Synthetic peptides representing epitopes of outer membrane protein F of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that elicit antibodies reactive with whole cells of heterologous immunotype strains of P. aeruginosa.

By using the published amino acid sequence for mature outer membrane protein F of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a computer-assisted analysis was performed to identify sites with potential as surface-exposed, antigenic regions located throughout the length of the protein molecule. Synthetic peptides 13 to 15 amino acid residues in length were synthesized for 10 such regions. Mice were immunized with each of the 10 synthetic peptides conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of the antisera was performed by using each of the synthetic peptides as the ELISA antigen to verify that immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies capable of reacting with the peptide used as immunogen were elicited by each peptide. Each of the antipeptide antisera was screened for the presence of IgG antibodies that could bind to the surface of intact cells of strains representing the seven heterologous Fisher-Devlin immunotypes of P. aeruginosa by use of an ELISA with whole cells of the various strains as the ELISA antigen. Three peptides elicited antibodies capable of reacting with whole cells of all seven immunotype strains. Peptide 10, corresponding to amino acid residues 305 to 318, elicited whole-cell-reactive antibodies at high titers. Peptide 9, corresponding to amino acid residues 261 to 274, elicited whole-cell-reactive antibodies at more intermediate titers. Peptide 7, corresponding to amino acid residues 219 to 232, elicited such antibodies only at low titers. The carboxy-terminal portion of the mature protein appears to be the immunodominant portion. In particular, peptides 10 (NATAEGRAINRRVE) and 9 (TDAYNQKLSERRAN) appear to have potential for use as immunogens in a synthetic vaccine for immunoprophylaxis against infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Antisera from mice immunized with either peptide 9 or 10 mediated opsonophagocytic uptake by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes of wild-type cells of P. aeruginosa but exhibited no opsonic activity against a protein F-deficient mutant of P. aeruginosa.