Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1978 Mar 1;147(3):629–644. doi: 10.1084/jem.147.3.629

Protection against group B meningococcal disease. III. Immunogenicity of serotype 2 vaccines and specificity of protection in a guinea pig model

PMCID: PMC2184206  PMID: 416164

Abstract

Protein vaccines were prepared from the serotype antigen of group B Neisseria meningitidis strain M986. The detergents Triton X-100, Emulphogene BC-720, and deoxycholate were used to removed the toxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) portion of the serotype antigen. The LPS was most preferentially solubilized by Emulphogene. Guinea pigs were immunized with one or two doses of vaccine given intramuscularly without adjuvants and the antibody response quantitated by an enzyme- linked immunosorbant assay. Immunization with graded doses of vaccine between 25 to 200 microgram protein indicated a wide range of effective dosage and that a two-dose immunization schedule was superior to a single immunization. The vaccines elicited peak mean serum antibody levels of approximately 30 microgram/ml with bactericidal titers of 1:1,600-1:6,400. The peak antibody levels occurred 5-6 wk after immunization and persisted above preimmune levels for several months. To evaluate the protective effects of immunization, stainless steel springs were implanted subcutaneously into the guinea pigs. The resulting chambers, in unimmunized animals, could be infected with less than 100 type 2 organisms. A single 25-50 microgram dose of vaccine protected 50% of animals from challenge by 5 X 10(5) type 2 meningococci, and as little as 1 microgram vaccine significantly reduced the severity of infection. A two-dose immunization schedule was best and provided nearly complete protection for at least 4 mo against type 2 strains of meningococcal groups B, C, and Y.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.1 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arko R. J. An immunologic model in laboratory animals for the study of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Infect Dis. 1974 Apr;129(4):451–455. doi: 10.1093/infdis/129.4.451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cooper J. F., Hochstein H. D., Seligmann E. B., Jr The Limulus test for endotoxin (Pyrogen) in radiopharmaceuticals and biologicals. Bull Parenter Drug Assoc. 1972 Jul-Aug;26(4):153–162. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Davis C. E., Arnold K. Role of meningococcal endotoxin in meningococcal purpura. J Exp Med. 1974 Jul 1;140(1):159–171. doi: 10.1084/jem.140.1.159. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Farries J. S., Dickson W., Greenwood E., Malhotra T. R., Abbott J. D., Jones D. M. Meningococcal infections in Bolton, 1971-74. Lancet. 1975 Jul 19;2(7925):118–120. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)90016-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Frasch C. E., Chapman S. S. Classification of Neisseria meningitidis group B into distinct serotypes. 3. Application of a new bactericidal-inhibition technique to distribution of serotypes among cases and carriers. J Infect Dis. 1973 Feb;127(2):149–154. doi: 10.1093/infdis/127.2.149. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Frasch C. E., Chapman S. S. Classification of Neisseria meningitidis group B into distinct serotypes. I. Serological typing by a microbactericidal method. Infect Immun. 1972 Jan;5(1):98–102. doi: 10.1128/iai.5.1.98-102.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Frasch C. E., Gotschlich E. C. An outer membrane protein of Neisseria meningitidis group B responsible for serotype specificity. J Exp Med. 1974 Jul 1;140(1):87–104. doi: 10.1084/jem.140.1.87. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Frasch C. E., McNelis R. M., Gotschlich E. C. Strain-specific variation in the protein and lipopolysaccharide composition of the group B meningococcal outer membrane. J Bacteriol. 1976 Aug;127(2):973–981. doi: 10.1128/jb.127.2.973-981.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Frasch C. E., Parkes L., McNelis R. M., Gotschlich E. C. Protection against group B meningococcal disease. I. Comparison of group-specific and type-specific protection in the chick embryo model. J Exp Med. 1976 Aug 1;144(2):319–329. doi: 10.1084/jem.144.2.319. