Neisseria meningitidisserogroup B: laboratory correlates of protection

Abstract

Meningococcal disease in the Western countries is frequently caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. Major efforts have been made to develop a safe and efficacious vaccine against this serogroup which is suitable for use in infants and young children. To assess the quality of the immune response after vaccination with candidate vaccines, laboratory correlates of protection are needed. For serogroups A and C, serum bactericidal activity (SBA) is a well established predictor for protection, but for serogroup B other mechanisms besides SBA may also be involved in conferring protection from disease. Several laboratory methods for identification and evaluation of the immunogenicity of possible vaccine antigens are described in this review.

Recombinant Protein Truncation Strategy for Inducing Bactericidal Antibodies to the Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator Protein of Neisseria meningitidis and Circumventing Potential Cross-Reactivity with Human FK506-Binding Proteins

“…Many individual OM and secreted proteins have been investigated for their ability to induce serum bactericidal antibodies (SBA) (18), which is a generally accepted laboratory correlate of protection for serogroup B meningococci (19). Proteomic studies carried out in our laboratory identified the high abundance of a 29-kDa meningococcal MIP protein (the product of gene NMB1567, NEIS1487) in the OM (20).…”

Inclusion of a dual signal sequence enhances the immunogenicity of a novel viral vectored vaccine against the capsular group B meningococcus

“…As MenB is known only to infect humans, suitable animal models do not exist and immune correlates are accepted as an indication of in vivo immune protection for pre-clinical assessment of vaccine candidates [ 22 ]. The SBA is the gold standard correlate of protection required for vaccine licensure.…”

Evaluating Functional Immunity Following Encapsulated Bacterial Infection and Vaccination

“…In certain age groups and demographics, such as the very young and elderly adults or immunocompromised individuals, as well as in countries with a high burden of disease, discordance in antibody levels and functions following immunisation have been reported for pneumococcus [15][16][17], Hib [18][19][20] and meningococcus [21,22]. This discordance is likely due to the generation of non-functioning or weakly binding antibodies, including reduced antibody diversity, defects in isotype switching, and/or a lack of somatic mutation [20,23]. Deficiency in IgM memory B cells is also more commonly seen in the elderly [24].…”