Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibody to Treponema hyodysenteriae antigens.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated and compared with the microtitration agglutination test for the detection of swine antibody to Treponema hyodysenteriae lipopolysaccharide antigens. Cells of T. hyodysenteriae serotypes 1 and 2 were extracted with hot phenol-water (68 degrees C). The lipopolysaccharide fraction from the aqueous phase was coated on plastic wells at concentrations of 1 micrograms (serotype 1) and 10 micrograms (serotype 2) of carbohydrate per ml. The ELISA was serotype specific when lipopolysaccharide antigens were reacted against sera from convalescent swine. Seroconversion of infected pigs was detectable with the ELISA within 1 to 2 weeks postinoculation and with the microtitration agglutination test 2 to 3 weeks postinoculation. Antibody titers could be detected in convalescent pigs as long as 19 weeks postinoculation by the ELISA and 12 to 13 weeks postinoculation by the microtitration agglutination test. Therefore, the ELISA may be useful for the detection of asymptomatic carriers.     

Bactericidal effect of normal swine sera on Treponema hyodysenteriae.

Treponema hyodysenteriae was incubated in 20% normal swine sera (NSS) at 37 degrees C for 4 h, and viability was determined by a plate dilution method. NSS was bactericidal for nonpathogenic T. innocens and avirulent T. hyodysenteriae, but not for virulent T. hyodysenteriae isolates. Heat inactivation at 56 degrees C for 30 min, treatment with EDTA or EGTA [ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N-tetraacetic acid], or removal of immunoglobulin M eliminated the bactericidal activity of NSS. However, removal of the alternate complement pathway with 10 mg of bentonite per ml did not remove bactericidal activity of NSS. Incubation of virulent isolates of T. hyodysenteriae in the presence of specific antisera plus NSS resulted in bactericidal activity. These data suggest that complement and natural antibody may be involved in protecting the host from T. innocens or avirulent T. hyodysenteriae and that T. hyodysenteriae antibody plus complement are involved in protecting convalescent pigs from re-exposure to swine dysentery.     

Evaluation of microagglutination test for differentiation between Serpulina (Treponema) hyodysenteriae and S. innocens and serotyping of S. hyodysenteriae.

Swine dysentery is a mucohemorrhagic diarrheal disease caused by the anaerobic spirochete Serpulina hyodysenteriae. At present, the serotyping is done by immunodiffusion testing with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extract as antigen and rabbit hyperimmune sera produced against different serotypes of S. hyodysenteriae. Since the preparation of LPS is time-consuming and requires a large quantity of bacteria, it is desirable to use a serotyping method which does not require the extraction of LPS. In the present investigation, microagglutination was evaluated by using both formalinized whole- and boiled-cell suspensions as antigens and rabbit hyperimmune sera produced against formalinized whole-cell suspensions of reference strains of S. hyodysenteriae and S. innocens B256. Use of boiled cell suspension as antigen permitted the differentiation between isolates of S. hyodysenteriae and S. innocens as well as serotyping of S. hyodysenteriae strains accurately. A total of 18 isolates were identified as S. hyodysenteriae, and 3 isolates were identified as S. innocens. The microagglutination test was found specific, sensitive, and easy to perform; thus, it was judged suitable for routine identification and serotyping of S. hyodysenteriae isolates.     

Studies on mixed agglutination with special reference to the A antigen and the physical properties of the operative antibodies

Differences in reactions in the mixed agglutination test with anti-A sera from different individuals were found to be unrelated to the titre against human or pig A red cells or simply to the presence or absence of either 7S or 19S antibody. It was found that 7S anti-A was capable of producing mixed agglutination, but that 19S fractions more frequently produced mixed agglutination than the 7S fraction from the same serum. Treatment of sera with 2-mercapto-ethanol abolished the capacity to produce mixed agglutination from some sera, whilst other sera were unaffected. Some anti-A sera gave the same titre of mixed agglutination with both secretor and non-secretor buccal cells, but other sera reacted more strongly with secretor than with non-secretor cells. Production of mixed agglutination by 7S antibodies was also demonstrated with fractions of rabbit antisera against Forssman antigen and against bovine red cells.     

