Murine monoclonal antibodies reactive with human heart and group A streptococcal membrane antigens.

Ten selected murine hybridoma cell lines that produce monoclonal antibodies against M type 5 Streptococcus pyogenes and human heart antigen were isolated. All of the monoclonal antibodies studied were determined to be the immunoglobulin M isotype. The antibodies were characterized on the basis of their reactions with Triton X-100-extracted whole human heart antigens, sodium dodecyl sulfate-extracted sarcolemmal antigens, and whole streptococci or their membranes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and Western immunoblotting techniques were used to compare the reactivity of the monoclonal antibodies. All 10 of the antibodies were first selected for their reactivity with Triton X-100-extracted heart antigens and whole group A, M type 5 streptococci. These antibodies were then divided into two categories: strong reactors or weak reactors with human sarcolemmal and streptococcal membranes. Among the strong reactors, two different types of monoclonal antibodies were observed on the basis of their immunobanding patterns with sarcolemmal and streptococcal membranes on Western blots. Monoclonal antibodies that were strong reactors with sarcolemmal and group A streptococcal membrane antigen were directed against a determinant on a family of proteins. The major reactants of sarcolemmal extracts were high-molecular-weight proteins near 200,000. Some monoclonal antibodies demonstrated more specificity for the heart than did others when reacted with separated Triton X-100-extracted tissue antigens from the heart, kidney, and skeletal muscle. One of the monoclonal antibodies that reacted with group A streptococci reacted with a Triton X-100-extracted heart antigen ca. 40,000 daltons in size. None of these monoclonal antibodies opsonized type 5 Streptococcus pyogenes, and in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays most of the antibodies were found to react to a lesser degree with other groups of streptococci. Monoclonal antibody was used to probe normal and rheumatic sarcolemma for differences in reactivity. Although the rheumatic heart reacted more intensely, no major differences between the immunobanding patterns of normal and rheumatic hearts were observed.