Shigella species antigen

Shigella species antigens encompass a variety of surface-exposed molecules, most notably the O-antigen component of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the invasion plasmid antigens (IpaB, IpaC, and IpaD). These antigens are fundamental to the virulence of Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, by mediating bacterial adherence, invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, and subsequent intracellular survival (Cossart & Sansonetti, 2004). The O-antigen is the primary basis for serotyping and is the leading target for vaccine candidates due to its ability to elicit protective antibody responses (Cohen et al., 2022). Current therapeutic approaches involve the development of glycoconjugate vaccines, such as Flexyn2a, and Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) to induce long-lasting immunity against prevalent serotypes (Micoli et al., 2021). Challenges in targeting these antigens include the high degree of serotype diversity and the need for multivalent formulations to achieve broad geographic coverage (Mani et al., 2016). Monitoring efficacy typically involves measuring serum IgG and mucosal IgA levels specific to the targeted O-antigens (Ramamurthy et al., 2019).

Other names

Shigella spp. antigensShigella O-antigenShigella lipopolysaccharideShigella surface proteinInvasion plasmid antigenShigella LPS

Vaccine-mediated induction of serotype-specific antibodies (IgG and IgA) that target the O-antigen to prevent bacterial invasion and promote opsonophagocytosis (Cohen et al., 2022; Mani et al., 2016).