[Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to group-specific antigenic determinant of group A streptococcal polysaccharides].

Hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (McAb) to group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) were obtained. Of these, 3 clones were selected: 2 clones producing IgG3, precipitating McAb and 1 clone producing IgM nonprecipitating McAb. The results of the competitive inhibition in the enzyme immunoassay suggested that precipitating and nonprecipitating McAb reacted with nonidentical epitopes of A-PS, though determinants, specifically reacting with the given McAb, had a common site which included N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.

[Specificity of a panel of monoclonal antibodies to group A Streptococcus polysaccharide and search for cross reactions with mammalian tissues].

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (McAb) to different determinants of group A Streptococcus polysaccharide (A-PS) has been studied. As revealed in this study, A-PS contains at least 4 determinants, common with different epidermal antigens. McAb, cross-reacting (CR) with different mammalian tissue antigens, have not been found to be group-specific.

[The structure of the determinants of streptococcal group A polysaccharide common to epidermal antigens to which antibodies are formed at different stages of the rheumatic process].

Several epidermal antigens containing carbohydrate determinants (DT), common with those of group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS), were identified: basal-cell antigen (1), antigens of the cytoplasm (2) and perinuclear zone (3) of the cells of the differentiated epidermal layers, as well as antigen characteristic of all layers of skin epithelium (4). As shown for the first time, in addition to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, cross-reacting DT of A-PS, antibodies to which were detected in rheumatism, also contained the remnants of rhamnose joined by bonds 1=> 2 and/or 1=>3. At the same time DT, common for A-PS and antigen 1, was found to contain N-acetylflucosamine and residues of rhamnose, joined by bond 1 reversible 2.

[The characteristics of the immune response to the polysaccharide determinants of Streptococcus group A in rheumatism].

As shown in this study, the formation of antibodies, at least, to the determinants (DT) of polysaccharide of group A streptococcus (A-PS), common with epidermal antigens, occurs in rheumatic fever. Two DT include N-acetylglucosamine; DT common with epidermal basal cell antigen (DT-1) and DT common with antigen of the perinuclear zone of the cytoplasm of cells of differentiated layers (DT-2). Two other DT seem to contain only rhamnose; DT common with the cytoplasm of cells of differentiated layers (DT-3) and DT common with epidermal antigen, characteristic of the cytoplasm of cells of all epidermal layers (DT-4).

[The effect of streptococcal group A polysaccharide on PHA-induced T-cell proliferation].

The influence of group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) on the proliferation and functional activity of subpopulations CD4+ and CD8+ of human peripheral blood lymphocytes has been studied. As revealed in this study, A-PS, though having no mitogenic activity of its own, is capable of influencing the process of proliferation of two main T-cell subpopulations in the presence of PHA. Its action has a regulatory character and is manifested by the maintenance of the ration of lymphocytes CD4+ and CD8+ in the culture at a constant level (approximating 1).

[Group A streptococcal polysaccharide--an inhibitor of the functional activity of T-suppressors induced by Con A in a culture of mononuclear cells of human peripheral blood].

It was found that group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) had no mitogenic effect on the intact human blood mononuclear cells' culture (MNC) and on its proliferation stimulated with ConA. Using a double staining technique for simultaneously determining cell surface phenotype and degree of cell activation by it's ability to include the tetrazolium dye MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl] -2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) it was established that A-PS decreased the percent of activated (MTT+) cells in the subpopulation of CD8+ and increased the percent of MTT+ cells among CD4+ lymphocytes in the intact MNC. In the MNC stimulated with ConA A-PS caused only one of these effects: it decreased the percent of MTT+ cells in the subpopulation of CD8+ lymphocytes.

[Lymphocytes with receptors to streptococcal polysaccharide group A in the thymus of rheumatism patients. Change in the response of normal thymocytes to adenosine, theophylline and decantate].

