Characteristics of monoclonal antibodies against Piscirickettsia salmonis

A panel of 28 monoclonal antibodies against Piscirickettsia salmonis was produced using a purified fraction of the bacterium. To determine their specificity to the pathogen, the antibodies were assayed by ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. Six monoclonal antibodies were selected based on their strong reaction against P. salmonis and absence of cross-reactivity with other common fish pathogens. Western blot analysis showed that the antibodies reacted to several antigens of P. salmonis . Immunofluorescence assays revealed that these antibodies reacted with the same specificity to different isolates of P. salmonis obtained from the south of Chile. This panel of monoclonal antibodies represents an important tool to develop simple, rapid, sensitive and highly specific methods for the detection of the pathogen and diagnosis of the disease.     

Analysis of exotoxins produced by atypical isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida,by enzymatic and serological methods

In this study, exotoxins produced by 62 Aeromonas salmonicida strains and the bacterium Haemophilus piscium were analysed. Enzymatic assays, zymograms and serological detection were used to monitor secretion by bacterial strains of the previously described exotoxins P1, GCAT and AsaP1 and also the extracellular P2 metallo-gelatinase and a serine caseinase, which is different from the P1 protease and has not yet been characterized. Based on the results, the strains were divided into five groups. One comprised the type strains for A. salmonicida ssp. masoucida, H. piscium and 36% of the atypical isolates, and another, a type strain for A. salmonicida ssp. smithia together with 14% of the atypical isolates. A second type strain of A. salmonicida ssp. smithia was grouped with 8% of the atypical isolates. The largest group contained the type strains for A. salmonicida ssp. achromogenes and 38% of the atypical isolates. The type strains for A. salmonicida ssp. salmonicida were in the last group with all the four typical strains and 4% of the atypical isolates. The combination of zymogram and serological detection used is recommended as the most reliable method for characterizing A. salmonicida strains according to their exotoxin secretion.     

溶藻弧菌单克隆抗体的制备及应用

小鼠骨髓瘤细胞系SP2/0与经溶藻弧菌(1.1587)免疫的BALB3/C雌鼠脾细胞在PEG条件下融合,有45.8%的培养孔有杂交瘤细胞生长,其培养上清液抗体阳性率为77.4%.经反复有限稀释法克隆杂交瘤细胞,获得7株抗溶藻弧菌的单克隆抗体杂交瘤细胞株,分别为AC1-C9,AC1-C11,BB4-D4,AD1-A3,AD1-F3,AD2-E7,AD2-F7.取AD1-F3扩大培养,注射小鼠,制备了抗溶藻弧菌的单克隆抗体腹水,滴度为11000.该腹水与其他3株溶藻弧菌菌株有强交叉反应,与其他13株标准菌株无交叉反应.利用制备的单抗腹水,建立了检测溶藻弧菌的单抗-ELISA技术.该反应系统可应用于溶藻弧菌的快速诊断,反应时间为6-7h,检测灵敏度为104cells·-1.并利用该检测方法进行了11份待测菌样本溶藻弧菌的检测.     

Immune responses and host protection of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis after immunization with live theronts and sonicated trophonts

The humoral immune responses and host protection of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) were determined after immunization with live theronts and sonicated trophonts. Immunizations with live theronts or sonicated trophonts were carried out by both bath immersion and intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Cutaneous and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels and anti-Ich antibodies were measured 12 and 21 days post-immunization. The level of Ich infection and survival of catfish were determined after theront challenge. Cutaneous and serum anti-Ich antibodies were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fish immunized with live theronts by immersion or i.p. injection, or with sonicated trophonts administered by i.p. injection, than in fish immunized with sonicated trophonts by immersion, with bovine serum albumin by i.p. injection, or non-immunized controls. Host protection was noted only in fish immunized with live theronts by immersion or i.p. injection or with sonicated trophonts by i.p. injection. There was a positive correlation between higher levels of anti-Ich antibodies and host survival in the immunized fish.     

Presence of anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies in Tasmanian cultured Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L

Previous studies have indicated that when Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., are exposed to Neoparamoeba sp. the fish produce anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies. It appears unlikely that these antibodies elicit any specific protection against amoebic gill disease (AGD) as fish with demonstrable activities have been affected by AGD. Experiments were conducted on Atlantic salmon cultured throughout Tasmania to assess the natural production of antibodies towards Neoparamoeba sp. Fish were sampled from areas where AGD was prevalent and from areas where there had been no reported cases. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibody activities in serum. All fish from sea water had antibody activities greater than the negative control fish, including fish from areas with no reported cases of AGD. Time trial samples indicated that time after transfer to sea water did not appear to be a significant (P > 0.05) factor in antibody activity, however location was (P < 0.05). There was no agreement (corrected kappa value, 0.16) between the ELISA result and the isolation of Neoparamoeba sp. from the gills of the same fish. The results suggest that Atlantic salmon in seawater culture in Tasmania produce anti-Neoparamoeba sp. antibodies regardless of infection history, suggesting the presence of Neoparamoeba sp. in the environment.     

