Protective Response Against <i>Acinetobacter Baumannii</i> with Ferric Iron Receptors Hemtr-Baua in a Murine Sepsis Model

Abstract

<b>Aim:</b> Iron uptake and metabolism pathways are promising targets in vaccine development as an alternative strategy for antibiotics. <b>Methods & methods:</b> HemTR, a putative heme receptor of <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>, was expressed and its protectivity against <i>A. baumannii</i> was determined singly or in combination with the siderophore receptor, BauA, in mice. <b>Results:</b> High level of IgG was elicited. There was a delay in mice mortality with reduced bacterial loads in internal organs in the sublethal challenge. Protection was better in the HemTR-BauA group in both lethal and sublethal challenges. Passive transfer of anti-HemTR and anti-BauA partially protected mice against <i>A. baumannii</i> infection. <b>Conclusion:</b> HemTR in combination with other iron receptors could contribute to the development of protective vaccines against <i>A. baumannii</i>.