Short-term and long-term antibody response by mice after immunization against Neisseria meningitidis B or diphtheria toxoid

G.P Silva,S.C Cruz,A.C Cruz,L.G Milagres

doi:10.1590/1414-431x20122556

G.P Silva, S.C Cruz + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1414-431x20122556

Copy DOI

Abstract

Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) is a major cause of invasive disease in early childhood worldwide. The only MenB vaccine available in Brazil was produced in Cuba and has shown unsatisfactory efficacy when used to immunize millions of children in Brazil. In the present study, we compared the specific functional antibody responses evoked by the Cuban MenB vaccine with a standard vaccine against diphtheria (DTP: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) after primary immunization and boosting of mice. The peak of bactericidal and opsonic antibody titers to MenB and of neutralizing antibodies to diphtheria toxoid (DT) was reached after triple immunization with the MenB vaccine or DTP vaccine, respectively. However, 4 months after immunization, protective DT antibody levels were present in all DTP-vaccinated mice but in only 20% of the mice immunized against MenB. After 6 months of primary immunization, about 70% of animals still had protective neutralizing DT antibodies, but none had significant bactericidal antibodies to MenB. The booster doses of DTP or MenB vaccines produced a significant antibody recall response, suggesting that both vaccines were able to generate and maintain memory B cells during the period studied (6 months post-triple immunization). Therefore, due to the short duration of serological memory induced by the MenB vaccine (VA-MENGOC-BC® vaccine), its use should be restricted to outbreaks of meningococcal disease.

Highlights

In the absence of an effective vaccine, serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) remains a major cause of invasive disease in early childhood in developed countries [1]
An important limitation of the current MenB outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines is the short duration of both antibody response and protective efficacy [4,5]
After two doses of vaccine, only one individual (14%) had antibody levels below 2, but after three doses all subjects were considered to be protected against meningococcal disease (Figure 1A)

Summary

Introduction

In the absence of an effective vaccine, serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) remains a major cause of invasive disease in early childhood in developed countries [1]. A multicomponent MenB vaccine (4CMenB) containing outer membrane vesicles from the New Zealand strain together with 3 recombinant proteins, Neisserial adhesin A, factor H binding protein and Neisserial heparin binding antigen, has been recently developed [1]. The Cuban vaccine, VA-MENGOC-BCH, is the only MenB vaccine commercially available in Brazil but it showed no efficacy in young children [3]. An important limitation of the current MenB outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines is the short duration of both antibody response and protective efficacy [4,5]. For comparison with an effective vaccine that induces long-lasting antibody response, we used the diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) vaccine, which is routinely used by public health authorities to immunize children

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion