Immunoblot analysis of serum immunoglobulin G response to surface proteins of Clostridium difficile in patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
We examined by immunoblot analysis the serum immunoglobulin G antibody response to EDTA-extracted surface proteins of Clostridium difficile in 16 patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. For each patient, paired serum samples were tested against proteins of the infecting strain and of a collection strain (C253) known to belong to the electrophoretic group 2 pattern. Eight patients, all harboring group 2 C. difficile strains, exhibited responses to the proteins of the infecting strain; six patients showed increases in the level of antibodies between acute-phase and convalescent-phase sera. A great variability in the antigens recognized was found; however, seven patients possessed antibodies directed against an antigen of about 35 kilodaltons, corresponding to the major protein of group 2 strains. The sera of these seven patients cross-reacted also with the 35-kilodalton and other proteins of strain C253. Our data show that C. difficile proteins other than toxins can elicit an immune response in patients with C. difficile-associated disease; in this group of patients, the major surface protein of the group 2 strains was the antigen most often recognized.
Pantosti
A
A
Bacteriology and Medical Mycology Laboratory, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Cerquetti
M
M
Viti
F
F
Ortisi
G
G
Mastrantonio
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003013:Clostridium / Q000276:immunology*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008565:Membrane Proteins