Antibodies against degradation products of polysaccharide antigens.

Specific antibodies against periodate oxidized capsular polysaccharides isolated from different types, have been demonstrated in rabbit immune sera against five out of eleven types investigated. It is assumed that an oxidation similar to the periodate oxidation must occur . Antibodies specifically directed against the oxidized polysaccharide may appear early in the immunization period, and decrease or disappear again later. Reduction and alkylation of the antibodies against oxidized polysaccharide in one serum indicated that they probably belonged to the γM-immunoglobulins, whereas the antibodies against the unoxidized polysaccharide appear to be mainly γG.