Cross-reactions between mycobacteria. II. Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis of soluble antigens of BCG and comparison with other mycobacteria.
Cross-reactions between Mycobacterium bovis BCG and various other mycobacteria, Nocardia asteroides, Corynebacterium pyogenes and Listeria monocytogenes were studied by incorporating antibodies against these bacteria in the intermediate gel of a crossed immunoelectrophoretic system with BCG antigen and anti-BCG antibodies. In the BCG reference system forty-four distinct antigenic components were recorded, of which thiryt-three cross-reacted with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, twenty-five with M. avium, twenty-one with M. suvalii, eighteen with M. smegmatis, Fifteen with M. nonchromogenicum, twelve with M. phlei, eight with N. anteroides and two with C. pyogenes, whereas no cross-reaction was detected with L. monocytogenes. The value of the method for characterization of mycobacterial antigens is discussed. A taxonomic system based on this method appears particularly valuable for studies of non-cultivativable mycobacteria such as M. leprae. A majority of twenty-one patients with lepromatous leprosy had anti-BCG antibodies of restricted specificity, affecting only four or five BCG antigens, although one patient had twelve anti-BCG specificities. Most of these antibodies reacted with those BCG antigens that cross-react extensively with other mycobacteria.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D003355:Corynebacterium pyogenes / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000276:immunology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology; D009168:Mycobacterium phlei / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D009616:Nocardia asteroides / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine