Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Vibrio cholerae soluble haemagglutinin.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against a protease of Vibrio cholerae, the soluble haemagglutinin (sHA), have been prepared and characterized with regard to their ability to inhibit different biological properties of sHA and to protect against experimental V. cholerae infection. Four fusion experiments yielded two specific immunoglobulin G1 MAbs that reacted with sHA produced by different V. cholerae O1 and non-O1 strains but that differed in their antigen-binding capacity. Both MAbs were capable of inhibiting the haemagglutinating and protease activities of sHA as well as its ability to nick the enterotoxin A subunit, but neither of them had any effect on the mucinase activity of sHA. One of the MAbs significantly inhibited experimental cholera infection induced by sHA-producing V. cholerae O1 in rabbit small intestine.