title: Blocking of bactericidal killing of Neisseria meningitidis by antibodies directed against class 4 outer membrane protein.
abstract: The class 4 protein of Neisseria meningitidis is a highly conserved outer membrane protein, closely related to the protein PIII of Neisseria gonorrhoea. Monoclonal antibodies SM50 and SM54 raised against PIII also react with class 4 protein but do not promote complement mediated bactericidal killing of meningococci. In addition, mAb SM50 inhibits the anti-meningococcal bactericidal activity both of normal human sera and of mAb SM300, directed against a protective epitope on the class 1 outer membrane protein. The ability of class 4 protein to induce such 'blocking' antibodies suggests that its presence in experimental vaccines, based on meningococcal outer membranes, may be antagonistic to the development of effective bactericidal immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Southampton Medical School, Southampton General Hospital, U.K.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munkley
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Tinsley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virji
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Heckels
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C051591:Rmp protein, Neisseria