Characterization of toxins A and B of Clostridium difficile with monoclonal antibodies

Infect Immun. 1986 Oct;54(1):70-6. doi: 10.1128/iai.54.1.70-76.1986.

Abstract

Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were used to learn more about the structures of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B. One of the antibodies, the PCG-4 MAb, reacted specifically with toxin A. This MAb precipitated toxin A and neutralized the enterotoxic but not the cytotoxic activity of the toxin. The site to which the antibody bound was resistant to denaturation with sodium dodecyl sulfate; however, it was destroyed by N-bromosuccinimide. Immunoblot analysis with the PCG-4 MAb revealed the presence of a large number of bands in preparations of denatured toxin A, suggesting that toxin A exists as an aggregate of smaller components. The antibody was covalently coupled to Affi-Gel 10, and the gel was used to purify toxin A from the culture filtrate of a highly toxigenic strain of C. difficile by immunoaffinity chromatography. The second antibody, the G-2 MAb, cross-reacted with toxins A and B. The cross-reaction was confirmed by immunoblot analysis. These results show that toxins A and B share an epitope and suggest that they have a common subunit. The G-2 MAb did not neutralize or precipitate either toxin. The site to which the G-2 MAb bound was partially destroyed by sodium dodecyl sulfate and was resistant to oxidation with N-bromosuccinimide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Bacterial Proteins*
  • Bacterial Toxins / immunology*
  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Clostridium / immunology*
  • Enterotoxins / immunology*
  • Enterotoxins / isolation & purification
  • Epitopes
  • Immunosorbent Techniques
  • Molecular Weight
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Protein Conformation
  • Succinimides

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enterotoxins
  • Epitopes
  • Succinimides
  • tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile
  • toxB protein, Clostridium difficile