Identification of a new protective antigen of Bordetella pertussis

Antigenic proteins whose expression is induced under iron starvation, an environmental condition that bacterial pathogens have to face during colonization, might be potential candidates for improved vaccine. By mean of immune proteomics we identified novel antigens of Bordetella pertussis maximally expressed under iron limitation. Among them, Bp1152 (named as IRP1-3) showed a particularly strong reaction with human IgG purified from pooled sera of pertussis-infected individuals. Computer analysis showed IRP1-3 as a dimeric membrane protein potentially involved in iron uptake. Experimental data revealed the surface-exposure of this protein and showed its increase under iron starvation to be independent of bacterial virulence phase. Immunization of mice with the recombinant IRP1-3 resulted in a strong antibody response. These antibodies not only recognized the native protein on bacterial surface but also promote effective bacterial phagocytosis by human PMN, a key protecting activity against this pathogen. Accordingly, IRP1-3 proved protective against B. pertussis infection in mouse model. Expression of IRP1-3 was found conserved among clinical isolates of B. pertussis and positively regulated by iron starvation in these strains. Taken together these results suggest that this protein might be an interesting novel vaccine candidate.