Repertoires of antibodies to culture filtrate antigens in different mouse strains infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
Two susceptible (Bcgs) mouse strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6, were compared by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis for their immunoglobulin G response to 14-day-old BCG culture filtrate (CF) following intravenous infection with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. The two strains demonstrated a completely different antibody repertoire. BALB/c antibodies were directed against a wide range of CF antigens between 20 and about 100 kilodaltons (kDa), with a preferential recognition of the 65-kDa heat shock protein and the 32-kDa fibronectin-binding protein. C57BL/6 sera, on the other hand, showed a much more restricted antibody pattern, almost exclusively directed against three antigens with estimated molecular sizes of 37, 38, and 40 kDa. Whereas the 37- and 38-kDa antigens were also recognized by BALB/c mice, the 40-kDa antigen was very intensely stained by C57BL/6 sera only. F1 mice had the restricted antibody pattern of C57BL/6 after one injection of BCG and had a hybrid BALB/c-C57BL/6 phenotype following a boost injection of BCG 2 months after the initial infection. Analysis of seven recombinant inbred strains derived from the BALB/c x C57BL/6 cross and of congenic mice differing in major histocompatibility complex-coding chromosome 17 fragments suggests that a gene in the K-IA region of the H-2 locus is associated with the preferential recognition of certain CF antigens. Inoculation with the same dose of killed BCG failed to elicit an antibody response to these filtrate antigens.
Huygen
K
K
Pasteur Institute of Brabant, Brussels, Belgium.
Ljungqvist
L
L
ten Berg
R
R
Van Vooren
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003470:Culture Media; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000276:immunology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G