AI Article Synopsis
- Pertussis, caused by Bordetella pertussis, is making a comeback in vaccinated groups, highlighting gaps in our understanding of protective immunity.
- The study revealed that opsonophagocytosis—how antibodies help immune cells engulf bacteria—is key to fighting B. pertussis.
- Anti-pertactin antibodies were identified as essential for the phagocytosis of B. pertussis, aligning with field studies that indicate these antibodies correlate with protection against the disease.
Article Abstract
Pertussis, a serious infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by Bordetella pertussis, is reemerging in vaccinated populations. Efforts to curtail this disease are hampered by limited insight into the basis of protective immunity. Opsonophagocytosis was recently found to play a central role in cellular bactericidal activity against B. pertussis. In the present study, we studied the specificity of opsonic antibodies. Anti-pertactin antibodies, but not anti-pertussis toxin, anti-fimbriae, or anti-filamentous hemagglutinin antibodies, were found to be crucial for B. pertussis phagocytosis. These data are consistent with field studies showing that levels of antibodies to pertactin correlate with protection.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/377283 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!