An immunoelectrophoretic analysis of the Strep. sanguis and adult human oral mucosa antigen extracts used for immunological investigations of recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Water-soluble antigens of Strep. sanguis strain 2A, ATCC 10556, and adult human oral mucosa (AHOM) were analysed by four immunoelectrophoretic methods. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), using rabbit antibodies raised against the soluble antigens, revealed 26 antigens in the standard Strep. sanguis antigen extract and 16 antigens in the standard adult human oral mucosa extract. All 26 Strep. 2A antigen-antibody precipitates observed in the CIE were identified as streptococcal components. Eleven of the AHOM antigen-antibody precipitates in the CIE were derived from human serum proteins and hemoglobin present in the crude AHOM-Ag extract. Five of the latter precipitates possibly were caused by oral mucosal antigens. The AHOM-Ag extract contained four bacterial contaminants. None of them influenced the crossed immunoelectrophoretic AHOM antigen-antibody reference pattern in the present study.