Distribution of receptor glycolipids for Lactobacilli in murine digestive tract and production of antibodies cross-reactive with them by immunization of rabbits with Lactobacilli.
In the digestive tract of mice (HR-1 strain), glycolipids belonging to the ganglio-series were revealed to be expressed in region-specific manners, i.e. FGA1 and FGM1 in the stomach, GA1 in the small intestine, and FGA1 and sulphatides in the cecum. The amount of GA1 as a receptor glycolipid for Lactobacilli was especially higher in the small intestine than in the other regions, it comprising 1.6-2.8 microg/mg dry weight. On immunization of rabbits with Lactobacillus johnsonii and Lactobacillus intestinalis, both of which are murine intestinal bacteria, antibodies toward bacterial glycolipids, i.e. Galalpha1-2Glcalpha1-3DG, and tri- and tetrahexaosyl DGs, were effectively generated and, in addition, they were found to cross-react with GA1 and GalCer, but not with structurally related glycolipids such as Lc(4)Cer, nLc(4)Cer and IV(3)Galalpha-nLc(4)Cer, indicating that GA1 is a preferable antigen for anti-lactobacillus antisera and suggesting the presence of epitopes common to both Lactobacilli and the host. In fact, molecules reacting with anti-GA1 antibodies were detected among bacterial proteins on Western blotting, indicating a possible occurrence of the carbohydrate structure mimicking GA1 in bacterial proteins.
Department of Biochemistry, Kinki University, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan. iwamori@life.kindai.ac.jp
Masao
M
Iwamori
Takahiro
T
Shibagaki
Yoshiyuki
Y
Nakata
Shigeki
S
Adachi
Taisei
T
Nomura
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D006017:Glycolipids; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C033639:glycolipid receptor