Characterization of the immune response to an epitope on Mycobacterium leprae antigen 7 defined by a monoclonal antibody.
A mouse monoclonal antibody (038D-C6) was shown by crossed immunoelectrophoresis and radioimmunoassay to react with an epitope on the Mycobacterium leprae antigen 7. This epitope was highly crossreactive with BCG/M. tuberculosis and of a non-arabinogalactan-arabinomannan nature. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) was applied, based on competitive inhibition by human sera of antigen binding by this anti-M. leprae monoclonal antibody. Inhibitory activity determined by this assay decreased markedly upon treatment in both lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy patients. A correlation was found between the bacterial load of the patient and the inhibitory activity measured in the SPRIA assay. Serum-inhibitory activity could therefore perhaps be used as a follow-up test for patients on treatment or as a screening method to detect infective cases. A dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based, like the SPRIA assay, on competitive inhibition by human sera, was explored as an inexpensive and technically simple alternative also applicable under field conditions.
L J
LJ
Reitan
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Closs
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Harboe
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D051379:Mice; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes