Production and characterisation of mouse monoclonal antibodies reactive with the lipopolysaccharide core of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the core antigen region of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were produced from mice immunised with whole cells of heat-killed rough mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing partial or complete core LPS. MAbs were screened in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against three different antigen cocktails: S-form LPS from three P. aeruginosa strains, R-form LPS from six P. aeruginosa strains and, as a negative control, R-form LPS from Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. Selected MAbs were subsequently screened against a range of extracted LPS and whole cells from both reference strains and clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. The antibodies were also screened in ELISA against whole-cell antigens from other Pseudomonas spp. as well as strains of Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria subflava and Staphylococcus aureus. Five MAbs reacting with the core component of P. aeruginosa LPS were finally selected. Two of these, MAbs 360.7 and 304.1.4, were particularly reactive in immunoblots against unsubstituted core LPS, including that from O-antigenic serotypes of P. aeruginosa. The MAbs also reacted with some of the other Pseudomonas spp., but not with P. cepacia or Xanthomonas (Pseudomonas) maltophilia. Cross-reactivity with whole cells from other bacterial species was minimal or not observed. Reactivity of MAbs with some Staph. aureus strains was observed, and binding to the protein A component was implicated. The reactivity of the MAbs was investigated further by flow cytometry and immunogold electronmicroscopy. The suitability of the MAbs for an immunological assay for detection of P. aeruginosa in respiratory secretions from CF patients is discussed.