Protection of immunosuppressed mice against infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa by recombinant P. aeruginosa lipoprotein I and lipoprotein I-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Outer membrane protein I (OprI) is one of the major proteins of the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The protective effect of OprI vaccination and that of three OprI-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against infection with P. aeruginosa were tested in immunosuppressed mice. The combination of Oprl and MAb 2A1 protected the mice against a challenge with a 96-fold 50% lethal dose. The binding site of MAb 2A1 was mapped, resulting in the identification of a protective epitope (amino acids 7 to 20).