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Roe SK, Felter B, Zheng B, Ram S, Wetzler LM, Garges E, Zhu T, Genco CA, Massari P. In Vitro Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Gonococcal Trivalent Candidate Vaccine Identified by Transcriptomics. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1846. [PMID: 38140249 PMCID: PMC10747275 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, poses a significant global public health threat. Infection in women can be asymptomatic and may result in severe reproductive complications. Escalating antibiotic resistance underscores the need for an effective vaccine. Approaches being explored include subunit vaccines and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), but an ideal candidate remains elusive. Meningococcal OMV-based vaccines have been associated with reduced rates of gonorrhea in retrospective epidemiologic studies, and with accelerated gonococcal clearance in mouse vaginal colonization models. Cross-protection is attributed to shared antigens and possibly cross-reactive, bactericidal antibodies. Using a Candidate Antigen Selection Strategy (CASS) based on the gonococcal transcriptome during human mucosal infection, we identified new potential vaccine targets that, when used to immunize mice, induced the production of antibodies with bactericidal activity against N. gonorrhoeae strains. The current study determined antigen recognition by human sera from N. gonorrhoeae-infected subjects, evaluated their potential as a multi-antigen (combination) vaccine in mice and examined the impact of different adjuvants (Alum or Alum+MPLA) on functional antibody responses to N. gonorrhoeae. Our results indicated that a stronger Th1 immune response component induced by Alum+MPLA led to antibodies with improved bactericidal activity. In conclusion, a combination of CASS-derived antigens may be promising for developing effective gonococcal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shea K. Roe
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Brian Felter
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Bo Zheng
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA (S.R.)
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA (S.R.)
| | - Lee M. Wetzler
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Eric Garges
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA;
| | - Tianmou Zhu
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Caroline A. Genco
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
| | - Paola Massari
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; (S.K.R.); (C.A.G.)
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