Protective immunity conferred by recombinant Pasteurella multocida lipoprotein E (PlpE)

Abstract

The genes encoding Pasteurella multocida lipoprotein E (PlpE) and lipoprotein B (PlpB) were cloned from P. multocida strain X-73 (serotype A:1) and expressed in Escherichia coli. The protective immunity conferred by recombinant PlpE (r-PlpE) and PlpB (r-PlpB) on mice and chickens was evaluated. The results showed that mice immunized with 10microg of purified r-PlpE were protected (80-100% survival rate) against challenge infection with 10 or 20 LD(50) of P. multocida strains X-73 (serotype A:1), P-1059 (serotype A:3) and P-1662 (serotype A:4). In contrast, mice immunized with r-PlpB were not protected. Chickens immunized with 100microg of purified r-PlpE were protected (63-100% survival rate) against lethal challenge infection with strains X-73 and P-1662, whereas those immunized with r-PlpB were not. Sequence analyses showed that PlpE from different strains of P. multocida exhibited 90.8-100% sequence identity to each other, suggesting that PlpE might serve as a cross-protective antigen. This is the first report of a recombinant P. multocida antigen that confers cross protection on animals.