title: Outer-membrane protein- and rough lipopolysaccharide-specific monoclonal antibodies protect mice against Brucella ovis.
abstract: Brucella ovis, a naturally virulent rough Brucella species, is the aetiological agent of ram epididymitis. The identification of protective antigens is necessary to obtain a safe, specific subcellular vaccine. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed at both brucella outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) and rough lipopolysaccharide (R-LPS) in a mouse protection test were used to identify potential targets for humoral immunity. Mixtures of MAbs directed at the 16.5-, 25-27-, 31-34- and 36-38-kDa OMPs conferred significant protection 7 days after challenge with reference strain B. ovis 63/290 compared with controls receiving either saline or an anti-brucella O-polysaccharide MAb. Furthermore, an anti-R-LPS MAb tested alone conferred protection at a level comparable with that obtained with the mixture of anti-OMP MAbs. The combination of protective OMP MAbs with the anti-R-LPS MAb was also strongly protective. One combination of OMP MAbs, which bound intensely to B. ovis in vitro, was ineffective. These results indicate that B. ovis OMPs and R-LPS are targets for protective antibodies and that they can be regarded as candidates for ram epididymitis subcellular vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pathologie Infectieuse et Immunologie, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Centre de Recherches de Tours, Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cloeckaert
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zygmunt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dubray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000662:veterinary*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides