Bordetella pertussis surface antigens and toxins

Bordetella pertussis surface antigens and toxins are a collection of virulence factors produced by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of pertussis (whooping cough). These factors include pertussis toxin (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin (PRN), and fimbriae (FIM types 2 and 3), which are essential for the pathogen's ability to adhere to respiratory epithelium and evade host immune defenses (StatPearls, NBK470437). Pertussis toxin is a major exotoxin that interferes with host cell signaling by ADP-ribosylating G proteins, leading to systemic effects such as lymphocytosis (UniProt, P04977). These antigens are the primary components of modern acellular pertussis vaccines, such as DTaP and Tdap, which aim to elicit a protective antibody response (CDC, 2023). While these vaccines have significantly reduced the burden of disease, challenges such as waning immunity and the emergence of pertactin-deficient strains have necessitated ongoing research into improved vaccine formulations and therapeutic antibodies (PubMed, PMC5088088). The interaction between these antigens and the host immune system is the basis for both the disease's pathology and its prevention through immunization. This target entry represents a group of distinct molecular entities rather than a single protein, reflecting the multi-antigenic nature of pertussis immunity.

Other names

Pertussis antigensBordetella pertussis virulence factorsWhooping cough antigens

Induction of active immunity through the production of neutralizing antibodies that inhibit bacterial adhesion and neutralize exotoxins.