Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Molecular Microbiology Research Center, Department of Biology, Shahed University, Tehran-Qom Expressway, Tehran, 3319118651, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 12;14(1):27646. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-79013-x.
Acinetobacter baumannii, a common nosocomial pathogen, is known for its rapid acquisition of antimicrobial resistance, underscoring the urgent need to develop an effective vaccine against this pathogen. Outer membrane protein 22 (Omp22) regulates the biogenesis of outer membrane vesicles to transport virulence-promoting factors into the host cells and facilitates the progression of A. baumannii infection. In this study, we used a mouse model to assess a vaccine's immunogenicity and protective efficacy using recombinant Omp22 protein within the hypervariable region of flagellin (FliC-Omp22). FliC-Omp22 demonstrated superior protection following challenge with a lethal dose of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii strain 58ST compared to Omp22 alone. In addition, it elicited increased IgG1/IgG2a and IL-4/IFN-γ ratios, indicating a predominant Th2 immune response. Furthermore, the FliC-Omp22 vaccination elicited strong specific antibodies that inhibited the adhesion and invasion of A. baumannii 58ST and enhanced the opsonic killing activity against the pathogen. FliC-Omp22 immunization significantly reduced bacterial loads in infected mice's spleen, lungs, and liver, thereby improving their survival against the lethal infection caused by MDR A. baumannii 58ST. This study suggests that integrating Omp22 into the hypervariable domain of flagellin holds promise for developing an effective vaccine against A. baumannii infections.
鲍曼不动杆菌是一种常见的医院获得性病原体,其对抗菌药物的耐药性迅速获得,这突显了迫切需要开发针对这种病原体的有效疫苗。外膜蛋白 22(Omp22)调节外膜囊泡的生物发生,将促进毒力的因子运送到宿主细胞,并促进鲍曼不动杆菌感染的进展。在这项研究中,我们使用小鼠模型评估了重组 Omp22 蛋白在鞭毛(FliC-Omp22)的高变区中的免疫原性和保护效力。与单独的 Omp22 相比,FliC-Omp22 在受到多药耐药(MDR)鲍曼不动杆菌 58ST 致死剂量的挑战后提供了更好的保护。此外,它引起了更高的 IgG1/IgG2a 和 IL-4/IFN-γ 比值,表明主要是 Th2 免疫反应。此外,FliC-Omp22 疫苗接种引发了强烈的特异性抗体,抑制了鲍曼不动杆菌 58ST 的粘附和入侵,并增强了对病原体的调理杀伤活性。FliC-Omp22 免疫接种可显著降低感染小鼠脾脏、肺和肝脏中的细菌负荷,从而提高其对 MDR 鲍曼不动杆菌 58ST 致死感染的生存能力。这项研究表明,将 Omp22 整合到鞭毛的高变域中为开发针对鲍曼不动杆菌感染的有效疫苗提供了希望。