This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fohn, M J Articles by Hillier, S L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fohn, M J Articles by Hillier, S L

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Mobiluncus species.

Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

ABSTRACT

Members of the genus Mobiluncus are anaerobic motile curved rods which are associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the ATCC type strains of M. curtisii subsp. curtisii, M. curtisii subsp. holmesii, and M. mulieris were produced and characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay. Four MAbs were subspecies specific and reacted with M. curtisii subsp. curtisii but not with M. curtisii subsp. holmesii; four were specific for M. mulieris. The remaining antibodies demonstrated some cross-reactivity: three were species specific and reacted with both subspecies of M. curtisii, and one defined an epitope shared by M. curtisii subsp. holmesii and M. mulieris but not by M. curtisii subsp. curtisii. None of the MAbs reacted with a panel of other bacteria commonly present in the vaginas of normal women or women with BV. Examination of the molecular specificities of the antibodies by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting revealed four antibodies which were specific for an 82,000-dalton molecule of M. curtisii subsp. curtisii and five antibodies which bound a major band of M. mulieris at 93,000 daltons. Selected MAbs reacted in the indirect immunofluorescence assay with 24 of 25 Mobiluncus spp. clinical isolates from local women with BV and could be used for direct detection of Mobiluncus spp. in vaginal fluid from a patient with BV.