against invasive pneumococcal infections.

• Authors: P Shah, E Swiatlo
• Journal: Infection and immunity (Infect Immun) Vol. 74 Issue 10 Pg. 5888-92 (Oct 2006) ISSN: 0019-9567 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16988268 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Polyamines
• Recombinant Proteins

Topics

• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters (administration & dosage, genetics, immunology)
• Animals
• Antibodies, Bacterial (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Immunization, Passive
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred CBA
• Pneumococcal Infections (prevention & control)
• Polyamines (metabolism)
• Rabbits
• Recombinant Proteins (administration & dosage, genetics, immunology)
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (immunology)
• Vaccination