Immunoreactive protein antigens of Mycoplasma pulmonis in experimentally infected rats

Mycoplasma pulmonis was cultured in modified Hayflick's medium, washed in 0.25 M NaCl, and solubilized by 2.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Protein antigens of M pulmonis separated by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis were blotted onto nitrocellulose strips. Specific-pathogen-free rats were inoculated intranasally with M pulmonis. The serum samples of these rats were obtained periodically and used to react with fractionated M pulmonis antigens which were fixed on the nitrocellulose strips. The antigen-antibody reactions were further recognized by 125I-labeled antiglobulin. Detection of immunoreactive antigens was obtained by autoradiography. Antibody response was not detected in serum obtained 7 days after rats were inoculated, and by 14 days, a slight response to several proteins was found. At 28 days after rats were inoculated, many immunoreactive antigens were detected. Generally, antibodies against antigens of moderate to low molecular weight appeared early in the infection, and antibodies against antigens of high molecular weight appeared late. Important immunoreactive antigens thus identified can readily be distinguished from more than 58 different M pulmonis antigens detectable by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The humoral antibody response was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The immunoglobulin G antibodies were initially detected at low level at 7 days after rats were inoculated. These humoral antibody responses reached maximum by 28 days. The increase in serum antibody titer corresponded with numbers of immunoreactive antigens detected by immunoradio-binding assay. The information gained by this investigation may improve our understanding of the antigenicity of M pulmonis and the immune response of rats exposed to M pulmonis.