Monoclonal antibody analysis of lipopolysaccharide from Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis.

A hybridoma produced by the polyethylene glycol fusion of the NS-1 variant of the P3x63Ag8 BALB/c plasmacytoma to splenocytes harvested from a BALB/c mouse immunized with whole gonococci was found to be producing antibody to a common region on gonococcal lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition systems were established by utilizing this antibody, designated 3F11, and 100% inhibition occurred with both LPS and the LPS-LPS and LPS-derived polysaccharides partially inhibited the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas similar preparations isolated from Escherichia coli O:111, the J-5 mutant of this strain, and Salmonella minnesota Re595 failed to inhibit the assay. Studies utilizing whole gonococcal strains 4505 and the isogenic variant 4505r, which lacks both the LPS serotype and common determinants as inhibitors, demonstrated that the determinant recognized by the 3F11 antibody was present on the surface of 4505 and absent on 4505r. Inhibition studies were performed with beta-glucose, beta-galactose, D-glucosamine, D-galactosamine, heptose, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctanoate, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, alpha-lactose, and beta-lactose. Complete inhibition of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay occurred with D-galactosamine, and partial inhibition was achieved with both alpha-lactose and beta-lactose. Based on these observations, the 3F11 antibody recognizes a site common to gonococcal LPS which is partially shared by meningococcal LPS. The chemical structure of the determinant appears to be a D-galactosamine-O-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-4)-D-glucopyranose. Additional specificity may be conferred by the steric relationship of the determinant on the intact LPS.