Human monoclonal antibodies against an epitope on the class 5c outer membrane protein common to many pathogenic strains of Neisseria meningitidis

Summary, in English

Neisseria meningitidis is a causative agent of meningitis. Despite vaccination programs, it still causes a large number of deaths in young children. Early diagnosis followed by passive immunization with human monoclonal antibodies could be an approach to effective therapy. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal, healthy blood donors and from vaccinated individuals were immunized in vitro, using outer membrane proteins purified from A. meningitidis B:4:P1,15. The immunized human B cells were Epstein-Barr virus transformed and fused to a heteromyeloma. Several stable human hybridoma cell lines were established and two, secreting antibodies against the 31-kDa class 5c outer membrane protein, were characterized further. The human antibodies were of IgG1 and IgG3 isotypes, with κ light chains. The recognized epitope was commonly found among pathogenic strains of N. meningitidis; thus, these human monoclonal antibodies may be important in the evaluation of N. meningitidis infections.

• Author: Maria E Fernández De Cossío; Mats Ohlin; Manual Llano; Barbro Selander; Silian Cruz; Jesus Del Valle; Carl A K Borrebaeck
• Department/s: Department of Immunotechnology; Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Glycobiology - MIG
• Publishing year: 1992
• Language: English
• Pages: 1322-1328
• Publication/Series: Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Volume: 166
• Issue: 6
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/166.6.1322
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Topic: Infectious Medicine
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0022-1899