Common epitope on the lipopolysaccharide of Legionella pneumophila recognized by a monoclonal antibody

Human Anti-Lipopolysaccharid (LPS) antibodies against Legionella with high species specificity

Legionella are Gram-negative bacteria that are ubiquitously present in natural and man-made water reservoirs. When humans inhale aerosolized water contaminated with Legionella, alveolar macrophages can be infected, which may lead to a life-threatening pneumonia called Legionnaires' disease. Due to the universal distribution of Legionella in water and their potential threat to human health, the Legionella concentration in water for human use must be strictly monitored, which is difficult since the standard detection still relies on lengthy cultivation and analysis of bacterial morphology. In this study, an antibody against L. pneumophila has been generated from the naïve human HAL antibody libraries by phage-display for the first time. The panning was performed on whole bacterial cells in order to select antibodies that bind specifically to the cell surface of untreated Legionella. The bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was identified as the target structure. Specific binding to the important pathogenic L. pneumophila strains Corby, Philadelphia-1 and Knoxville was observed, while no binding was detected to seven members of the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae or Clostridiaceae. Production of this antibody in the recombinant scFv-Fc format using either a murine or a human Fc part allowed the set-up of a sandwich-ELISA for detection of Legionella cells. The scFv-Fc construct proved to be very stable, even when stored for several weeks at elevated temperatures. A sensitivity limit of 4,000 cells was achieved. The scFv-Fc antibody pair was integrated on a biosensor, demonstrating the specific and fast detection of L. pneumophila on a portable device. With this system, 10,000 Legionella cells were detected within 35 min. Combined with a water filtration/concentration system, this antibody may be developed into a promising reagent for rapid on-site Legionella monitoring.

Colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic strip test compromising optimised combinations of anti-S. suis capsular polysaccharide polyclonal antibodies for detection of Streptococcus suis

A rapid diagnosis kit that detects Streptococcus suis (S. suis) antigens from urine with an immunochromatographic stripe (ICS) test was developed in this study. The ICS test was produced using colloidal gold coated with polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) against S. suis. The pAbs were developed from rabbits immunised with S. suis serotype 2 capsular polysaccharides (CPS). Development of the pAbs was investigated to establish their binding to CPS and to determine the maximum sensitivity of two combination antibodies for the ICS test. The results of the ICS optimisation revealed that the combinations of pAb C-N1 and pAb C-N2 had the highest sensitivity to CPS. The minimum limitation of ICS sensitivity indicated 1.0 × 10(4) colony forming units (CFU) and a CPS concentration of 0.05 µg. The assay time for detection of S. suis antigens is less than 15 min, which is suitable for rapid detection. A cross-reactive test was also conducted, and it detected no other bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae). The cross-reactivity of other serotypes in S. suis was also investigated, and tests for serotypes of 1, 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 16 were positive. This study presents the first report of a development of an ICS that enables the quantitative detection of streptococcal antigens. The S. suis ICS provides several advantages over other methods, including the speed and simplicity of use.

Assessment of a new test to detect Legionella urinary antigen for the diagnosis of Legionnaires' Disease

Given that the rate of mortality by Legionella pneumonia increases in incorrectly treated patients, rapid diagnosis and early antibiotic treatment are needed. We have assessed the performance of a new enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test (Bartels Inc. Trinity Biotech Company, Wicklow, Ireland) to detect Legionella pneumophila antigen in urine comparing it to Binax EIA (Binax, Portland, Maine). We also evaluated the capability of both EIAs to detect extracted soluble antigens of Legionella strains. Using nonconcentrated urine samples (NCU) the sensitivity of Bartels EIA was 74.1% (66/89) and the sensitivity of Binax EIA was 51.7% (46/89). The sensitivity of both EIA tests were 91.5% (54/59) using concentrated urine samples (CU). Specificity of both EIA tests was 100% in NCU and CU. Bartels EIA was able to detect all serogroup L. pneumophila antigens, achieving a higher sensitivity in the case of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 soluble antigen. The new EIA was found to be a useful test for the rapid diagnosis of Legionella pneumonia, being a better alternative to the Binax EIA if NCU is used.

