The role of epitope specificity in the human opsonic antibody response to the staphylococcal surface polysaccharide poly N-acetyl glucosamine.

Background: The staphylococcal surface polysaccharide poly N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG) is a target for killing and protective antibody in animals. We investigated the human antibody response and specificity of binding and opsonic antibodies for different epitopes on PNAG in serum samples from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) colonized and not colonized with Staphylococcus aureus.

Methods: Serum samples from patients with CF colonized and not colonized with S.