Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1972 Oct;6(4):574–582. doi: 10.1128/iai.6.4.574-582.1972

Shared Antigens Between Heterologous Bacterial Species

Percy Minden 1, J Kenneth McClatchy 1, Richard S Farr 1
PMCID: PMC422577  PMID: 4344028

Abstract

Sera from normal rabbits were shown to have antibodies that bound radiolabeled test antigens derived from many taxonomically unrelated bacteria. Sera from rabbits that had been immunized with sonically treated material of 12 different bacteria, including M. bovis strain BCG, had antibodies that bound not only radiolabeled homologous test antigens but also radiolabeled antigens from many unrelated bacteria. Binding by normal and immunized sera to radiolabeled test antigens was inhibited by homologous unlabeled test antigens but not by substances such as bovine serum albumin, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sheep erythrocytes, and endotoxin. The broad range of shared or cross-reactivity among antigens in bacteria may explain the presence of antibodies to many bacteria in sera from normal humans and previously unimmunized experimental animals. The presence of these antibodies raises the question whether resistance to many bacterial infections may be partly due to immune mechanisms, whether cellular or humoral, that have been stimulated by unrelated bacteria.

Full text

PDF
574

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BOEHME D., DUBOS R. J. The effect of bacterial constituents on the resistance of mice to heterologous infection and on the activity of their reticulo-endothelial system. J Exp Med. 1958 Apr 1;107(4):523–536. doi: 10.1084/jem.107.4.523. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boyden S. V. Natural antibodies and the immune response. Adv Immunol. 1966;5:1–28. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60271-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bradshaw M. W., Schneerson R., Parke J. C., Jr, Robbins J. B. Bacterial antigens cross-reactive with the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b. Lancet. 1971 May 29;1(7709):1095–1096. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91837-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Coppel S., Youmans G. P. Specificity of the anamnestic response produced by Listeria monocytogenes or Mycobacterium tuberculosis to challenge with Listeria monocytogenes. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jan;97(1):127–133. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.1.127-133.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DUBOS R. J., SCHAEDLER R. W. Reversible changes in the susceptibility of mice to bacterial infections. I. Changes brought about by injection of pertussis vaccine or of bacterial endotoxins. J Exp Med. 1956 Jul 1;104(1):53–65. doi: 10.1084/jem.104.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FARR R. S. A quantitative immunochemical measure of the primary interaction between I BSA and antibody. J Infect Dis. 1958 Nov-Dec;103(3):239–262. doi: 10.1093/infdis/103.3.239. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Glynn A. A., Ward M. E. Nature and Heterogeneity of the Antigens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Involved in the Serum Bactericidal Reaction. Infect Immun. 1970 Aug;2(2):162–168. doi: 10.1128/iai.2.2.162-168.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goldschneider I., Gotschlich E. C., Artenstein M. S. Human immunity to the meningococcus. II. Development of natural immunity. J Exp Med. 1969 Jun 1;129(6):1327–1348. doi: 10.1084/jem.129.6.1327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gray M. L., Killinger A. H. Listeria monocytogenes and listeric infections. Bacteriol Rev. 1966 Jun;30(2):309–382. doi: 10.1128/br.30.2.309-382.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hobby G. L., Lenert T. F. Cross immunity between mycobacterial and Pseudomonas pseudomallei infections in mice. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1971 Apr;103(4):569–571. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1971.103.4.569. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Mackaness G. B., Blanden R. V. Cellular immunity. Prog Allergy. 1967;11:89–140. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Michael J. G. Natural antibodies. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1969;48:43–62. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-46163-7_3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Minden P., Anthony B. F., Farr R. S. A comparison of seven procedures to detect the primary binding of antigen by antibody. J Immunol. 1969 Apr;102(4):832–841. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Minden P., Farr R. S. Binding between components of the tubercle bacillus and humoral antibodies. J Exp Med. 1969 Nov 1;130(5):931–954. doi: 10.1084/jem.130.5.931. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Minden P., McClatchy J. K., Bardana E. J., Farr R. S. Antigenic Differences Between Mycobacterium bovis Strain BCG and an Isoniazid-Resistant Mutant. Infect Immun. 1971 Apr;3(4):524–529. doi: 10.1128/iai.3.4.524-529.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Minden P., McClatchy J. K., Cooper R., Bardana E. J., Jr, Farr R. S. Shared antigens between Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) and other bacterial species. Science. 1972 Apr 7;176(4030):57–58. doi: 10.1126/science.176.4030.57. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. NETER E., DRISLANE A. M., HARRIS A. H., GORZYNSKI E. A. Study on antibodies against enteric pathogens in human gamma globulin. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1959 Aug;49:1050–1059. doi: 10.2105/ajph.49.8.1050. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. RANTZ L. A., RANDALL E., ZUCKERMAN A. Hemolysis and hemagglutination by normal and immune serums of erythrocytes treated with a nonspecies specific bacterial substance. J Infect Dis. 1956 Mar-Apr;98(2):211–222. doi: 10.1093/infdis/98.2.211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ruskin J., Remington J. S. Immunity and intracellular infection: resistance to bacteria in mice infected with a protozoan. Science. 1968 Apr 5;160(3823):72–74. doi: 10.1126/science.160.3823.72. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sharpe M. E., Latham M. J., Reiter B. The occurrence of natural antibodies to rumen bacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1969 Jun;56(3):353–364. doi: 10.1099/00221287-56-3-353. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. WEISS D. W., BONHAG R. S., PARKS J. A. STUDIES ON THE HETEROLOGOUS IMMUNOGENICITY OF A MENTHANOL-INSOLUBLE FRACTION OF ATTENUATED TUBERCLE BACILLI (BCG). I. ANTIMICROBIAL PROTECTION. J Exp Med. 1964 Jan 1;119:53–70. doi: 10.1084/jem.119.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. WELSHIMER H. J. Staphylococcal antibody production in response to injections with Listeria monocytogenes. J Bacteriol. 1960 Mar;79:456–457. doi: 10.1128/jb.79.3.456-457.1960. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. WHANG H. Y., NETER E. STUDY OF HETEROGENETIC (KUNIN) ANTIBODIES IN SERUM OF HEALTHY SUBJECTS AND CHILDREN WITH ENTERIC AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS. J Pediatr. 1963 Sep;63:412–419. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(63)80429-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES