An overview of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) as a therapeutic target for Acinetobacter baumannii infection.

Abstract

Introduction: The rapid dissemination of drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains has severely limited available therapeutic options, highlighting the urgent need for novel or alternative treatment strategies.

Areas covered: Among the diverse virulence factors of A. baumannii, outer membrane protein A (AbOmpA) has emerged as a key pathogenic determinant. AbOmpA plays a multifaceted role in bacterial pathogenesis by mediating host cell adherence and invasion, biofilm formation, stress tolerance, modulation of host immune responses, and resistance to antimicrobial agents. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies, including proteomics, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics, have significantly expanded our understanding of the structure, function, and pathogenic roles of AbOmpA. Consequently, substantial research efforts have focused on the development of AbOmpA-targeted interventions, such as antimicrobial peptides, small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines. These approaches have demonstrated promising results in reducing bacterial virulence and disease severity, offering potential strategies to combat drug-resistant A. baumannii infections.

Expert opinion: AbOmpA represents a highly promising therapeutic target for the treatment of A. baumannii infections due to its high abundance and conservation, its central role in bacterial pathogenesis, and its lack of homology with human proteins. However, further studies are required to overcome current limitations and to evaluate clinical applicability of AbOmpA-targeted therapies.