Human immune response to epitopes on the meningococcal outer membrane class 5 protein following natural infection.

Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against a serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strain. These mAbs recognized two epitopes in the class 5 outer membrane proteins (OMP), designated P5.7 and P5.Bm, and were able to kill the homologous strain through complement activation. Both epitopes were surface exposed and 68% of group B meningococcal clinical isolates had one or both epitopes present in their class 5 OMP. Antibodies to one or both epitopes were demonstrated in 17 patients with meningococcal meningitis using an ELISA inhibition assay. Of the 17 paired sera, 41% and 29% of the acute-phase sera had antibodies to the P5.7 and P5.Bm epitopes, respectively. Immunoglobulin G to P5.Bm were found in all 17 convalescent-phase sera while specific antibodies against P5.7 were only found in 6 of these sera. These results demonstrate the potential importance of the P5.Bm and P5.7 epitopes on the class 5 OMP as candidates for vaccine composition.