Evaluation of Peptide-Based Vaccines Against Group A Streptococcus in Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Mice

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a major human pathogen associated with serious diseases. Evaluating immune responses against GAS vaccines-immunogenicity, quality, and efficacy-is complicated by interference from co-infections, like Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). We aimed to evaluate peptide-based GAS vaccines in mice for antisera efficacy against standard and mutant GAS strains and to assess immunological methods under co-infection conditions.

Female C57BL/6 mice were infected with S. aureus and immunized with various M-protein-derived peptide antigens: J8, J8i, J8i-J8i, and the native p145 sequence. Two novel, conserved M-protein-derived antigens (NTD and CTD2) were also evaluated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to assess immunogenicity and GAS-specific antibody responses. Peptide antigens were either conjugated to or physically mixed with the PADRE T-helper epitope and tested for enhanced antisera immunogenicity and opsonic efficacy.

ELISA against the immunizing peptides as coating antigens reflected the immunogenicity, while p145-based ELISA correlated with GAS-specific antibody titres without S. aureus interference for J8-based vaccines. Immunogenicity ranked J8 > J8i ≈ J8i-J8i > p145. NTD and CTD2 antisera demonstrated opsonic activity, indicating protective potential. PADRE-J8 conjugates significantly enhanced antibody magnitude and quality, producing strong opsonic bactericidal responses against both standard and p145-mutant GAS strains. PADRE-J8i was effective only against standard strains. This is the first report to suggest at least two B-cell epitopes within the J8i peptide.

These findings support the diagnostic utility of p145, NTD, and CTD2 under co-infection settings, and the vaccine potential of J8, NTD, and CTD2, particularly when conjugated to a T helper for enhanced antigen presentation.