Complex of meningococcal group B polysaccharide and type 2 outer membrane protein immunogenic in man

A noncovalent complex of meningococcal group B polysaccharide and type 2 outer membrane protein has been characterized and its potential as a vaccine against group B meningococcal disease investigated. The polysaccharide component was found to have a partition coefficient, K(d), of 0.34 on Sepharose CL-4B in the presence of sodium deoxycholate. The protein consisted of four to five major proteins including the principal outer membrane protein. Hydrophobic binding between the protein and polysaccharide was demonstrated by gel filtration and isopycnic CsCl density gradient centrifugation and found to involve all of the proteins. After demonstrating safety and immunogenicity in animals, two lots of vaccine were tested in a total of eight volunteers. Two 120-mug doses were given subcutaneously at 0 and 5 wk. Mild local reactions occurred in all eight volunteers, but no systemic reactions were observed. 2 wk after the first dose, six of the volunteers had increased levels of bactericidal antibodies against both the group B polysaccharide and the outer membrane proteins. Antibody rises to the group B polysaccharide (mean 6-fold) were confirmed by passive hemagglutination assays and rises to the proteins (mean 10-fold) by a solid phase radioimmunoassay. The second dose resulted in little or no increase in antibody titers. Antibody titers declined over a period of 14 wk but mostly remained above preimmunization levels. Bactericidal antibodies with specificity for the group B polysaccharide were mostly of the immunoglobulin (Ig)M class, and were directed against a determinant associated only with high molecular weight polysaccharides. We conclude that both the group B polysaccharide and the outer membrane protein are immunogenic in man when presented as a complex and that the complex warrants further testing and development as a vaccine against group B meningococcal disease.