Abstract
The increasing rate of resistance of bacterial infection against antibiotics requires next generation approaches to fight potential pandemic spread. The development of vaccines against pathogenic bacteria has been difficult, in part because the genetic diversity of bacteria means there are many potential target antigens and little way to know a priori which will prove effective at inducing protective immunity. The painstaking process of selecting appropriate antigens could be avoided with whole-cell bacteria; however, whole-cell formulations typically fail to produce long-term and durable immune responses. These complications are one reason why no vaccine against any type of pathogenic E. coli has been successfully clinically translated. Here, we demonstrate a method to enhance the immunogenicity of a model pathogenic E. coli strain by forming a slow releasing depot though biomimetically mineralizing bacteria within a metal-organic framework (MOF). This process encapsulates composites within 30 minutes in water and at ambient temperatures. Vaccination with this new formulation substantially enhances antibody production and results in significantly enhanced survival in a mouse model of bacteremia compared to standard inactivated formulations.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Substantial rewrite following reviewer comments