Binding of the complement-downregulating protein factor H (fH) to the surface of the meningococcus is important for survival of the organism in human serum. The meningococcal vaccine candidate factor H binding protein (fHbp) is an important ligand for human fH. While some fHbp-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) block binding of fH to fHbp, the stoichiometry of blocking in the presence of high serum concentrations of fH and its effect on complement-mediated bactericidal activity are unknown. To investigate this question, we constructed chimeric antibodies in which the human IgG1 constant region was paired with three murine fHbp-specific binding domains designated JAR 3, JAR 5, and MAb502. By surface plasmon resonance, the association rates for binding of all three MAbs to immobilized fHbp were >50-fold higher than that for binding of fH to fHbp, and the MAb dissociation rates were >500-fold lower than that for fH. While all three MAbs elicited similar C1q-dependent C4b deposition on live bacteria (classical complement pathway), only those antibodies that inhibited binding of fH to fHbp (JAR 3 and JAR 5) had bactericidal activity with human complement. MAb502, which did not inhibit fH binding, had complement-mediated bactericidal activity only when tested with fH-depleted human complement. When an IgG1 anti-fHbp MAb binds to sparsely exposed fHbp on the bacterial surface, there appears to be insufficient complement activation for bacteriolysis unless fH binding also is inhibited. The ability of fHbp vaccines to elicit protective antibodies, therefore, is likely to be enhanced if the antibody repertoire is of high avidity and includes fH-blocking activity.

Combinatorial cloning and expression library analysis were used to isolate human antibody Fab fragments specific for the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F. Thirty 23F-specific Fabs were isolated from seven vaccinated donors, and the sequences of the heavy (H)-and light (L)-chain variable regions were determined. All individuals utilized either the V A23 L chain, the V L6 L chain, or both chains in forming the 23F-specific combining site. V A23 L chains paired primarily with VH3-23 H chains. V L6 L chains were more promiscuous in heavy-chain usage between individuals. Both H and L chains were mutated, primarily in the complementarity-determining regions, compared to their closest germ line counterpart, suggesting a recall response that has undergone affinity maturation. H-chain isotypes were reflective of those found in the serum. Shared somatic modifications demonstrated that immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) and IgA antibodies arose from the same somatically matured B cell. Our results indicate that the response to the serotype 23F pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide is oligoclonal within the individual, with one or two paratope families accounting for the majority of expressed antibody. We also determined that, in spite of the combinatorial diversity available to the immune system, the 23F-specific response is highly restricted at the population level, with the same two L-chain-determined paratope families recurring in all individuals. Lastly, analysis of the isolated Fabs indicate all have undergone extensive somatic mutation, as well as class switch, maturational events that presumably require the participation of T cells.Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen causing pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, and otitis media. The pathogenic pneumococci are surrounded by a complex capsule composed of polymeric sugars, C polysaccharide, peptidoglycan, and surface proteins. The pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PPS), are heterogeneous in structure, with at least 90 different serotypes occurring within the species S. pneumoniae. PPS epitopes are immunogenic in adults and elicit antibodies that protect against infection. A vaccine containing capsular polysaccharides from 23 pneumococcal serotypes (23-valent) is available and is currently recommended for persons over 65 years of age and for other adults considered to be at increased risk of developing pneumococcal disease. Purified capsular polysaccharides do not, however, induce a protective antibody response in infants, who comprise one of the primary populations at risk. Consequently, a 7-valent polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine has been developed and shown to be efficacious in infants and has recently been licensed for use in this age group. Capsular polysaccharides are defined as TI-2 (T-cell-independent) antigens based on their repetitive structure and lack of immunogenicity in xid mice and human infants. The serum response to these polysaccharides in adults is oligoclonal and restricted in isotype, with immunog...