Comparison of the Binax Legionella urinary antigen enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with the Biotest Legionella Urin antigen EIA for detection of Legionella antigen in both concentrated and nonconcentrated urine samples

We evaluated a newly commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Biotest Legionella Urin Antigen EIA; Biotest AG, Dreieich, Germany) for detection of antigens of all Legionella pneumophila serogroups with a relatively wide spectrum of cross-reactivity as well as antigens of other Legionella spp. by comparing its sensitivity and specificity with those of an EIA for detection of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen (Legionella urinary antigen EIA; Binax, Portland, Maine). Both tests were performed with both concentrated and nonconcentrated urine samples. We also evaluated the capabilities of both EIAs to detect extracted soluble antigens of American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) Legionella strains (L. pneumophila serogroups 1 to 14, L. bozemanii, and L. longbeachae). The sensitivity of the Biotest EIA was 66.66% in nonconcentrated urine and 86.66% in concentrated urine. The sensitivity of the Binax EIA was 63.76% and 88.88% in nonconcentrated and concentrated urine, respectively. The specificity was 100% in nonconcentrated and concentrated urine for both assays. The Binax EIA and Biotest EIA detected extracted soluble antigens of L. pneumophila serogroups 1 to 14 and L. bozemanii ATCC strains. The cross-reactions observed with the Binax EIA were probably due to common epitopes directly related to lipopolysaccharide. Further studies are required to determine the usefulness of the Binax EIA for detection of urinary antigens from Legionella species and serogroups other than L. pneumophila serogroup 1. The Biotest EIA proved to be as rapid, sensitive, and specific as the Binax EIA for the diagnosis of legionellosis. Concentration of antigen present in urine increased the sensitivities of both techniques with no reduction in specificity.

Identification of Legionella species by lipopolysaccharide antigen pattern

Electrophoretic analysis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracts from 430 previously serotyped Legionella isolates and 28 American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) non-Legionella pneumophila Legionella reference strains representing different Legionella species and serogroups has been performed. LPS was prepared from Legionella suspensions by sonication and proteinase K digestion. Following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, LPS bands were either stained with silver nitrate or transferred onto a nitrocellulose membrane and detected with rabbit antibodies raised against L. pneumophila serogroup 5, which was known to cross-react with L. pneumophila serogroups 1 to 14. Silver staining revealed that each of the 28 ATCC non-L. pneumophila Legionella strains possessed an individual and characteristic LPS banding pattern. The LPS profile was defined by the molecular weight of the visualized bands and/or the individual ladder-like LPS pattern. It was demonstrated by immunoblotting that non-L. pneumophila Legionella strains did not react with the serogroup 5 antiserum, thus allowing for the differentiation between L. pneumophila and non-L. pneumophila species.

Structure of a decasaccharide isolated by mild acid degradation and dephosphorylation of the lipopolysaccharide of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ATCC 49271

Mild acid degradation of the Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ATCC 49271 lipopolysaccharide resulted in a core oligosaccharide containing D-glucose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D- glucose, 2-(L- alanylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactose, 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-glucose (QuiNAc), 2-acetamido- 2,6-dideoxy-L-galactose (FucNAc), L-glycero-D-manno-heptose (Hep), 3-deoxy-D- manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo, present in multiple forms), and 5-acetamidino-7-acetamido-3,5,7,9- tetradeoxy- L-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid (a di-N-acyl derivative of legionaminic acid, Non) as well as O-acetyl, O-carbamoyl, and phosphate groups, including triphosphate groups. The dephosphorylated (HF) decasaccharide and products of its partial and full O-deacylation were studied by methylation analysis, GLC-MS, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, including 1D NOE and 2D shift-correlated spectroscopy (COSY). The core oligosaccharide of P. fluorescens strain ATCC 49271 was found to be a decasaccharide (with partially degraded Kdo region) and one O-antigen repeating unit (di-N-acyllegionaminic acid, Non) attached. The following structure of the dephosphorylated core oligosaccharide was established: [sequence: see text]

Structures of decasaccharide and tridecasaccharide tetraphosphates isolated by strong alkaline degradation of O-deacylated lipopolysaccharide of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ATCC 49271

Mild hydrazinolysis of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ATCC 49271 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by strong alkaline degradation and purification by anion-exchange HPLC resulted in two phosphorylated oligosaccharides (1 and 2). On the basis of compositional analysis and 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectroscopy, including 2D correlation spectroscopy (COSY), 2D rotating frame NOE spectroscopy (ROESY), and 2D inverse mode H-detected heteronuclear 1H-13C and 1H-31P correlation spectroscopy, the following two structures (1 and 2) could be identified [formula: see text] where Hep is L-glycero-D-manno-heptose, Kdo is 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid, Non is 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero-L-galacto-nonulosonic acid, and P is phosphate. Decasaccharide 1 and tridecasaccharide 2 represent an incomplete core and the complete core carrying one O-antigen repeating unit, respectively. Both are attached to the lipid A backbone but, due to their degradation protocol, they lack N- and O-acyl substituents, including N- and O-acetyl groups, the 5-N-acetimidoyl group of Non, the 2-N-alanyl group of GalN, and the 7-O-carbamoyl group of Hep as well as diphosphate, triphosphate, and, probably, some of the monophosphate groups that are present in the intact core oligosaccharide.

Cross-reacting lipopolysaccharide antigens in Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 to 14

Immunological cross-reactions among Legionella species were investigated with sonicated, proteinase K-digested cell lysates. The antigens separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were either analyzed for lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) by silver staining or transferred to nitrocellulose membranes for serological characterization with rabbit antibodies directed against Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 and 5. When antiserum prepared against serogroup 5 was used to probe the LPSs from L. pneumophila serogroups 1 to 14, the antibodies recognized a common epitope harbored by all L. pneumophila serogroups but not by other Legionella species or by the gram-negative bacteria tested as controls. Hence, the serogroup 5 antiserum correctly identified all serogroups of L. pneumophila tested in the LPS immunoblot assay. Moreover, the silver-stained profiles of the isolated LPSs revealed characteristic patterns allowing the identification of the individual serogroups of L. pneumophila.

Serogroup-specific and serogroup-cross-reactive epitopes of Legionella pneumophila

A panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to serotype 343 Legionella pneumophila isolates, using the indirect immunofluorescence test and ELISA. In addition, the isolates were typed by means of absorbed rabbit antisera to provide a reference procedure. As shown by a comparison of reaction patterns, serogroup-specific monoclonal antibodies were found for serogroups 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10. Monoclonal subtypes were found to exist within serogroups 1, 2, 5, and 6. Using the monoclonal antibody panel introduced for serogroups 1 to 8 and 10, it was possible to serotype or subtype 92% of the isolates tested. The remaining isolates belonged to serogroups 9, 11 to 14 and to a monoclonal subtype of serogroup 5. 8 monoclonal antibodies recognized serogroup-cross-reactive epitopes. Except for serogroups 1, 7, and 11, all others shared a common antigenic determinant. Another common epitope was shared by strains of serogroups 2 and 3. Additional cross-reactivity was associated in particular with strains of serogroups 5, 8, and 10.

The structure of the O-specific chain of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 lipopolysaccharide

The O-polysaccharide chain of Legionella pneumophila Philadelphia strain 1 (serogroup 1) lipopolysaccharide was investigated by means of 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. It was found to consist of an alpha-(2-->4) interlinked homopolymer of a 5-acetamidino-7-acetamido-8-O-acetyl-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-nonulos onic acid possessing most likely the D-glycero-L-galacto configuration, representing the first example of an acidic homopolymer of a higher sugar of this class. The ladder-like banding pattern exhibiting small distances between individual bands in the SDS/PAGE is compatible with a monosaccharide repeating unit.

Influence of intra-amoebic and other growth conditions on the surface properties of Legionella pneumophila

The surface properties of Legionella pneumophila were examined by analyzing outer membrane (OM) proteins, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and cellular fatty acids after growth within Acanthamoeba polyphaga and in vitro under various nutrient-depleted conditions. Intra-amoeba-grown legionellae were found to differ in several respects from cells grown in vitro; most notably, they contained a 15-kDa OM protein and a monounsaturated straight-chain fatty acid (18:1(9)). These compounds were also found in abundant quantities in the host amoeba. Immunoblot analysis of intra-amoeba-grown legionellae with antiacanthamoebic serum revealed that both the bacterial whole cells and Sarkosyl-extracted OMs contained amoebic antigens. The findings suggest that the 15-kDa OM protein is likely to be of amoebic origin and associates with the OM of the bacterium. It is proposed that disruption of amoebic membranes, as a result of intra-amoebic infection, may liberate macromolecules, including a 15-kDa polypeptide, a major constituent of the amoebic membrane, which adhere to the surface of the legionellae. Growth under specific nutrient depletions also had a significant effect on the surface composition of L. pneumophila. Cells grown under phosphate depletion were markedly sensitive to protease K digestion and contained lower levels of LPS, as observed by silver staining of the digests on polyacrylamide gels. Intra-amoeba-grown cells contained more bands than the in vitro-grown organisms, reflecting further differences in the nature of the LPS. The whole-cell fatty acids of the phosphate-depleted cells were appreciably different from those of cells grown under other nutritional conditions. We found no evidence for expression of iron-regulated OM proteins under iron depletion.

Comparison of detection methods for Legionella species in environmental water by colony isolation, fluorescent antibody staining, and polymerase chain reaction

Three detection methods for Legionella species in water samples from cooling towers and a river were examined. Direct counting of bacteria stained with fluorescent antibody (FA) for L. pneumophila (serogroups 1 to 6) could detect the cell of 10(4) to 10(6) cell/100 ml in all 14 samples, while colony counting method detected 10 to 10(3) CFU/100 ml only in 8 samples from cooling towers. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with primers to amplify 16S ribosomal DNA sequence of most Legionella species (LEG primer) detected legionellae in 13 samples, while species-specific primers for L. pneumophila detected the DNAs from 3 samples. In laboratory examination, LEG primers could amplify DNAs of 29 species of genus Legionella with high sensitivity, even from 1 cell of L. pneumophila GIFU 9134. The PCR assay with LEG primers was specific and sensitive methods to be satisfied the survey of legionellae. Thus, PCR assay is a suitable method to detect and monitor Legionella species in an environment.

Isolation, purification and partial analysis of the lipopolysaccharide antigenic determinant recognized by a monoclonal antibody to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1

Monoclonal antibody II-6-18 recognizes a serogroup-1-specific Legionella pneumophila antigenic determinant which has been shown to be virulence-associated. We previously reported the physicochemical characterization by means of a quantitative fluorometric assay of monoclonal antibody II-6-18 binding to L. pneumophila, and its implications concerning the nature of the antigen. We describe here the isolation and the purification of the antigen by chemical and immunological methods, followed by its partial chemical analysis. The results demonstrate that the epitope--an immunodominant carbohydrate which includes a fucosamine-like residue--is part of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is localized in the polysaccharide moiety of the LPS which contains KDO, rhamnose, mannose, glucosamine and an unidentified aminodideoxyhexose X1, but no heptose. The aminodideoxyhexose X1 could be fucosamine and is probably the immunodominant residue in the epitope, localized, at least partially, at the end of the polysaccharide chain.

Rapid detection and identification of Legionella pneumophila by a membrane immunoassay

Legionella pneumophila was detected and identified by an immunoblot assay using a monoclonal antibody specific to serogroups 1 to 8. Samples containing L. pneumophila were plated on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar supplemented with glycine, vancomycin, and polymyxin B. After incubation at 35 degrees C for 3 days, colonies were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes by blotting. Simultaneous detection and identification of L. pneumophila were done by treating the membrane with the monoclonal antibody and a peroxidase conjugate to mouse immunoglobulins. A diffuse cross-reaction was observed with Pseudomonas fluorescens colonies, but this was a low-level reaction that could easily be differentiated from the strong specific reactions to L. pneumophila.