VACCINATION AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS MASTITIS - IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF MICE VACCINATED WITH FIBRONECTIN-BINDING PROTEIN (FNBP-A) TOCHALLENGE WITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS
W. Mamo et al., VACCINATION AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS MASTITIS - IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF MICE VACCINATED WITH FIBRONECTIN-BINDING PROTEIN (FNBP-A) TOCHALLENGE WITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS, Vaccine, 12(11), 1994, pp. 988-992
Mice were immunized with fusion proteins encompassing the fibronectin-
binning domain of a staphylococcal fibronectin-binding protein (FnBP-A
). A specific antibody response against the fibronectin-binding part o
f the fusion proteins was detected in the serum of all vaccinated anim
als. The protective potential of these vaccinations was evaluated in a
mouse mastitis model, using Staphylococcus aureus, strain SA113, for
challenge. The mice vaccinated with FnBP fusion proteins showed a decr
eased number of bacteria recovered from the mammary glands and signifi
cantly reduced cases of severe mastitis. Histopathological examination
of tissue from challenged glands of vaccinated mice revealed either n
o pathological reactions or disseminated inflammatory reactions with f
ocal necrosis whereas four of six examined tissues from challenged gla
nds of non-vaccinated animals showed total necrosis. A combination of
FnBP fusion protein with staphylococcal alpha-toxoid did not increase
the efficacy of the vaccination and animals vaccinated with alpha-toxo
id alone were as sensitive to challenge as those from the non-vaccinat
ed control group. Thus vaccination of mice with recombinant FnBP resul
ted in significant protection against challenge with S. aureus.