1887

Abstract

We have previously described a surface oligosaccharide antigen (epitope C) present in fresh isolates of and in variants grown in subcutaneous chambers, but poorly formed by variants repeatedly subcultured We have now investigated the presence of antibodies to epitope C in sera from normal individuals and from patients with gonorrhoea. Sera were analysed by Western blotting and ELISA, and compared with a pool of sera from normal individuals with no known history of gonorrhoea. Antigenic extracts and monoclonal antibody to the C epitope were used for competition and inhibition studies. Only the sera from patients contained antibodies to epitope C. Antibodies to several other gonococcal antigens were found in sera from patients, and also in normal sera. Collectively, the results indicate that epitope C is expressed in humans, that patients with gonorrhoea develop antibodies to it, and that such antibodies are absent in sera of normal individuals.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-134-5-1289
1988-05-01
2024-12-03
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/micro/134/5/mic-134-5-1289.html?itemId=/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-134-5-1289&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Apicella M. A., Gagliardi N. C. 1979; Antigenic heterogeneity of the nonserogroup antigen structure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipopolysaccharides. Infection and Immunity 26:870–874
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Brooks G. F., Ingwer I. 1979; Studies on the relationships between serum bactericidal activity and uncomplicated genital infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Journal of Infectious Diseases 158:333–339
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Buchanan T. M. 1973; Antigenic heterogeneity of gonococcal pili. Journal of Experimental Medicine 141:1470–1475
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Cohen I. R. 1967; Natural and immune human antibodies reactive with antigens of virulent Neisseria gonorrhoeae: immunoglobulins G, M, and A. Journal of Bacteriology 94:141–148
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Cohen I. R., Kellogg D. S. Jr Norins L. C. 1969; Serum antibody response in experimental human gonorrhoea: immunoglobulins G, A and M. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 45:325–327
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Demarco De Hormaeche R., Thornley M. J., Glauert A. M. 1978; Demonstration by light and electron microscopy of capsules on gonococci recently grown in vivo. Journal of General Microbiology 106:81–91
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Demarco De Hormaeche R., Thornley M. J., Holmes A. 1983; Surface antigens of gonococci: correlation with virulence and serum resistance. Journal of General Microbiology 129:1559–1567
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Demarco De Hormaeche R., Bundell C., Chong H., Taylor D. W., Wildy P. 1986; Definition of a virulence-related antigen of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with monoclonal antibodies and lectins. Journal of Infectious Diseases 153:535–546
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Diaz J. L., Heckels J. E. 1982; Antigenic variation of outer membrane protein II in colonial variants of Neisseria gonorrhoeae P9. Journal of General Microbiology 128:585–591
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Esquenazi V., Streitfeld M. M. 1973; Transformation of lymphocytes in gonorrhoea before and after therapy. Infection and Immunity 8:503–509
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Grimble A. S., Mcilmurray M. B. 1973; Cell mediated immune response in gonorrhoea. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 49:446–449
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Heckels J. E. 1979; The outer membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: evidence that protein I is a transmembrane protein. FEMS Letters 6:325–327
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Heckels J. E. 1984; Molecular studies on the pathogenesis of gonorrhoea. Journal of Medical Microbiology 18:293–307
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Hess E. V., Hunter D. K., Ziff M. 1965; Gonococcal antibodies in acute arthritis. Journal of the American Medical Association 191:531–534
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Johnston K. H., Holmes K. K., Gotschlich E. C. 1976; The serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. I. Isolation of the outer membrane complex responsible for serotype specificity. Journal of Experimental Medicine 143:741–758
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Kearns D. H., Seibert G. B., O’Reilly R., Lee L., Logan L. 1973a; Paradox of the immune response to uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis. New England Journal of Medicine 289:1170–1174
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Kearns D. H., O’Reilly R., Lee L., Welch B. G. 1973b; Secretory IgA antibodies in the urethral exudate of men with uncomplicated urethritis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Journal of Infectious Diseases 127:99–101
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Kwapinski G., Kwapinski E., Webb C. J. 1978; Studies on circulating gonococcal antibodies and antigens. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 24:109–111
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Lambden P. R., Heckels J. E., Mcbride H., Watt P. J. 1981; The identification and isolation of novel pilus types produced by variants of Neisseria gonorrhoeae P9 following selection in vivo. FEMS Letters 10:339–341
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Lammel C. J., Sweet R. L., Rice P. E., Knapp J. S., Schoolnik G. K., Heilborn D. C., Brooks G. F. 1985; Antibody-antigen specificity in the immune response to infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Journal of Infectious Diseases 152:990–1001
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Mandrell R., Schneider H., Apicella M., Zollinger W., Rice P. A., Griffiss J. M. 1986; Antigenic and physical diversity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae lipooligosaccharides. Infection and Immunity 54:63–69
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Mcmillan A., Mcneillage G., Young H. 1979a; Antibodies to Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a study of the urethral exudates of 232 men. Journal of Infectious Diseases 140:89–95
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Mcmillan A., Mcneillage G., Young H., Bain S. R. 1979b; Serum immunoglobulin response in uncomplicated gonorrhoea. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 55:5–9
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Mcmillan A., Mcneillage G., Young H., Bain S. R. 1979c; Secretory antibody response of the cervix to infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 55:265–270
    [Google Scholar]
  25. O’Reilly R., Lee L., Welch B. G. 1976; Secretory IgA antibody responses to Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the genital secretions of infected females. Journal of Infectious Diseases 133:113–125
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Perry M. B., Daoust V., Johnson K. G., Diena B. B., Ashton F. E. 1978; Gonococcal R-type lipopolysaccharides. In Immunobiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pp. 101–107 Brooks G. F., Gotschlich E. C., Holmes K. K., Sawyer W. D., Young F. E. Edited by Washington DC: American Society for Microbiology;
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Reggiardo Z., Vazquez E., Schnaper L. 1980; ELISA tests for antibodies against mycobacterial glycolipids. Journal of Immunological Methods 34:55–60
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Rosenthal L., Sandstrom E. 1978; Lymphocyte reactivity in patients with gonococcal urethritis. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 54:229–234
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Schneider H., Griffiss J. M., Williams G. D., Pier G. B. 1982; Immunological basis of serum resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Journal of General Microbiology 128:13–22
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Wyle F. A., Rowlett C., Blumenthal T. 1977; Cell mediated immune response in gonococcal infections. British Journal of Venereal Diseases 53:353–359
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Zak K., Diaz J. L., Jackson D., Heckels J. E. 1984; Antigenic variation during infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae: detection of antibodies to surface proteins in sera of patients with gonorrhoea. Journal of Infectious Diseases 149:166–174
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-134-5-1289
Loading
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-134-5-1289
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error