Immunization with outer membrane vesicles displaying conserved surface polysaccharide antigen elicits broadly antimicrobial antibodies

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1718341115
• Publication Date: 2018-03-19T19:15:48Z
• Authors: Taylor C. Stevenson; Colette Cywes-Ben...; Tyler D. Moeller; Kevin B. Weyant; David Putnam; Yung-Fu Chang; Bradley D. Jones; Gerald B. Pier; Matthew P. DeLisa
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Vaccines, Conjugate; beta-Glucans; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Antibodies, Bacterial; 3. Good health; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Antigens, Surface; Bacterial Vaccines; Animals; Female; Immunization; Transport Vesicles

Significance A broad range of bacterial, fungal, and protozoan cells produce the surface polysaccharide poly- N -acetyl- d -glucosamine (PNAG), making this antigen an attractive target for vaccination against multiple human economically important animal pathogens. While conjugate vaccines involving polysaccharides, such as PNAG, are a proven strategy reducing incidence disease caused by bacterial pathogens, their manufacture is technically demanding, inefficient, expensive, thereby limiting widespread adoption. Here, we describe alternative route to producing PNAG-containing glycoconjugates, whereby recombinant PNAG biosynthesis coordinated with outer membrane vesicle formation in nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strains. The resulting glycosylated vesicles effectively deliver antigens immune system while bypassing many drawbacks conventional vaccines.