间接酶联免疫吸附试验检测猪生殖与呼吸系统综合征血清抗体的研究

本研究建立了检测猪生殖与呼吸系统综合征（ＰＲＲＳ）血清抗体的间接酶联免疫吸附试验（ＥＬＩＳＡ），其抗原包被浓度为２μｇ／ｍｌ，血清最适稀释度为１∶１００。试验结果表明：ＥＬＩＳＡ的敏感性高于间接免疫荧光抗体试验（ＩＦＡ），是一种切实可行的诊断方法。     

Serum auto antibodies and clinical/pathological features in German shepherd dogs with a lupuslike syndrome

This study presents 8 dogs of German Shepherd breed (6 males, 2 females, 2-5 years of age at onset of the disease) with a lupus like syndrome characterized by febrile polyarthritis, wasting, nephropathy, cutaneous lesions and high positive titres of ANA (antinuclear antibodies) of speckled type. The serum autoantibodies were further characterized by double immunodiffusion against ENA (extractable nuclear antigen), ELISA for Histone antibodies (Histon fraction H-24A and H-3S), indirect IF on rat-liver sections, non treated and RNase/DNase digested sections for DNP/RNP antibodies, and smears of a hemoflagellate C. luciliae for antibodies vs doubbel strained DNA, (dsDNA). Thus, the high ANA titres in these dogs represent varying types of autoantibodies against nucleoproteins of both DNA and RNA nature, associated histone antigens and non-histone antibodies (RNA and Sm) as well. Rheumatoid Factor titres in serum from these dogs were low or negative. Immunoglobulin deposits at dermo-epidermal junctions were demonstrated in some of the dogs with hyperkeratotic skin lesions. High concentration of serum-IgG was a constant finding in combination with anemia and in most cases leukopenia probably related to the chronic inflammatory process in these animals. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or thrombocytopenia was not detected in these dogs.     

Assessment of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay based diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human serum

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using penicillinase was developed in the form of diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The performance of both the kits was compared with commercially available diagnostic kits, i.e. Enzygnost-Toxoplasmosis/IgG (Behring Co., Germany), TOXOTEK-G (Flow Lab., U.K.) and Toxoplasma IgM Microassay (Diamedix Corp., U.S.A.) by testing toxoplasma-suspected human serum samples. The results indicate a good reliability between these diagnostic kits. Toxokit-G has 86.66 and 96.05% sensitivity and specificity respectively. The main advantage of Toxokit-G is that the end result can be assessed visually without using sophisticated instruments. Toxokit-M has 100% sensitivity and specificity and test results were not affected by the presence of antitoxoplasma IgG antibodies, rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibodies.     

Arabinogalactan proteins may facilitate the movement of pollen tubes from the stigma to the ovules in Actinidia deliciosa and Amaranthus hypochondriacus

Sexual plant reproduction is a complex process that involves a series of interactions between the male gametophyte and the different cell types of the pistil. These interactions are believed to direct the pollen tube growth until its final target, the embryo sac. Arabinogalactan proteins are complex proteoglycans that are believed to be involved in these processes. The pistil is enriched in these highly glycosylated proteins and we provide results that show the selective presence of different AGP epitopes at the surface of the cells or in the ECM of the tissues that correspond exactly to the pollen tube growth pathway in Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Actinidia deliciosa. We also show that in Actinidia deliciosa, which is a dioecious plant with the male flowers having rudimentary ovaries where fertilization does not occur, there is no presence at all of the epitopes recognised by the monoclonal antibodies utilized in this study. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

人工雌性激素己烯雌酚单克隆抗体的制备及表征

合成了己烯雌酚的半抗原CP-DES,并将半抗原与牛血清蛋白(BSA)和卵清蛋白(OVA)共价偶联制备免疫原和包被原。将免疫好的Balb/c小鼠脾脏细胞和SP2/0骨髓瘤细胞融合,筛选出了1株能稳定分泌己烯雌酚单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株2D87C412C7。分析该杂交瘤细胞的染色体,并以间接酶联免疫吸附分析法(iELISA)检测了单克隆抗体免疫球蛋白的类型。获得的杂交瘤细胞的平均染色体数目为45-50对左右,它分泌IgG1亚类的单克隆抗体。该细胞株体外传代和冻存复苏后抗体分泌稳定,细胞上清效价大于640,诱导腹水效价大于108,该单克隆抗体的检测限IC20=2.3ng/ml,与己烯雌酚结构类似物存在一定的交叉反应,与两种载体蛋白(BSA,OVA)无交叉反应。本研究为己烯雌酚ELISA检测方法的建立提供了条件。