Bordetella pertussis surface and toxin antigens (aP antigens)

Bordetella pertussis surface and toxin antigens are a group of virulence factors produced by the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough. The primary components include pertussis toxin (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin (PRN), and fimbriae (FIM2 and FIM3). Pertussis toxin is an AB5-type exotoxin that enters host cells and catalyzes the ADP-ribosylation of the alpha subunit of inhibitory G-proteins (Gi), leading to increased cAMP levels and disruption of cellular signaling (StatPearls: NBK482437). FHA, PRN, and FIM are surface-exposed proteins that mediate the attachment of the bacteria to the ciliated respiratory epithelium, a critical step for colonization (CDC: Pertussis Biology). These antigens are the active components of acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, which are designed to elicit a protective immune response, including the production of neutralizing antibodies and memory B cells (PubMed: 25228253). Therapeutic strategies focusing on these antigens primarily involve preventative immunization to reduce the incidence and severity of pertussis in the population (FDA: Vaccines Licensed for Use in the United States).

Other names

Pertussis antigensAcellular pertussis vaccine componentsB. pertussis virulence factorsWhooping cough antigens

Vaccine-mediated induction of neutralizing antibodies against pertussis toxin and bacterial adhesins to prevent infection and disease symptoms (PubMed: 25228253).