Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 168, 905-917, Copyright © 1988 by Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLES

Human monoclonal antibodies to group B streptococcus. Reactivity and in vivo protection against multiple serotypes

HV Raff, PJ Siscoe, EA Wolff, G Maloney and W Shuford
Oncogen, Seattle, Washington 98121.

Group B streptococcal (GBS) infections cause significant mortality and morbidity among infants. Passive antibody immunotherapy has been proposed as treatment for infected infants. To this end, two human mAb- secreting cell lines were produced by EBV immortalization of human B cells. The mAbs were specific for the group B polysaccharide and bound to strains of all five serotypes as demonstrated by ELISA and crossed immunoelectrophoresis. The mAbs reacted and opsonized 100% (132/132) of the clinical isolates tested which represented all four capsule types. Both prophylactic and therapeutic protection with these mAbs were demonstrated in neonatal rats given lethal infections of types Ia and III human clinical isolates. These data indicate that a single human mAb directed against the group B carbohydrate can protect against GBS infections caused by the different serotypes. This antibody may be useful in the passive immunotherapy of infants infected with GBS.
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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Pincus, S. H., Smith, M. J., Jennings, H. J., Burritt, J. B., Glee, P. M. (1998). Peptides That Mimic the Group B Streptococcal Type III Capsular Polysaccharide Antigen. J. Immunol. 160: 293-298 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Shuford, W, Raff, H., Finley, J., Esselstyn, J, Harris, L. (1991). Effect of light chain V region duplication on IgG oligomerization and in vivo efficacy. Science 252: 724-727 [Abstract]  

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