Detection of specific antibodies toToxoplasma gondii by a competitive enzyme immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody against the P30 antigen

An inhibition EIA using a monoclonal antibody against the major P30Toxoplasma gondii surface protein was designed for detection of specific antibodies in human sera. The assay was based on the inhibition of binding of peroxidase labelled monoclonal antibody toToxoplasma gondii crude antigen coated plates by the corresponding antibodies present in human sera. This rapid and simple assay was compared to indirect immunofluorescence, direct agglutination and an immunosorbent agglutination assay using 435 human sera. The specificity and sensitivity were 100 % and 97 % respectively. This test was found to be as sensitive as the dye test.     

Complement-dependent and complement-independent interactions between Mycoplasma hominis and antibodies in vitro.

Several in vitro reactions between a strain of M. hominis (no. 4195) and homologous antiserum have been delineated and compared. One complement-dependent and four complement-independent activities of antibody have been studied. The complement-dependent activity was mycoplasmacidal and was inhibited by the presence of arginine in the test medium. The complement-independent antibody-mediated reactions were not mycoplasmacidal and were four in number: (a) agglutination, which was manifested in buffered saline after incubation for 24-48 h at 36 degrees C, and in which the end-points were dependent upon the concentration of antigen; (b) metabolic inhibition, in which antiserum added to liquid growth medium produced slowing of the rate at which the pH rises during growth; (c) agglutination during growth, which occurred in liquid growth medium after the addition of antiserum and coincided with, but generally preceded, metabolic inhibition; and (d) inhibition of multiplication in which high concentrations of antiserum led to inhibition of multiplication or metabolic activity, with persistence of viable mycoplasmas, under otherwise favourable conditions of growth. The end-points for each of the above methods of detecting antibody are not identical.     

同时检测HIV抗体及p24抗原快速诊断试剂的研制

目的：研制可同时检测HIV－1、HIV－2抗体及p24抗原的胶体金快速诊断试剂。方法：利用重组杆状病毒－昆虫细胞系统进行HIV－1 gp41及HIV－2 gp36抗原的高效表达，以免疫亲和层析法纯化抗原。抗－HIV p24单克隆抗体杂交瘤细胞株，并制备抗－HIV p24单克隆抗体。以硝酸基纤维膜为载体，以纯化的HIV－1 gp41、HIV－2 gp36抗原及抗p24抗体点膜，20nm胶体金颗粒／抗人IgG和抗－HIV p24单克隆抗体进行标记，对33份已知HIV感染者阳性血清及6份阴性血清进行检测。结果：通过重组杆状病毒－昆虫细胞系统进行HIV－1 gp41及HIV－2 gp36抗原的表达，可获取浓度为2．0mg/L的纯化抗原。从抗p24单克隆抗体杂交瘤细胞株中培养上清液，通过葡萄球菌蛋白A免疫亲和层析柱可得到1．5mg/L的纯化抗体。利用纯化的抗原抗体进行标记，对39份已知血清进行检测，与荷兰Organon公司HIV1＋2抗体、p24抗原、ELISA诊断试剂同时检测结果进行比较，证实有较强的特异性及敏感性。结论：同时检测HIV－1、HIV－2抗体及p24抗原快速诊断试剂的问世，可为HIV感染的诊断提供一个简便、可靠、敏感的方法。     

Western blot analysis of antibody response to pneumococcal protein antigens in a murine model of pneumonia.

To detect new antigen candidates for serological tests, we studied the antibody response to pneumococcal protein antigens in mice infected intratracheally with various Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. Sera were tested by Western blotting against whole-cell protein extracts. Mice developed a detectable immunoglobulin G-type response against a small number of polypeptides. The antibody response was strain dependent: sera from individuals infected with the same strain gave similar banding patterns on immunoblots. The banding patterns varied with the strain used for infection. However, a band at 36 to 38 kDa was recognized by all reactive sera. This band appeared to correspond to a polypeptide that was antigenically well conserved among the different S. pneumoniae serotypes. An antibody response to this antigen developed in mice irrespective of the capsular type, the virulence, and the susceptibility to penicillin G of the infecting strain. Thus, this 36- to 38-kDa protein antigen may be of value for the development of a serological test for humans.     

