Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand.
Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 23;11(1):4353. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83673-4.
Pili of Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are surface-exposed structures involved in adhesion and colonisation of the host during infection. The major protein component of the GAS pilus is the T-antigen, which multimerises to form the pilus shaft. There are currently no licenced vaccines against GAS infections and the T-antigen represents an attractive target for vaccination. We have generated a multivalent vaccine called TeeVax1, a recombinant protein that consists of a fusion of six T-antigen domains. Vaccination with TeeVax1 produces opsonophagocytic antibodies in rabbits and confers protective efficacy in mice against invasive disease. Two further recombinant proteins, TeeVax2 and TeeVax3 were constructed to cover 12 additional T-antigens. Combining TeeVax1-3 produced a robust antibody response in rabbits that was cross-reactive to a full panel of 21 T-antigens, expected to provide over 95% vaccine coverage. These results demonstrate the potential for a T-antigen-based vaccine to prevent GAS infections.
A 群链球菌（GAS）的菌毛是参与感染过程中宿主黏附和定植的表面暴露结构。GAS 菌毛的主要蛋白成分是 T 抗原，它通过多聚化形成菌毛轴。目前尚无针对 GAS 感染的许可疫苗，而 T 抗原则是疫苗接种的一个有吸引力的目标。我们已经生成了一种名为 TeeVax1 的多价疫苗，这是一种由六个 T 抗原结构域融合而成的重组蛋白。用 TeeVax1 免疫接种可在兔子中产生调理吞噬抗体，并可在小鼠中预防侵袭性疾病。构建了另外两种重组蛋白 TeeVax2 和 TeeVax3，以覆盖另外 12 个 T 抗原。TeeVax1-3 的联合使用可在兔子中产生强烈的抗体反应，该反应与 21 个 T 抗原的完整面板发生交叉反应，预计可提供超过 95%的疫苗覆盖率。这些结果表明，基于 T 抗原的疫苗有可能预防 GAS 感染。
