title: Antibodies to polysialic acid and its N-propyl derivative: binding properties and interaction with human embryonal brain glycopeptides.
abstract: There is no efficient vaccine against group B meningococcal meningitis because of tolerance induced by host tissue polysialic acid cross-reacting with the capsular polysaccharide. The specificities of polysialic acid-antibody interactions were studied using a ligand binding assay. Antibodies 735, 20-1, 2-1B, 2-2B, 5E1, and t5E1 and antibodies against N-propionylated group B meningococcal polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate (NP-4, 106-6) bound polysialylated human embryonal brain glycopeptides but not control glycopeptides or disialosyllactose, whereas antibodies 109-3 and I-627 were more specific for the N-propionylated polysaccharide. Antiganglioside antibodies (KM538, KM641) did not cross-react with polysialic acid. Human class-switched antibodies 5E1 (IgM) and t5E1 (IgG) reacted identically with all compounds tested and no temperature-dependent differences were observed. All anti-polysialosyl antibodies required a polysaccharide chain of 8-10 residues for binding independent of the immunizing antigen, animal species, or immunoglobulin class. The results suggest careful evaluation of polysialic acid cross-reactivity in vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Häyrinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Raff
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rougon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerardy-Schahn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finne
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D011422:Propionates; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D006020:Glycopeptides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D011422:Propionates; D012794:Sialic Acids; C021319:polysialic acid