Serum antibody response to outer membrane proteins of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis in patients with bronchopulmonary infection.
A Western blot (immunoblot) method for detecting antibodies against outer membrane protein (OMP) epitopes of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis was evaluated. Paired serum samples from patients suspected of M. catarrhalis (n = 38) and non-M. catarrhalis (n = 25) bronchopulmonary infection were examined for the presence of antibodies of the immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA classes to OMPs from M. catarrhalis by a gel electrophoresis-immunoperoxidase technique (Western blotting); sera from 40 healthy adult blood donors were also included. A significantly (P = 0.004) more frequent occurrence of IgM-class antibodies and/or an increase in the number of IgG-class antibodies against different M. catarrhalis OMPs from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples was found for patients with M. catarrhalis (79%) than for patients without M. catarrhalis (40%). IgM-class antibodies against OMPs of M. catarrhalis were found in acute- and/or convalescent-phase serum samples form 58% of patients with M. catarrhalis and 32% of patients without M. catarrhalis. Fifty percent of patients with M. catarrhalis and 16% of patients without M. catarrhalis had, from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples, an increased number of IgG-class antibodies directed against different OMPs. A total of 34% of patients with M. catarrhalis and 4% of patients without M. catarrhalis had, from acute- to convalescent-phase serum samples, an increased number of IgA-class antibodies directed against different OMPs. The present study indicates that M. catarrhalis is one of the bacteria involved in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.
Christensen
J J
JJ
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Hansen
N Q
NQ
Bruun
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007164:Immunosorbents; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D007164:Immunosorbents