Mapping of antigenic and immunogenic sites of Haemophilus influenzae outer membrane protein P6 using synthetic lipopeptides.

The immune response to the P6 protein of Haemophilus influenzae was characterized with 24 synthetic icosapeptides and 45 dodecapeptides conjugated to the immune stimulator N-palmitoyl-S-[2,3-(bispalmitoyloxy)-(2RS)-propyl]-(R)-cysteinyl-( S)-serine . The antigenicity of these lipopeptides was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with rabbit anti-P6 serum. The epitopes of P6 protein were identified and localized within residues 31-46 and 59-70 and in the C-terminal part of the P6 protein. Mice were immunized with lipoicosapeptides without using additional adjuvants or carriers and the antibody titers were measured with isolated P6 protein and lipopeptides in a dot blot assay. Lipopeptides containing the sequence pattern QILDAHAA (P6 47-54) and the mouse B cell epitope GEYV (P6 43-46) induced high titers of anti P6 antibodies. These murine antibodies were able to neutralize the intact bacterium Haemophilus influenzae.