With the help of immunomodulators (adenosine, theophylline, levamisole) and decantat of 3-hour culture of normal thymocytes, the features of thymocytes with the receptor for polysaccharide of streptococcus group A(A-PSC) (R = PSC+cells) in patients with rheumatism. It has been established that in patients' thymus the quantity of lymphocytes, able to express R-PSC (predecessors of R = PSC + cells) decreased under the influence of theophylline and adenosine. The predecessors of R = PSC+thymocytes in the majority of patients with rheumatism are areactive to decantat action.

[Level of antibodies to different determinants of Streptococcus group A polysaccharide and autoantibodies to basal layer of the skin epithelium in rheumatism].

Direct dependence was established between the presence of autoantibodies reacting with the basal layer of the skin epithelium (BLSE) and the high level of antibodies to the streptococcal group A polysaccharide (APS). By the primary active rheumatic fever (PARF) autoantibodies to the BLSE are revealed. By the recurrent active rheumatic fever (RARF) and in the control sera, autoantibodies reacting with the BLES, apparently, are directed to the rhamnose determinants of APS.

[Comparison of the frequency of detection of autoantibodies to epidermal antigens with the level of antibodies to polysaccharide of group A Streptococcus and the number of T-suppressors in glomerulonephritis].

By the acute glomerulonephritis (GN) of streptococcal etiology, autoantibodies (AA) reacting with the basal layer of skin epithelium (BLSE) are discovered. The presence of this AA's correlate with the high level of antibodies to the streptococcal group A polysaccharide (A-PS). In the control sera such AA's and the high level antibodies to A-PS are discovered very rarely.

[The serological characteristics of the O antigens of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients with a Pseudomonas infection during immunotherapy].

Serologic characteristics of P. aeruginosa O-antigens isolated from patients with P. aeruginosa infection were studied over the course of treatment with anti-P.

[Antibodies to the rhamnose determinants of the polysaccharide of streptococci group A in the sera of rheumatism patients and donors].

In the sera of patients with recurrent rheumocarditis, and especially in cases of primary rheumatism, the level of antibodies to group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) has been found, according to the results of the enzyme immunoassay, to be considerably higher than in the sera of healthy donors. The level of antibodies to rhamnose determinants (RD) of A-PS has been determined by the inhibition of the immunoenzyme reaction with A-PS under the influence of a variant of group A streptococcus and rhamnose disaccharides with the bonds alpha 1-2 and alpha 1-3. In patients with recurrent rheumocarditis the level of antibodies to A-PS has been shown to be considerably higher than in healthy donors having these antibodies.

[Suppression of cytotoxic cellular reactions by the production of antibodies to rhamnose determinants of streptococcal group A polysaccharide cross-reacting with antigens of the skin epithelium].

By the BALB/c mice after different periods of immunization with the streptococci group A, treated with pepsin, antibodies belonging to autoantibodies to the determinants (DT) of polysaccharide (A-PS), cross-reactive (CR) with the epithelial skin cells, were investigated. In one of the mice groups, in the autologous system, on the target cells--macrophages of lymph nodes, the suppression of cytotoxic (CT) reactions was obtained. The CR are bound with the delayed type hypersensitivity appearing after the sensibilization with BCG.

[The suppression of delayed hypersensitivity to BCG antigens in BALB/c mice during the production of antibodies to the rhamnose determinants of Streptococcus group A polysaccharide].

The data obtained for the first time in our studies indicate that the production of antibodies to group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS), one of the cross-reacting streptococcal antigens, may suppress delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to microbial antigens. The existence of sharply pronounced correlation between the suppression of DH and the presence of antibodies to the rhamnose area of A-PS in the blood of BALB/c mice immunized with the pepsin-treated culture of group A streptococci has been shown. The suppression of DH is absent in the immunized animals of the same group whose blood contains antibodies to the determinant, specific for A-PS.

[Characteristics of cytoplasmic antigens of cells from differentiated epidermal layers in human thymic epithelium].

It was found that donor's serum and serum of patients with rheumatic fever, erysipelas and myasthenia gravis contained autoantibodies to the cytoplasmic antigens and to the antigen of perinuclear zone of differentiated layers cells of human epidermis. Using the serum with different level of autoantibodies to these epidermal antigens it's localization in the human thymus epithelium was determined. It was shown that perinuclear antigen of differentiated epidermis cells is localized in the cytoplasm of cortical and medullar thymus epithelial cells and in the perinuclear zone of some cells in Hassall's corpuscles.

