title: Antibodies to lipopolysaccharides after immunization of humans with the rough mutant Escherichia coli J5.
abstract: To investigate whether immunization with Escherichia coli J5 boiled cells induces antibodies directed at deep core structures, antibodies against J5 lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Re LPS, and lipid A were measured in the serum of 70 volunteers before and 2 weeks after immunization. To improve the sensitivity and the specificity of ELISA, complexes of core LPS with high-density lipoproteins were used instead of free core LPS as antigens. A median three-fold increase in antibodies directed against J5 LPS was observed, but no significant increase in the antibodies against Re LPS or lipid A was found. Since J5 antiserum did not react with several smooth LPS or with Re LPS and lipid A, cross-reactivity could not be demonstrated. Thus, immunization of volunteers with E. coli J5 produced a modest specific antibody response against J5 LPS. The mechanism of protection previously observed with J5 antiserum remains unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heumann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Calandra
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Glauser
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL