Structural and biological comparison of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Bordetella species

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) isolated from Bordetella pertussis (Bp), B. parapertussis (Bpp), and B. bronchiseptica (Bbs) were analysed for their chemical composition, molecular heterogeneity, and immunological and biological properties. All LPS contained heptose, KDO, GlcN, uronic acid, phosphate, and fatty acids. The fatty acids C14:0, C16:0 and 3-OHC14:0 were common to all LPS preparations. By SDS-PAGE, Bp-LPS had two bands of low molecular mass, and Bpp- and Bbs-LPS showed a low molecular mass band together with ladder bands of high molecular mass. Immunological assays demonstrated that Bp-LPS reacted with antisera prepared from Bp and Bpp; Bpp-LPS reacted with antisera against Bpp and Bbs, and Bbs-LPS reacted with antisera against any of the three species. Bp-LPS showed biological activities comparable to those of E. coli LPS in terms of lethal toxicity, pyrogenicity, mitogenicity, macrophage activation, and induction of tumor necrosis factor. All activities of Bpp-LPS, except mitogenicity, were lower than those of E. coli LPS. Biological activities stronger or comparable to those of E. coli LPS were observed for Bbs-LPS.