An enzyme immunoassay for dengue antibody using infected cultured mosquito cells as antigen

A simple enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for dengue virus antibody detection used infected tissue culture cells as antigen. C6/36 Aedes albopictus cells infected with dengue virus, and uninfected control cells were fixed with 3.3% formalin. This technique eliminated microplate coating and laborious antigen preparation, and it facilitated rapid screening of large numbers of sera. Formalin also inactivated dengue virus infectivity. Microplates prepared by this technique could be stored at -20 or -70 degrees C for at least two months. Human sera were adsorbed with C6/36 cells prior to testing in the EIA in order to reduce nonspecific binding to C6/36 cells.     

Four-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Treponema pallidum antibody.

Further studies of a four-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedure to detect Treponema pallidum antibody are described. High-titered antibody, produced in rabbits by intravenous injection of T. pallidum, was used to coat polyvinyl chloride microtiter plates. To these plates a known concentration of T. pallidum was added, followed in successive steps by serial dilutions of human sera and appropriately diluted peroxidase-labeled anti-human immunoglobulin G antibody. O-Phenylenediamine was the substrate. A total of 340 sera were obtained from the DeKalb County Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic, Atlanta, Ga., and examined within 3 days of receipt. Ninety-six percent test agreement between the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption-double staining test was obtained. A total of 372 additional sera stored at -20 degrees C were examined. The overall sensitivity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with sera from patients with various stages of syphilis was 96%. With sera from uninfected individuals, the specificity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was 95%. No antigen instability was noted with the two antigen preparations used during this evaluation.     

Cross-protection of mice provided by active and passive immunization against experimental infections with virulent Proteus rettgeri and Providencia bacteria.

Immunization with Providencia and Proteus rettgeri Formalin-treated bacterial suspensions produced high levels of protection in mice against homologous and heterologous challenge. Mice were also cross-protected, but less effectively, by passive administration of rabbit type-specific antisera. The protective activity appeared to be due to an antigen common to strains of different O-serotypes. It was not detectable in agglutination reactions, and preliminary results indicate that it is thermostable, not being inactivated in its antibody binding capacity at 121 degrees C for 1 h.     

Development of a slide latex agglutination test for rotavirus antigen detection

The aim of this study was to optimize the conditions for the passive adsorption of polyclonal antibody onto plain surface polystyrene latex particles and its performance in a slide latex agglutination test for rotavirus antigen detection. Cleaning of latex particles by washing through repetitive centrifuging, decanting and resuspending in distilled water was adequate in removing surfactants from the particles' surfaces to enable coating. A study of antibody concentration, incubation temperature and buffer pH revealed that optimum coating was achieved with a 3-fold excess of antibody to the calculated total particle surface capacity for the antibody in a glycine-saline buffer of pH 9.2 at 40 degrees C for 4 hours. The ionic strength and pH of the latex suspending buffer and the sample buffer were critical factors determining the sensitivity of the test and the appearance of non-specific agglutination. Ultrasonication, addition of glycerol and Tween 20, either individually or in combination, were able to suppress non-specific agglutination in some batches of latex reagents. Polyethylene glycol 6000 enhanced the quality of agglutination as well as reduced the time of its appearance, especially in reagents that produced poor agglutination.     

A rapid assay for detecting antibody against leucocytozoonosis in chickens with a latex agglutination test using recombinant R7 antigen.

