Mechanism for pulmonary protection by lipopolysaccharide pseudomonas vaccine

Recent studies in guinea pigs indicated that active vaccination with a cell wall-derived, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pseudomonas vaccine confers specific protection against acute pneumonia. This study analyzed the immune mechanisms by which LPS pseudomonas vaccine offers local protection to the lung. Neither parenteral vaccination nor direct exposure of lung tissues to living Pseudomonas activated alveolar macrophages. However, serum opsonic activity that specifically enhanced phagocytosis of Pseudomonas by alveolar macrophages was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in vaccinated animals. Serum pseudomonas opsonins were heat-stable but were sensitive to reduction of macroglobulins by 2-mercaptoethanol. Within 3 hr after establishment of experimental pseudomonas pneumonia, a fourfold increase in local pseudomonas opsonins was found in bronchial fluids from vaccinated animals, presumably secondary to diffusion of serum proteins into local inflammatory fluids. Thus, Pseudomonas-specific opsonic antibody appears necessary to augment alveolar macrophage phagocytosis after LPS vaccination, and local vaccination of the respiratory tract is not required to provide adequate local pseudomonas opsonins during acute pneumonia.