Abstract
Using the Western Blot technique, sera from apparently healthy individuals were shown to contain antibodies against pneumococcal protein antigens of different molecular weights. A remarkable correlation was found to exist between the number of protein bands stained and the level of antibodies to type-specific carbohydrate antigens and C-polysaccharide. The findings suggest that the presence of antibodies against protein antigens reflects past infection with pneumococci.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tunevall G The antipneumolysin reaction and its clinical application. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical Laboratory Investigations 1953, 5: 109–115.
Gillespies SH Aspects of pneumococcal infection including bacterial virulence, host response and vaccination. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1989, 28: 237–248.
Briles DE, Forman C, Horowitz JC, Volanakis JE, Benjamin WH, McDaniel LS, Eldridge J, Brooks J Antipneumococcal effect of C-reactive protein and monoclonal antibodies to pneumococcal cell wall and capsular antigens. Infection and Immunity 1989, 57: 1457–1464.
McDaniel LS, Briles DE A pneumococcal surface protein (PspB) that exhibits the same protease sensitivity as streptococcal R antigen. Infection Immunity 1988, 56: 3001–3003.
Lock RA, Paton JC, Hansman D Purification and immunological characterization of neuraminidase produced byStreptococcus pneumoniae. Microbial Pathogenesis 1988, 4: 33–43.
Berry AM, Lock RA, Hansman D, Paton JC Contribution of autolysin to virulence ofStreptococcus pneumoniae. Infection and Immunity 1989, 57: 2324–2330.
Austrian R, Macleod CM A type-specific protein from pneumococcus. Journal of Experimental Medicine 1949, 89: 439–450.
Sorensen UBS, Blom J, Birch-Andersen A, Henrichsen J Ultrastructural localisation of capsules, cell wall polysaccharide, cell wall proteins, and F antigen in pneumococci. Infection and Immunity 1988, 56: 1890–1896.
Pease AA, Douglas CWI, Spencer RC Identifying noncapsulate strains ofstreptococcus pneumoniae isolated from eyes. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1986, 39: 871–875.
Munoz R, Martin-Bourgon C, Casal J Analysis of protein antigens as a potential marker forStreptococcus pneumoniae. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 1988, 7: 296–300.
Tuomenen E, Rich R, Zak O Induction of pulmonary inflammation by components of pneumococcal cell surface. American Review of Respiratory Disease 1987, 135: 869–874.
Tuomenen E, Tomasz A, Hengstler B, Zak O The relative role of bacterial cell wall and capsule in the induction of inflammation in pneumococcal meningitis. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1985, 151: 535–540.
Ripley-Petzoldt M, Scott Giebink G, Juhn S, Aeppli D, Tomasz A, Tuomanen E The contribution of pneumococcal cell wall to the pathogenesis of experimental otitis media. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1988, 157: 245–255.
Pedersen FK, Henrichsen J Detection of antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1982, 15: 372–378.
Schiffmann G, Douglas RM, Bonner MJ A radio immunoassay for immunologic phenomena in pneumococcal disease and for the antibody response to pneumococcal vaccines. In: Method for the radioimmunoassay of anti-capsular antibodies and comparison with other techniques. Journal of Immunological Methods 1980, 33: 133–144.
McDaniel LS, Scott G, Kearny JF, Briles DE Monoclonal antibodies against protease-sensitive pneumococcal antigens can protect mice from fatal infection withStreptococcus pneumoniae. Journal of Experimental Medicine 1984, 160: 386–397.
Renneberg J, Persson K, Christensen P Western Blot analysis of the antibody response of patients withListeria monocytogenes meningitis and septicemia. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 1990, 9: 659–663.
Laemmli UK Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 1970, 227: 680–685.
Sorensen UBS, Henrichsen J Cross-reactions between pneumococci and other streptococci due to C polysaccharide and F antigen. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1987, 25: 1854–1859.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Renneberg, J., Svinhufvud, M., Prellner, K. et al. Western Blot analysis of immunoglobulin G antibodies to pneumococcal protein antigens in healthy adults. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 10, 73–76 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964411
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964411