Question

4. Strains of Escherichia coli that cause urinary tract infections, known as Uropathogenic E. coli or UPEC, initiate infection by binding to uroepithelial cells. The E. coli fimbriae FimH binds specifically to D-mannosides on the host uroepithelial cells. A vaccine to stimulate production of neutralizing antibodies that bind to E. coli FimH is in clinical trials. How would this vaccine prevent UPEC infection?

Answer 1

Fimbriae are the shorter extensions of bacterial outer layer which helps bacteria to adhere with the receptors present on host cells during infection. Here interaction of E. coli fimbriae protein FimH with D-mannoside present on the receptors of uroepithelial cell is necessary for infection. If a vaccine will produce antibodies which will bind with FimH protein of E.coli fimbriae can prevent the infection as all the FimH protein of E.coli fimbraie will be engaged by binding with antibodies produced by vaccine and thus no more FimH protein will be freely available to interact with the D mannoside of the receptors of the uroepithelial cells and hence no infection will occur.