Enhancement of Pulmonary Clearance of Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis Following Immunization with Outer Membrane Protein CD in a Mouse Model

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis is an important human respiratory tract pathogen. Outer membrane protein (OMP) CD is highly conserved among strains and has characteristics that indicate it may be an effective vaccine antigen. This study investigated the effect of immunization with OMP CD on pulmonary clearance following intratracheal challenge of mice with M. catarrhalis. Two routes of immunization were studied: mucosal immunization (intra-Peyer's patch followed by intratracheal boost) and intramuscular immunization with OMP CD. Both resulted in enhanced pulmonary clearance of M. catarrhalis compared with sham-immunized controls. Immunization with OMP CD induced specific antibodies in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and induced a specific lymphocyte proliferative response in T cells from mesenteric lymph nodes from mice mucosally immunized with OMP CD. On the basis of these results, OMP CD should undergo continued testing to determine whether it will induce a protective immune response in humans.