Beschreibung:
<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p><jats:italic>Neisseria meningitidis</jats:italic>is a global cause of meningitis and septicemia. Immunity to<jats:italic>N. meningitidis</jats:italic>involves both innate and specific mechanisms with killing by serum bactericidal activity and phagocytic cells. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase serum protein that has been shown to help protect the host from several bacterial pathogens, which it recognizes by binding to phosphorylcholine (PC) on their surfaces. Pathogenic<jats:italic>Neisseria</jats:italic>species can exhibit phase-variable PC modification on type 1 and 2 pili. We have shown that CRP can bind to piliated meningococci in a classical calcium-dependent manner. The binding of CRP to the meningococcus was concentration dependent, of low affinity, and specific for PC. CRP appears to act as an opsonin for<jats:italic>N. meningitidis</jats:italic>, as CRP-opsonized bacteria showed increased uptake by human macrophages and neutrophils. Further investigation into the downstream effects of CRP-bound<jats:italic>N. meningitidis</jats:italic>may lead us to a better understanding of meningococcal infection and help direct more effective therapeutic interventions.</jats:p>