title: [Serum immunoglobulin IgG subclass distribution of antibody responses to Francisella tularensis in patients with tularemia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was aimed at determining the IgG subclass distribution against F. tularensis in patients with tularemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total number of 56 serum samples obtained from patients with serologically confirmed tularemia were tested by in-house ELISA with bacterial sonicate as the antigen for the presence of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 antibodies to F. tularensis. Based on the results of determining the level of antibodies in the sera of 30 blood donors, the cut-off limit of serum antibodies for each subclass was set at arithmetic mean plus three standard deviations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies of subclass IgG1 to F. tularensis were diagnosed in 41 (73.2%), IgG2 in 52 (92.9%) and IgG3 in 13 (23.2%) serum samples. The arithmetic mean of OD450 of antibodies IgG2 was over three-times higher than antibodies IgG1 and IgG3 measured in all of tested serum samples. The concentration of IgG4 was below the detection level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, IgG2 antibodies to F. tularensis are predominating IgG subclass in tularemia. This study showed also that subclasses of IgG1 and IgG3 but not IgG4 antibodies to F. tularensis are produced during natural infection in humans.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rastawicki
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rokosz-Chudziak
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wolaniuk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014406:Tularemia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G