Production of potent polyclonal antibodies to bacterial membrane amphiphiles

Lipid A (LA), ketodeoxyoctonate (KDO) and lipoteichoic acids (LTA) were used to produce homologous polyclonal antibodies. These haptens were administered to rabbits in differing immunogenic forms, using multiple intradermal and intraperitoneal injections with complete Freund adjuvant. Booster injections were either made intradermally with incomplete Freund adjuvant or intravenously in saline. The immune-response was monitored regularly with an enzyme-immunoassay. Lipid A and KDO covalently linked to bovine serum albumin (BSA), with hapten densities per BSA molecule of 17 and 9, respectively, produced nondetectable immune-response. Acid-hydrolysed and intact cells of Salmonella minnesota Re 595 used as LA and KDO immunogens, respectively, produced significant immune-response when administered intradermally or intraperitoneally. Good immune-response was obtained with LTA covalently linked to BAS. However, a better result was obtained with crude LTA, containing 21.5% proteins. Generally, the lengthy immunization schedules used produced IgG antibodies to the antigens and the highest reciprocal titres attained were 75,000, 55,000 and 150,000 for LA, KDO and LTA, respectively. Meaningful expression of antisera titres by enzyme-immunoassay is discussed. We defined titre as the reciprocal antiserum dilution of the intercept of the mid-point on the linear section ending at 0.2 absorbance on the antiserum dilution curve.