[Group A streptococcal polysaccharide--stimulator of nonspecific cytotoxic reaction in autologous system of spleen cells].

p4 was shown the ability of group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) to stimulate nonspecific cytotoxic effect of spleen cells on autologous adherent cells (macrophages). The stimulating effect can be observed in vivo under the treatment of spleen cells with A-PS and any antigen (BSA, PPD, M-protein of group A streptococci). In the presence of antigen A-PS can induce nonspecific cytotoxic effect of normal spleen cells (mice CBA, BaLB/c) and of the mice with DHT and therefore these two immunologic phenomena do not depend on each other.

[The effect of immunization with Streptococcus group A on the development of delayed hypersensitivity to BCG antigens in mice of different strains].

Antibodies to group A streptococcal polysaccharide (A-PS) have been shown to appear within three weeks after the injection of group A streptococcus culture, heat-killed and treated with pepsin (A-STP), in the blood of not only BALB/c mice, but also CBA mice. As revealed in this study, in BALB/c mice antibodies are mainly active against the group-specific antigenic determinant (AD) of A-PS and in CBA mice, against the rhamnose AD of A-PS, common for streptococci of different groups. This study has revealed that the appearance of antibodies to the rhamnose AD of A-PS in the blood of CBA mice inhibits antigen-specific cytotoxicity, appearing with the development of delayed hypersensitivity to BCG antigens.

[Autoantibodies to different layers of epidermis during immunization of BALB/c mice with a culture of Group A Streptococcus treated with pepsin].

As revealed in the indirect immunofluorescence test, antibodies to the cross-reacting group A streptococcal polysaccharide determinant (A-PS), common to the antigen of the basal cell layer of the epidermis, regularly occur at the end of the first cycle and disappear after further immunization of BALB/c mice with the pepsin-treated culture of group A streptococci. This model may be used for the study of antibodies to A-PS, cross-reacting with the cells of the basal layer of the epidermis, in the development of the autoimmune process linked++ with group A streptococcal infection.

[Receptors for polysaccharides of group A streptococci on human thymic lymphocytes. Stimulation of their expression by action of adenosine, theophylline and supernatant of thymocytes].

It was established by indirect immunofluorescence that thymic lymphocytes bear receptors for polysaccharide of group A streptococci (Rps). The ability of thymic lymphocytes to express Rps depends on the cAMP concentration in the cell, because the treatment of thymocytes with adenosine and theophylline increases the number of cells with Rps (Tps cells). Supernatant of thymic lymphocytes is also capable of stimulating expression of Rps.

[The role of non-type-specific protein antigens of the cell wall in Streptococcus group A in developing delayed hypersensitivity].

The role of the type-nonspecific (TNS) cell-wall antigens of group A streptococci has been determined. The study has been made on guinea pigs sensitized with whole microbial cells or HCl extracts containing TNS antigens. To determine delayed hypersensitivity, the in vitro cytotoxic test on adhering lymph-node cells in the autologous system has been used.

[Cytotoxic effect of lymphocytes on autologous blood monocytes in the presence of streptococcal group A antigens in patients with primary erysipelas].

The present work deals with a modification of the cytotoxic test for the determination of the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes in infectious diseases. This modification is based on the use of the suspension of mononuclear blood cells, simultaneously containing effector cells (sensitized lymphocytes) and target cells (autologous monocytes). The cytotoxic effect on monocytes is observed after the preliminary incubation of nonadhering cells (lymphocytes) with the antigen of microorganisms causing the infectious process.

[Chemiluminescence of human neutrophils as affected by opportunistic microbes].

Chemoluminescence of neutrophils obtained from 24 healthy donors in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli preopsonized with 5% fresh autologous serum or with pooled normal sera was studied. Chemoluminescent response to S. aureus was most pronounced in comparison with that to the other microbes.