Induction of immune response to the 17 kDa OMPA Burkholderia cenocepacia polypeptide and protection against pulmonary infection in mice after nasal vaccination with an OMP nanoemulsion-based vaccine.

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are opportunistic bacteria associated with life-threatening illness in persons with cystic fibrosis. Once Bcc colonization is established, these antimicrobial-resistant and biofilm-forming bacteria are difficult to eradicate and are associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality. At present, no vaccines are available to prevent the Bcc infection. There is currently a paucity of published information regarding the development of vaccines designed to prevent Burkholderia colonization. This work expands on the recent studies published by Bertot et al. [Infect Immun 75(6):2740-2752, 2007], where successful protective immune responses were generated in mice using a B. multivorans OMP-based vaccine. Here, we evaluate an experimental mucosal vaccine against Bcc using a novel mucosal adjuvant (nanoemulsion) and a novel B. cenocepacia-based OMP antigen. The OMP antigen derived from B. cenocepacia was mixed with either nanoemulsion or with PBS and delivered intranasally to CD-1 mice. Serum analysis showed robust IgG and mucosal secretory IgA immune responses in vaccinated versus control mice. The antibodies had cross-neutralizing activity against both B. cenocepacia and B. multivorans species. We found that immunized mice were protected against pulmonary colonization with B. cenocepacia. We have also identified that a 17 kDa OmpA-like protein highly conserved between Burkholderia and Ralstonia species as a new immunodominant epitope in mucosal immunization.