# Induction of cross C. trachomatis serovar protection utilizing a polyvalent nanoparticle vaccine.

> **NIH NIH U19** · LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC · 2023 · $385,910

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Throughout the world Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial
pathogen. In countries with poor sanitary conditions ocular infections with Ct can result in trachoma, the most
frequent cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Based on protection and serological studies in mice Ct is
classified into 15 major serovars of which eight account for most of the sexually transmitted infections (STI). In
men and women, the majority of genital Ct infections are asymptomatic and therefore not treated. Even in
symptomatic cases unless therapy is implemented in a timely and correct manner long-term sequelae including
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic abdominal pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility can occur. Thus,
vaccination is the best approach to control chlamydial infections. In this Project we want to test the hypothesis
that a subunit vaccine formulated with Ct antigens elicits robust immune responses and induces cross-serovar
protection in female mice against a genital challenge. To accomplish this goal we are going to test, in C3H/HeN
female mice, vaccines formulated with the Ct major outer membrane protein (MOMP) and the polymorphic
membrane proteins (Ppms). MOMP, MOMP peptides, MOMP DNA and RNA, from Ct senior serovars, will be
formulated and delivered using Nano-Scaffold-Based Nano Lipoprotein Particles (NLP). Immunization with
native MOMP will help guide the production of these vaccine constructs. To enhance protection in the genital
tract, mice will be vaccinated by mucosal and systemic routes using adjuvants. Following vaccination, mucosal
and systemic cellular and humoral immune responses will be determined and correlated with protection.
Vaccinated animals will be challenged transcervically with the eight most clinically relevant Ct serovars.
Protection against infection will be assessed by determining the number of mice with positive vaginal cultures,
the total number of positive vaginal cultures, the length of time mice shed and the severity of vaginal shedding.
To determine protection against long-term sequelae vaccinated and challenged female mice will subsequently
be caged with proven male breeder mice and fertility and upper genital pathology, including hydrosalpinx
formation, will be evaluated. If we cannot obtain a robust, broad cross-serovar protection by vaccinating only
with MOMP, we will test a polyvalent vaccine with MOMP in combination with Ppm C, G or H using NLP. To
ascertain the neutral, additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects of each antigen, following vaccination,
immune responses to each antigen will be characterized and the data will be correlated with protection. Our
goal is to engineer a safe Nano-Scaffold-Based subunit vaccine that protects mice against a genital challenge
with the Ct serovars that infect the human genital tract. At the end of this project protective vaccine constructs
will be ready for scale-up production and human implementation. An efficac...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10694902
- **Project number:** 5U19AI144184-05
- **Recipient organization:** LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew Adrian Coleman
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $385,910
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-08 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10694902

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10694902, Induction of cross C. trachomatis serovar protection utilizing a polyvalent nanoparticle vaccine. (5U19AI144184-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10694902. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*