NEUTRALIZING ACTIVITY OF HUMAN POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIES TOWARDS STAPHYLOCOCCAL AND STREPTOCOCCAL SUPERANTIGENS IN VITRO, AND IN VIVO USING A MURINE MODEL OF TOXIC SHOCK
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Date
2009-08
Department
Hood College Biology
Program
Hood College Biomedical Science
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Abstract
Staphylococcal and streptococcal superantigens (SAgs) are the causes of toxic
shock syndrome (TSS), a serious life threatening condition often resulting from
staphylococcal and streptococcal infections. Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG)
preparations, containing antibodies against SAgs, have been used as adjunctive therapy
to antibiotics in TSS cases, however with limited success.
To exhaust the potential of SAg-specific polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) in
treatment of TSS, pAbs towards the staphylococcal SAgs SEA, SEB, SED, TSST-1, and
streptococcal SpeA and SpeC were affinity-purified from IVIG and their SAg-neutralizing
and cross-neutralizing potential, alongside that of IVIG, were tested in vitro using human
peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in vivo in a murine model of toxic
shock. Our results showed that these purified pAbs had on average a 100-fold better
toxin neutralizing activity than IVIG in vitro. Purified pAbs also provided better
protection to toxin-challenged mice than IVIG. The degree of cross-neutralization
towards toxins with similar primary structure was shown to be high.