Dr. Damian Jacob Sendler is a physician-scientist who studies the effect of different sociodemographic and informational variables on access to health care in disadvantaged areas. The effect of mental and chronic medical co-morbidities on the utilization of medical services and health information acquired through the internet is the subject of Dr. Sendler’s study. Given the exponential increase in worldwide consumption of online news and social media, this study is relevant, since it requires a thorough knowledge of everyone’s health information-seeking behavior. Dr. Damian Sendler’s study is aimed at elucidating the variables that affect patients’ choices about whether to seek treatment for particular health problems and how well they adhere to therapy.

Damian Sendler: CHOP scientists have discovered two proteins that may be utilized in the development of a vaccine against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, according to the hospital’s press release (NTHi). Researchers discovered that administering two bacterial adhesive proteins, which are critical in assisting the bacteria to latch on to respiratory cells and initiate respiratory tract infection, stimulated protective immunity against a variety of NTHi strains in a mouse model, highlighting the potential for a vaccine. 

In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today, the researchers reported their results. 

Damian Sendler: In children and adults, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae is the most common cause of bacterial respiratory tract infections, such as middle ear infection, sinus infection, and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other underlying lung diseases, resulting in significant morbidity.” It is also a significant contributor to the development of invasive diseases such as sepsis and meningitis. According to lead research author Joseph W. St. Geme, MD, Physician-in-Chief and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “At this time, there are no vaccinations or other methods to guard against infection owing to this organism.” We discovered two proteins that activate both an antibody response and a wider cell-medicated immune response that protect against different strains of NTHiinfluenzae. These proteins may be useful for inclusion in a vaccine that protects against a broad spectrum of NTHidiseases. 

Damian Sendler: The fact that there are so many different strains of NTHi makes the development of a vaccine that is effective against infection very challenging. Surface antigens, which are usually utilized for vaccination, differ from strain to strain, and antibodies raised against one strain of NTHi do not always protect against another strain of NTHi, as shown in Figure 1. 

Rather than focusing on a single protein, the researchers chose to concentrate on two high molecular weight sticky proteins that are involved in NTHi colonization of the nasopharynx, which is considered to be a key stage in the pathogenesis of NTHi illness. It is estimated that about 75 to 80 percent of NTHi strains have these sticky proteins, which are exposed on the surface of the bacteria. 

Damian Sendler: According to the findings of the researchers, vaccination of mice with HMW1 and HMW2 promoted the development of antibodies that were protective against the NTHi strain from which the sticky proteins were generated. Despite the fact that the antibodies were specific to the parent strain of NTHi, the investigators discovered that immunization with HMW1 and HMW2 provided protection against bacterial colonization by other NTHi strains as a result of the stimulation of cell-mediated immunity and the production of interleukin 17. This protection was attributed to the stimulation of cell-mediated immunity and the production of interleukin 17. 

As St. Geme said, “These findings suggest that mice were protected against infection by heterologous strains despite the presence of an antibody response that was strain specific.” “When considered as a whole, the results of this investigation emphasize the vaccination potential of the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins,” the researchers write.

News contributed by Dr. Damian Jacob Sendler