Meningococcal group W-135 capsular polysaccharide

The **meningococcal group W-135 capsular polysaccharide** is a high molecular mass polysaccharide that forms the outer capsule of *Neisseria meningitidis* serogroup W-135, a major virulence determinant responsible for evasion of host immune responses and a key epidemiological marker. The capsule is primarily composed of sialic acid residues linked to galactose and is genetically determined by specific capsule biosynthesis and transport genes. This polysaccharide enables immune evasion by interfering with complement deposition and phagocytosis, but in contrast to other group capsules, the W-135 capsule can paradoxically serve as a site for complement C3 fragment deposition via the alternative pathway, which has implications for the organism’s pathogenicity and vaccine strategy. The W-135 capsular polysaccharide is a major antigenic target in several conjugate and polysaccharide meningococcal vaccines. It is not a receptor, enzyme, transporter, or canonical drug target, but rather a microbial antigen, making it unsuitable for the "therapeutic target" classification used for human protein or receptor targets. **Note:** - This entry is *not* a canonical therapeutic target like a human protein or receptor—rather, it is a bacterial antigen/virulence factor, so is_target should be *false* and is_incorrect should be *true* according to your conventions. - Most entries requested (such as molecular family, mechanism of drug action) must relate to its status as a pathogen antigen, not as a traditional drug target.

Other names

Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 capsuleW-135 capsular polysaccharideMeningococcal W-135 polysaccharide

Vaccines: Induce antibody response targeting the W-135 capsular polysaccharide to provide immunity and facilitate bacterial clearance