TABLE 1.

Comparative results of SBA, C3b deposition, and MAC formation on various meningococcal strains exposed in the bactericidal serum A, the nonbactericidal serum B, and an a-γ-globulinemic serum

N. meningitidis strains	Capsule presence	PorA expression	LPS presence	Findings in SBA− serum B compared to those in SBA+ serum Aa			Findings in a-γ-globulinemic serum compared to those in SBA+ serum A
				SBA	C3b	MAC	SBA	C3b	MAC
H44/76	+	+	+	s↓	n	s↓	s↓	s↓	s↓
V24	−	+	+	n	n	n	n	n	s↓
pLAK33	+	+	−	n	n	n	n	n	s↓
H44/76 PorA+	+	++	+	s↓	n	n	s↓	ND	ND
H44/76 PorA−	+	−	+	s↓	n	n	s↓	ND	ND
V24 PorA+	−	++	+	n	n	↓b	n	ND	ND
V24 PorA−	−	−	+	n	n	↓	n	ND	ND

^as↓, significantly lower. n, no significant difference. ND, not done.

^bResults of two experiments.