Comparative immunogenicity of conjugates composed of Escherichia coli O111 O-specific polysaccharide, prepared by treatment with acetic acid or hydrazine, bound to tetanus toxoid by two synthetic schemes.

Escherichia coli O111, of various H types and virulence factors, causes enteritis throughout the world, especially in young children. This O type is found rarely in healthy individuals. Serum antibodies to the O-specific polysaccharide of O111 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) protect mice and dogs against infection with this E. coli serotype. The O111 O-specific polysaccharide is composed of a pentasaccharide repeat unit with two colitoses bound to the C-3 and C-6 of glucose in a trisaccharide backbone; this structure is identical to that of Salmonella adelaide (O35), another enteric pathogen. Nonpyrogenic O111 O-specific polysaccharide was prepared by treatment of its LPS with acetic acid (O-SP) or the organic base hydrazine (DeA-LPS). The O-SP had a reduced concentration of colitose. These products were derivatized with adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) or thiolated with N-succinimidyl-3(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP). The four derivatives were covalently bound to tetanus toxoid (TT) by carbodiimide-mediated condensation or with SPDP to form conjugates. Immunization of BALB/c and general-purpose mice by a clinically acceptable route showed that DeA-LPS-TTADH, of the four conjugates, elicited the highest level of LPS antibodies. Possible reasons to explain this differential immunogenicity between the four conjugates are discussed.