The antigenic similarity between Neisseria meningitidis group B (NMGB) capsular polysaccharide (PS) and human polysialic acid (PSA) has hampered the development of a NMGB PS-based vaccine. But the possibility of a safe vaccine based on NMGB PS has been demonstrated by the existence of the NMGB PS-associated nonautoreactive epitope, which is distinct from those present on human PSA. To obtain peptide mimotopes of NMGB PS, we used HmenB3, a protective and nonautoreactive monoclonal antibody, to screen a phage library with 12 amino acids. We obtained 23 phage clones that bound to HmenB3 but not in the presence of E. coli K1 PS [which is alpha (2-8) -linked PSA like NMGB PS]. The clones contained 3 mimotopes and differed from previously described NMGB PS mimotopes. Immunization with a synthetic peptide of one mimotope elicited anti-NMGB antibodies in BALB/c mice. These mimotopes may be useful in the development of group B meningococcal vaccines.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Bacterial Vaccines/*immunology ; Cloning, Molecular ; Female ; Meningococcal Infections/*immunology/*prevention & control ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B/genetics/*immunology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial/genetics/*immunology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't