title: Opsonization of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by immunoglobulin G antibody reactive with phosphorylcholine.
abstract: We used two strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, one bearing phosphorylcholine (PC) (strain D045D-40) and one devoid of PC antigens (strain DB03A-42), as well as a nonencapsulated strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae (strain 39937), to examine the opsonic properties of physiological concentrations (</=30 micro g/ml) of purified human anti-PC immunoglobulin G (IgG). Anti-PC bound to both A. actinomycetemcomitans DO45D-40 and S. pneumoniae 39937 and induced superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils; induction of the oxidative burst was inhibited by antibodies to either CD16 or CD32. Thus, anti-PC IgG at concentrations present in most human sera promotes the opsonization of PC-expressing strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans in the absence of complement, implying that anti-PC may be a protective antibody against such strains of bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for Periodontal Disease, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Purkall
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Tew
authors.forename: Harvey A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Schenkein
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology*; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000502:physiology; D016897:Respiratory Burst; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D010767:Phosphorylcholine