Potential of a Novel Protein, OMP26, from Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae To Enhance Pulmonary Clearance in a Rat Model

A major outer membrane protein band of approximately 25 to 27 kDa is commonly observed in strains of Haemophilus influenzae. This study has investigated the potential of a 26-kDa protein (OMP26) from nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHI) as a vaccine candidate. OMP26 was used to immunize rats via intestinal Peyer’s patches, followed by an intratracheal boost. Immunization was found to significantly enhance bacterial clearance following pulmonary challenge with both the homologous NTHI strain and a different NTHI strain. Significant levels of anti-OMP26 were found in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage from immunized rats, and isotypes of immunoglobulin G (IgG) were also measured in serum. Analysis of IgG isotypes present in serum following OMP26-immunization suggest that predominantly a T-helper 1-type response was induced. The OMP26 protein was amino-terminally sequenced and found to have no homology with the P5 of H. influenzae type b P5 or the fimbrin protein of NTHI, both can migrate upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at similar molecular masses but OMP26 has 100% homology with a segment of the H. influenzae Rd genome. The results of this study suggest that OMP26 may be a suitable vaccine candidate against NTHI infection and warrants continued investigation and characterization.