Immunologic identification of M. leprae. Immunofluorescence and complement fixation.
A markedly improved immunofluorescent technic employing FITC conjugated IgG antibody prepared from lepromatous serum is described as a means of specific identification of M. leprae. An additional immunologic identification method for M. leprae is presented as a micro-complement fixation technic employing antigen rather than antibody dilution. Studies with these technics suggest that M. leprae specific antigen is probably a surface antigen and has as part of its mosaic a lecithin-phospholipid component. It is not unlikely that it is a protein-glyco-phospholipid with a polysaccharide component. These technics employed with nodular extract (NE) from lepromas, with 15 strains of mycobacteria, with M. leprae from human tissue as well as from previously reported in vitro culture, strongly reinforce the allegation that M. leprae is readily cultivated in vitro in the hyaluronic acid based medium LA-3, previously reported.
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests / Q000379:methods*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007120:Immunochemistry; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000276:immunology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D010743:Phospholipids