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Frasch C. E., Robbins J. D. Protection against group B meningococcal disease. II. Infection and resulting immunity in a guinea pig model. J Exp Med. 1978 Mar 1;147(3):619–628. doi: 10.1084/jem.147.3.619. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. GREENWOOD F. C., HUNTER W. M., GLOVER J. S. THE PREPARATION OF I-131-LABELLED HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE OF HIGH SPECIFIC RADIOACTIVITY. Biochem J. 1963 Oct;89:114–123. doi: 10.1042/bj0890114. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Goldschneider I., Gotschlich E. C., Artenstein M. S. Human immunity to the meningococcus. II. Development of natural immunity. J Exp Med. 1969 Jun 1;129(6):1327–1348. doi: 10.1084/jem.129.6.1327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hill J. C., Weiss E. Protein fraction with immunogenic potential and low toxicity isolated from the cell wall of Neisseria meningitidis group B. Infect Immun. 1974 Sep;10(3):605–615. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.3.605-615.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hochstein H. D., Elfin R. J., Cooper J. F., Seligmann E. B., Jr, Wolff S. M. Further developments of Limulus Amebocyte Lysate test. Bull Parenter Drug Assoc. 1973 May-Jun;27(3):139–148. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Howard M. W., Strauss R. G., Johnston R. B., Jr Infections in patients with neutropenia. Am J Dis Child. 1977 Jul;131(7):788–790. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1977.02120200070015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Jones D. M., Tobin B. M. Serotypes of group B meningococci. J Clin Pathol. 1976 Aug;29(8):746–748. doi: 10.1136/jcp.29.8.746. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kasper D. L., Winkelhake J. L., Brandt B. L., Artenstein M. S. Antigenic specificity of bactericidal antibodies in antisera to Neisseria meningitidis. J Infect Dis. 1973 Apr;127(4):378–387. doi: 10.1093/infdis/127.4.378. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lim D., Gewurz A., Lint T. F., Ghaze M., Sepheri B., Gewurz H. Absence of the sixth component of complement in a patient with repeated episodes of meningococcal meningitis. J Pediatr. 1976 Jul;89(1):42–47. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(76)80924-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Meuwissen J. H., Tauber I., Leeuwenberg A. D., Beckers P. J., Sieben M. Parasitologic and serologic observations of infection with Pneumocystis in humans. J Infect Dis. 1977 Jul;136(1):43–49. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.1.43. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Munford R. S., Patton C. M., Gorman G. W. Epidemiologic studies of serotype antigens common to groups B and C Neisseria meningitidis. J Infect Dis. 1975 Mar;131(3):286–290. doi: 10.1093/infdis/131.3.286. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. OSBORN M. J. STUDIES ON THE GRAM-NEGATIVE CELL WALL. I. EVIDENCE FOR THE ROLE OF 2-KETO- 3-DEOXYOCTONATE IN THE LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE OF SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 Sep;50:499–506. doi: 10.1073/pnas.50.3.499. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Souza de Morais J., Munford R. S., Risi J. B., Antezana E., Feldman R. A. Epidemic disease due to serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis in Saõ Paulo, Brazil. J Infect Dis. 1974 May;129(5):568–571. doi: 10.1093/infdis/129.5.568. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Trujillo R., Laible N. Reversible inhibition of spore germination by alcohols. Appl Microbiol. 1970 Oct;20(4):620–623. doi: 10.1128/am.20.4.620-623.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wyle F. A., Artenstein M. S., Brandt B. L., Tramont E. C., Kasper D. L., Altieri P. L., Berman S. L., Lowenthal J. P. Immunologic response of man to group B meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines. J Infect Dis. 1972 Nov;126(5):514–521. doi: 10.1093/infdis/126.5.514. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Zollinger W. D., Pennington C. L., Artenstein M. S. Human antibody response to three meningococcal outer membrane antigens: comparison by specific hemagglutination assays. Infect Immun. 1974 Nov;10(5):975–984. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.5.975-984.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES