Broadly protective vaccine for Staphylococcus aureus based on an in vivo-expressed antigen

Science. 1999 May 28;284(5419):1523-7. doi: 10.1126/science.284.5419.1523.

Abstract

Vaccines based on preferential expression of bacterial antigens during human infection have not been described. Staphylococcus aureus synthesized poly-N-succinyl beta-1-6 glucosamine (PNSG) as a surface polysaccharide during human and animal infection, but few strains expressed PNSG in vitro. All S. aureus strains examined carried genes for PNSG synthesis. Immunization protected mice against kidney infections and death from strains that produced little PNSG in vitro. Nonimmune infected animals made antibody to PNSG, but serial in vitro cultures of kidney isolates yielded mostly cells that did not produce PNSG. PNSG is a candidate for use in a vaccine to protect against S. aureus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / biosynthesis*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Bacterial Capsules / immunology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Passive
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Kidney / immunology
  • Kidney / microbiology
  • Kidney Diseases / immunology
  • Kidney Diseases / microbiology
  • Kidney Diseases / prevention & control
  • Mice
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / biosynthesis
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Rabbits
  • Staphylococcal Infections / immunology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / prevention & control*
  • Staphylococcal Vaccines / immunology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus aureus / immunology*
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Staphylococcal Vaccines
  • poly-N-succinyl beta-1-6-glucosamine