Meningococcal vaccines containing factor H binding protein (fHbp) are in clinical development. fHbp binds human fH, which enables the meningococcus to resist complement-mediated bacteriolysis. Previously, we found that chimeric human IgG1 mouse anti-fHbp monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) had human complement-mediated bactericidal activity only if the MAb inhibited fH binding. Since IgG subclasses differ in their ability to activate complement, we investigated the role of human IgG subclasses on antibody functional activity. We constructed chimeric MAbs in which three different murine fHbp-specific binding domains were each paired with human IgG1, IgG2, or IgG3. Against a wild-type group B isolate, all three IgG3 MAbs, irrespective of their ability to inhibit fH binding, had bactericidal activity that was >5-fold higher than the respective IgG1 MAbs, while the IgG2 MAbs had the least activity. Against a mutant with increased fHbp expression, the anti-fHbp MAbs elicited greater C4b deposition (classical pathway) and greater bactericidal activity than against the wild-type strain, and the IgG1 MAbs had similar or greater activity than the respective IgG3 MAbs. The bactericidal activity against both wild-type and mutant strains also was dependent, in part, on activation of the alternative complement pathway. Thus, at lower epitope density in the wild-type strain, the IgG3 anti-fHbp MAbs had the greatest bactericidal activity. At a higher epitope density in the mutant, the IgG1 MAbs had similar or greater bactericidal activity than the IgG3 MAbs, and the activity was less dependent on the inhibition of fH binding than at a lower epitope density.

Combinatorial cloning and expression library analysis were used to determine the expressed human antibody repertoire specific for the capsular polysaccharide (PS) of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6B. Sequence analysis of 55 6B-specific antibody Fab fragments isolated from six vaccinated donors reveal that different individuals used a variety of heavy and light chain germ line variable (V) region genes to form pneumococcal capsular PS (PPS) 6B-specific paratopes. Within each donor, however, the response was more restricted, with five of the six donors using at most one or two gene pairs to form combining sites. Analysis also indicated that although the response in each donor was oligoclonal in terms of variable gene usage, the combination of extensive somatic hypermutation, deletion of germ line-encoded residues, insertion of non-germ line-encoded residues, and intraclonal isotype switching generated a surprising degree of paratope diversity within the individuals analyzed. In contrast to previously studied PS-specific responses, we find that the PPS 6B repertoire makes use of a diverse collection of heavy-chain and light-chain V region gene products to form specific paratopes, with no apparent tendency for conservation of immunoglobulin gene usage between individuals.Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen causing pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, and otitis media. The primary determinants of virulence for the many strains of S. pneumoniae are the pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PPS). The PPS are heterogeneous in structure, and at least 90 different serotypes occur within the species (10). PPS epitopes are immunogenic in adults, and immunization with the polysaccharides (PS) provides serotype-specific protection against infection (26). PPS-protein conjugates are immunogenic in infants and provide protection for this age group as well (31). Both plain PS and PS-conjugate vaccines are available and are currently recommended for the appropriate age groups.In addition to providing protection against disease, these vaccines offer an opportunity to explore several aspects of basic immunobiology in humans. The carbohydrate epitopes are structurally defined, the vaccines are routinely and safely administered to adults and children, and specific B cells circulate in the periphery following vaccination, thereby facilitating minimally invasive access to the cellular components of interest. Although the serology of the response to various PPS antigens has been studied in detail (13,19,20,24,27,30), the difficulty in constructing stable human heterohybridomas has limited the degree to which the PPS-specific antibody response could be studied at the level of immunoglobulin (Ig) gene usage.In this report we use repertoire cloning to examine the paratopic repertoire of human antibodies specific for the capsular PS of S. pneumoniae serotype 6B. Heavy (H)-and light (L)-chain variable (V) (V H and V L , respectively) region sequences are reported for 55 PPS 6B-specific Fab fragments isolated from six i...

Antibodies specific for capsular polysaccharides play a central role in immunity to encapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae, but little is known about their genetics or the variable (V) region polymorphisms that affect their protective function. To begin to address these issues, we used combinatorial library cloning to isolate pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPS)-specific Fab fragments from two vaccinated adults. We determined complete V region primary structures and performed antigen binding analyses of seven Fab fragments specific for PPS serotype 6B, 14, or 23F. Fabs were of the immunoglobulin G2 or A isotype. Several V H III gene segments (HV 3-7, 3-15, 3-23, and 3-11) were identified. V L regions were encoded by several genes (KV 4-1, 3-15, 2-24, and 2D-29) and a gene (LV 1-51). Deviation of the V H and V L regions from their assigned germ line counterparts indicated that they were somatically mutated. Fabs of the same serotype specificity isolated from a single individual differed in affinity, and these differences could be accounted for either by the extent of mutation among clonal relatives or by usage of different V-region genes. Thus, functionally disparate anti-PPS antibodies can arise within individuals both by activation of independent clones and by intraclonal somatic mutation. For one pair of clonally related Fabs, the more extensively mutated V H was associated with lower affinity for PPS 14, a result suggesting that somatic mutation could lead to diminished protective efficacy. These findings indicate that the PPS repertoire in the adult derives from memory B-cell populations that have class switched and undergone extensive hypermutation.