A method for detecting antibody against leucocytozoonosis in chickens by latex agglutination (LA) was developed using latex beads coated with recombinant R7 (rR7), an outer membrane antigen of second-generation schizonts of Leucocytozoon caulleryi. Compared with the agar gel precipitation test, which is widely used in Japan, LA could detect antibody induced by L. caulleryi infection with greater sensitivity. No agglutination was detected with sera from specific pathogen free or layer chickens that had not been vaccinated with oil-adjuvanted rR7 antigen, or infected with L. caulleryi, nor with sera from chickens inoculated with other pathogens, establishing the specificity of the assay. The LA test was also able to be used to quantify serum antibody induced by vaccination, which is not possible with the agar gel precipitation test. This study has shown that LA using the rR7 antigen is a simple, quick, and useful method for detecting antibody against L. caulleryi.     

A reverse passive latex agglutination test for the diagnosis of systemic candidosis

A new reverse passive latex agglutination test for the detection of serum antigen in systemic Candida albicans infection is reported. 1700 sera were examined from 91 patients who had either proven or suspected systemic candidosis, 183 patients who were colonized and 636 patients with no evidence of candidal infection. Thirty of the systemically infected patients had lymphoproliferative disorders and the rest a variety of surgical or medical diseases with no underlying neutropenia. The latex particles were sensitised with an antiserum raised in rabbits against a pressate of Candida albicans. The degree of antigenaemia was proportional to the likelihood of invasive disease such that a diagnostic cut-off point of 1 in 8 produced a test for systemic candidosis with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 80.4% in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders. In the remaining medical and surgical patients a diagnostic cut-off point of 1 in 10 produced a test with a sensitivity of 96.7% and specificity of 98.8%. The patients with lymphoproliferative disorders tended to produce lower serum antigen levels. The sera were also assayed for antibody using latex particles sensitised with pressate.     

Characterization of the major outer membrane antigens of Treponema hyodysenteriae.

Outer membrane extracts of Treponema hyodysenteriae were used to evaluate the antibody responses in immunized or convalescent pigs. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis identified antibodies in sera reactive with 14- to 19-kilodalton (kDa) antigens. Reactivity against these antigens could be removed only by absorption of sera with butanol-water-extracted endotoxin from the homologous strain of T. hyodysenteriae. Treatment of the outer membrane extracts with 0.1 M sodium meta-periodate, but not with proteinase K, abolished reactivity with both outer membrane and endotoxin antigens (14 and 19 kDa). These results indicate that swine vaccinated with the outer membrane extract of T. hyodysenteriae develop antibody responses to outer membrane antigens qualitatively similar to those of swine convalescing from active infection, especially antibodies against low-molecular-mass antigens. The nature of the 14- to 19-kDa antigens appears consistent with that of treponemal endotoxin and lipopolysaccharide.     

Immunoenzymatic detection of three kinds of 43,000-molecular-weight antigens by monoclonal antibodies in the insoluble fraction of Toxoplasma gondii.

Monoclonal antibodies (TpM 3, TpM 6, and TpM 19) against Toxoplasma gondii insoluble antigens were produced by the hybridization of NS-1, a mouse myeloma cell line, with spleen cells from mice immunized with T. gondii insoluble antigens. TpM 3, TpM 6, and TpM 19 were characterized by the dye test, the latex agglutination test, two types of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, using either T. gondii supernatant antigens or T. gondii insoluble antigens, and immunoperoxidase staining. TpM 3, TpM 6, and TpM 19 antigens were analyzed by the immunoblotting method, using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electrophoretic transfer of the antigens to nitrocellulose sheets. TpM 3, TpM 6, and TpM 19 were all negative by the dye test, the latex agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using T. gondii supernatant antigens but positive by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using T. gondii insoluble antigens. Each antibody gave unique spot patterns in the cytoplasm of tachyzoites, and each detected antigens of ca. 43,000 molecular weight with different electrophoretic patterns. Purified TpM 3 antigen bound only to TpM 3 but not to TpM 6 or TpM 19. Comparable results were obtained with TpM 6 and TpM 19 antigens. Rabbit anti-T. gondii sera reacted with both TpM 3 and TpM 19 antigens. However, human anti-T. gondii sera reacted only with TpM 3 antigen. These results indicate that T. gondii insoluble antigens contained at least three types of 43,000-molecular-weight antigens that have been revealed for the first time in this paper.     

