Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin G subclass antibodies specific for enterobacterial Re core glycolipid in healthy individuals and in patients infected by gram-negative bacteria.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to study the subclass distribution of immunoglobulin G (IgG) specific to the core glycolipid (CGL) of the Re mutant of Salmonella minnesota R595 in serum samples from individuals with an IgG response toward these antigens. In a group of healthy blood donors, we detected predominantly the IgG2 and IgG1 subclasses. In a group of patients in an intensive care unit who developed infectious complications due to gram-negative bacteria, the anti-CGL IgG activity was due mainly to the IgG2 and IgG3 subclasses. In all serum samples found to be IgG positive, the assay for anti-CGL IgG2 was positive. This subclass was revealed to play a predominant role in patients displaying a seroconversion or a significant rise in their antibody response toward CGL. IgG4 was found or appeared only in patients with confirmed bacteremia. In addition, we observed a drop in anti-CGL IgG2 before the death of patients undergoing a septic shock or an irreversible organ failure, suggesting that the anti-CGL IgG2 activity could be used as a marker of the evolution of the illness in this group of patients.