{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T08:02:19Z","timestamp":1793347339000,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]],"date-time":"2022-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1653868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NIAID F30AI156995"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID F30AI156995"]}]},{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NIAID T32007538"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID T32007538"]}]},{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NIAID U19AI113187"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID U19AI113187"]}]},{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NCATS KL2TR001448"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCATS KL2TR001448"]}]},{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NCATS UL1 TR001449"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCATS UL1 TR001449"]}]},{"name":"Epidemiology and Prevention Interdisciplinary Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections","award":["NIH\/NCI P30CA118100"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCI P30CA118100"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NIAID F30AI156995"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID F30AI156995"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NIAID T32007538"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID T32007538"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NIAID U19AI113187"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NIAID U19AI113187"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NCATS KL2TR001448"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCATS KL2TR001448"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NCATS UL1 TR001449"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCATS UL1 TR001449"]}]},{"name":"UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support","award":["NIH\/NCI P30CA118100"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NIH\/NCI P30CA118100"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Vaccines"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the most common bacterial sexual transmitted pathogen, yet a vaccine is not currently available. Here, we used the immunogenic bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particle (VLP) technology to engineer vaccines against the Ct major outer membrane protein variable domain 4 (MOMP-VD4), which contains a conserved neutralizing epitope (TTLNPTIAG). A previously described monoclonal antibody to the MOMP-VD4 (E4 mAb) is capable of neutralizing all urogenital Ct serovars and binds this core epitope, as well as several non-contiguous amino acids. This suggests that this core epitope may require conformational context in order to elicit neutralizing antibodies to Ct. In order to identify immunogens that could elicit neutralizing antibodies to the TTLNPTIAG epitope, we used two approaches. First, we used affinity selection with a bacteriophage MS2-VLP library displaying random peptides in a constrained, surface-exposed loop to identify potential E4 mAb mimotopes. After four rounds of affinity selection, we identified a VLP-displayed peptide (HMVGSTKWTN) that could bind to the E4 mAb and elicited serum IgG that bound weakly to Ct elementary bodies by ELISA. Second, two versions of the core conserved TTLNPTIAG epitope (TTLNPTIAG and TTLNPTIAGA) were recombinantly expressed on the coat protein of the MS2 VLP in a constrained, surface-exposed loop. Mouse immune sera IgG bound to Ct elementary bodies by ELISA. Immunization with these MS2 VLPs provided protection from vaginal Chlamydia infection in a murine challenge model. These data suggest that short peptide epitopes targeting the MOMP-VD4 could be appropriate for Ct vaccine design when displayed on an immunogenic bacteriophage VLP vaccine platform.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines10060875","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,31]],"date-time":"2022-05-31T05:25:42Z","timestamp":1653974742000},"page":"875","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Epitope-Based Vaccines against the Chlamydia trachomatis Major Outer Membrane Protein Variable Domain 4 Elicit Protection in Mice"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3214-1898","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amanda L.","family":"Collar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0504-0741","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandria C.","family":"Linville","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4933-6598","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susan B.","family":"Core","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathryn M.","family":"Frietze","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA"},{"name":"Clinical and Translational Science Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2939","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2016.03.111","article-title":"The Global Roadmap for Advancing Development of Vaccines against Sexually Transmitted Infections: Update and next Steps","volume":"34","author":"Gottlieb","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1630","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2014.01.053","article-title":"Vaccines against Sexually Transmitted Infections: The Way Forward","volume":"32","author":"Broutet","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7346","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2017.10.075","article-title":"National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Workshop Report: \u201cChlamydia Vaccines: The Way Forward\u201d","volume":"37","author":"Zhong","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1024","DOI":"10.1128\/iai.35.3.1024-1031.1982","article-title":"Antigenic Analysis of the Major Outer Membrane Protein of Chlamydia spp.","volume":"35","author":"Caldwell","year":"1982","journal-title":"Infect. 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