Evaluation of a new method for identification of Cryptococcus neoformans which uses serologic tests aided by selected biological tests.

A new method for identifying Cryptococcus neoformans isolates and their serotypes by the slide agglutination test using five kinds of factor sera, with the aid of nitrate reduction, phenol oxidase, and growth at 37 degrees C tests was evaluated by using 36 reference strains and 75 clinical isolates of C. neoformans. The results showed that the reference strains were identified exactly as they were labeled, and clinical isolates were identified as C. neoformans serotypes A, D, and AD. C. neoformans could be distinguished from other Cryptococcus species that cross-reacted with factor sera by their ability to grow at 37 degrees C. These results indicate that the slide agglutination test combined the use of factor sera for isolates which grow at 37 degrees C is a useful method for identification of C. neoformans and their serotypes and that the nitrate reduction test (negative in 100% of the isolates) and the phenol oxidase test (positive in approximately 95% of the isolates) can be used to confirm that the species is C. neoformans.     

Biosynthesis of human blood group T-, N- and M-specific immunodeterminants on human erythrocyte antigens.

We synthesized on Tn erythrocytes with human sera, UDP-Gal, and activators T-specific haptenic structures in satisfactory yield. The specificity of this biosynthesis was ascertained by agglutination with human and animal anti-T, by specific absorption of human anti-T as well as by agglutination inhibition assays. With isolated human erythrocyte T antigen as substrate we synthesized N- and M-specific structures with sera from individual human donors in presence of CMP-sialic acid by incubation for 24 hr at 37 degrees C. Serology on the recovered product was carried out with nineteen monospecific human and animal sera under strictly standardized and controlled conditions with the mandatory tube assay. All M- as well as N-derived T antigens tested acquired N specificity with all transferase sera of all MN types. In contrast, M-activation of M- and N-drived T antigens tested acquired N specificity with all transferase sera of all MN types. In contrast, M-activation of M- and N-derived T antigens occurred only if the transferase donor had the M gene. The nine M transferase sera used all gave M-activation of MM- and NN-derived T antigens. None of twelve transferase sera from NN donors M-activated any T antigen. NN antigen was transformed to a M-specific one by all transferase sera from MM donors but by none from NN donors. We have not yet established the biochemical-genetic relation of M to N; N may be the immediate precursor of M or M may originate directly from T. The sialyltransferase responsible for M activation may be a N transferase 'modified' by the M gene product or an entirely different sialyltransferase.     

Experimental infection with Treponema hyodysenteriae in guinea pigs.

Outbred and inbred (Hartley strain) guinea pigs (GP) were inoculated intragastrically with pathogenic and nonpathogenic Treponema hyodysenteriae. GP 3 to 16 weeks old received T. hyodysenteriae after a fasting period of 36 to 72 h. Infected GP with pathogenic T. hyodysenteriae developed a diarrheal and/or depressive condition, with mucus but not blood in the feces. Of 88 GP, 40 had gross lesions resembling those of swine dysentery. Lesions were limited mainly to the large intestine. TP used as controls or inoculated with nonpathogenic T. hyodysenteriae did not develop these lesions in the large intestine. These studies suggest that the GP may be used as an animal model for swine dysentery.     

Use of monoclonal antibodies in an ELISA to detect IgM class antibodies specific for Toxoplasma gondii.

Two monoclonal antibodies CH6 and C1E3 were used in an antibody class capture assay for the detection of IgM antibodies specific for Toxoplasma gondii. CH6 was used on the solid phase to capture human IgM. After a Toxoplasma gondii antigen had been added, specifically bound material was detected using C1E3 coupled to horseradish peroxidase. The assay was compared with an established system using polyclonal antisera at both the capture and antigen detection stages. A good correlation was found, with 97.3% (125 of 128) of sera giving the same classification in both assays. Three sera were positive only in the polyclonal system. No false positive results were found when 118 negative sera were examined. The two monoclonal antibodies provide a viable alternative to the use of polyclonal sera at the capture and antigen detection stages in the antibody class capture assay for the measurement of specific IgM against T gondii.