Immunotherapy targeting the Streptococcus pyogenes M protein or streptolysin O to treat or prevent influenza A superinfection.

Abstract

Viral infections complicated by a bacterial infection are typically referred to as coinfections or superinfections. Streptococcus pyogenes, the group A streptococcus (GAS), is not the most common bacteria associated with influenza A virus (IAV) superinfections but did cause significant mortality during the 2009 influenza pandemic even though all isolates are susceptible to penicillin. One approach to improve the outcome of these infections is to use passive immunization targeting GAS. To test this idea, we assessed the efficacy of passive immunotherapy using antisera against either the streptococcal M protein or streptolysin O (SLO) in a murine model of IAV-GAS superinfection. Prophylactic treatment of mice with antiserum to either SLO or the M protein decreased morbidity compared to mice treated with non-immune sera; however, neither significantly decreased mortality. Therapeutic use of antisera to SLO decreased morbidity compared to mice treated with non-immune sera but neither antisera significantly reduced mortality. Overall, the results suggest that further development of antibodies targeting the M protein or SLO may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of invasive GAS diseases, including IAV-GAS superinfections, which may be particularly important during influenza pandemics.

• Authors: Andrea L Herrera, Christopher Van Hove, Mary Hanson, James B Dale, Rodney K Tweten, Victor C Huber, Diego Diel, Michael S Chaussee
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 15 Issue 6 Pg. e0235139 ( 2020) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32574205 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antigens, Bacterial
• Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
• Bacterial Proteins
• Carrier Proteins
• Immune Sera
• Streptolysins
• streptococcal M protein
• streptolysin O

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Bacterial (blood, immunology)
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology, metabolism)
• Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology, metabolism)
• Bacterial Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology, metabolism)
• Carrier Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology, metabolism)
• Coinfection (microbiology, therapy, virology)
• Female
• Host-Pathogen Interactions (drug effects, immunology)
• Humans
• Immune Sera (immunology, pharmacology)
• Immunotherapy (methods)
• Influenza A virus (immunology, physiology)
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Orthomyxoviridae Infections (immunology, therapy, virology)
• Rabbits
• Streptococcal Infections (immunology, microbiology, therapy)
• Streptococcus pyogenes (immunology, metabolism, physiology)
• Streptolysins (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology, metabolism)
• Superinfection (microbiology, therapy, virology)