Monoclonal antibodies against lipopolysaccharide protect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa challenge in mice

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections, including central line-associated bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Unfortunately, effective control of these infections can be difficult, in part due to the prevalence of multi-drug resistant strains of P. aeruginosa. There remains a need for novel therapeutic interventions against P. aeruginosa, and the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) is a promising alternative strategy to current standard of care treatments such as antibiotics. To develop mAbs against P. aeruginosa, we utilized ammonium metavanadate, which induces cell envelope stress responses and upregulates polysaccharide expression. Mice were immunized with P. aeruginosa grown with ammonium metavanadate and we developed two IgG2b mAbs, WVDC-0357 and WVDC-0496, directed against the O-antigen lipopolysaccharide of P. aeruginosa. Functional assays revealed that WVDC-0357 and WVDC-0496 directly reduced the viability of P. aeruginosa and mediated bacterial agglutination. In a lethal sepsis model of infection, prophylactic treatment of mice with WVDC-0357 and WVDC-0496 at doses as low as 15 mg/kg conferred 100% survival against challenge. In both sepsis and acute pneumonia models of infection, treatment with WVDC-0357 and WVDC-0496 significantly reduced bacterial burden and inflammatory cytokine production post-challenge. Furthermore, histopathological examination of the lungs revealed that WVDC-0357 and WVDC-0496 reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. Overall, our results indicate that mAbs directed against lipopolysaccharide are a promising therapy for the treatment and prevention of P. aeruginosa infections.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jun 22, 2023
Source ID
10.3389/fcimb.2023.1191806

Entities

People

  • Annalisa B. Huckaby
  • Emel Sen-kilic
  • Evita Yang
  • F. Heath Damron
  • Gage M. Pyles
  • Hunter L. Monroe
  • Jason Kang
  • Josh A. Chapman
  • Margalida Mateu-borrĂ¡s
  • Mariette Barbier
  • Mason A. Nunley
  • Md Shahrier Amin
  • Sarah Jo Miller
  • Spencer R. Dublin

Organizations

  • Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Microbial Pathology
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).