A bacterial vesicle-based pneumococcal vaccine against influenza-mediated secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae pulmonary infection

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a common pathogen causing a secondary bacterial infection following in fl uenza, which leads to severe morbidity and mortality during seasonal and pandemic in fl uenza. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop bacterial vaccines that prevent severe post -in fl uenza bacterial pneumonia. Here, an improved Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strain (designated as YptbS46) possessing an Asd + plasmid pSMV92 could synthesize high amounts of the Spn pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) antigen and monophosphoryl lipid A as an adjuvant. The recombinant strain produced outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) enclosing a high amount of PspA protein (designated as OMV-PspA). A prime -boost intramuscular immunization with OMV-PspA induced both memory adaptive and innate immune responses in vaccinated mice, reduced the viral and bacterial burden, and provided complete protection against in fl uenza -mediated secondary Spn infection. Also, the OMV-PspA immunization afforded signi fi cant cross -protection against the secondary Spn A66.1 infection and long-term protection against the secondary Spn D39 challenge. Our study implies that an OMV vaccine delivering Spn antigens can be a new promising pneumococcal vaccine candidate. Mucosal Immunology (2024) 17:169 - 181; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mucimm.2024.01.002