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Propionibacterium acnes: interaction with complement and development of an enzyme-linked immunoassay for the
C G Burkhart1, J Cantrill, C L Butcher
1Department of Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, USA.
Objective:
To characterize the immune response to Propionibacterium acnes in acne patients.
Design:
Comparison of serologic responses in acne and normal patients using counterimmunoelectrophoresis for antibody and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody.
Setting:
The serum of acne and nonacne patients from the Dermatology Clinic at the Medical College of Ohio was utilized for analysis.
Results:
Using counterimmunoelectrophoresis, antibody was detected in 13 of 20 acne patients. The antigen was detectable as an anion in the barbital buffer at pH 8.2, strongly suggesting a carbohydrate component. By ELISA, the antibody proved to be IgG, and the bacteria and its water-soluble fractions were capable of fixing complement.
Conclusions:
The primary instigator of inflammation in acne vulgaris is an immunologic reaction to extracellular products of P. acnes. The immunologic response involves both humoral and cell-mediated pathways. The antibodies to P. acnes have not been characterized fully, although they are largely of the IgG class. We have further characterized the dominant antigen to have a carbohydrate component.