Relation between low capacity of human sera to inhibit streptococcal mitogens and serious manifestation of disease.
The proliferative response of lymphocytes induced by a new streptococcal mitogenic factor (MF) and the streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (Spe) A and B was determined in sera from 6 healthy persons. Responses were compared to those obtained from reference serum that lacked mitogen-specific ELISA antibodies. The sera showed individual variations in the levels of MF- and Spe-specific antibodies, as determined by ELISA. The experiments showed that most human sera, which contained mitogen-specific antibodies, could neutralize the mitogenicity of the proteins. However, there were sera that contained mitogen-specific antibodies but that did not inhibit the toxin-induced proliferation. Thus, the ELISA antibody titer did not always equal the neutralizing capacity. Sera from 27 patients with group A streptococcal bacteremia had significantly lower neutralizing ability against MF and SpeB than did sera from 25 uncomplicated tonsillitis cases.
Norrby-Teglund
A
A
Department of Clinical Bacteriology, University of Umeå, Sweden.
Pauksens
K
K
Holm
S E
SE
Norgren
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012016:Reference Values; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; C083356:mitogenic factor, Streptococcus