Antigen Processing of the Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Carrier Protein CRM₁₉₇Differs Depending on the Serotype of the Attached Polysaccharide

Abstract

The pneumococcal (Pn) conjugate vaccine includes seven different polysaccharides (PS) conjugated to CRM(197). Utilizing antigen-processing cells and a CRM(197)-specific mouse T-cell hybridoma, we found that the serotype of conjugated PnPS dramatically affected antigen processing of CRM(197). Unconjugated CRM(197) and serotype conjugates 14 and 18C were processed more efficiently.