PRECIPITATING ANTIBODIES AGAINST NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS IN NORMAL SERA AND THEIR POSSIBLE ORIGIN

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Abstract
Crossed immunoelectrophoresis was used to study precipitating antibodies against N. meningitidis in sera from 214 normal persons and in human .gamma.-globulin. A polyspecific meningococcal antigen preparation and a corresponding rabbit antiserum constituted the reference system. All sera contained 1-5 precipitins against N. meningitidis which could be identified and quantified by the reference system. The precipitin score, which expresses the number and titer of precipitins in each serum, increased with age. More than 25 precipitins were found in the .gamma.-globulin preparation, including antibodies against the group specific polysaccharides A, B and C. Absorption of 3 of the 5 normally occurring precipitins (nos. 4, 19, 22) with antigens from various bacteria [Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bordetella pertussis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Branhamella catarrhalis, N. subflava, N. sicca] showed that precipitins nos. 4 and 19 could be completely absorbed by antigens from other Neisseria spp., but not by antigens from other genera. This indicates that these 2 precipitins may have been induced by non-pathogenic Neisseria spp. or by meningococci. The finding of protective antibodies in .gamma.-globulin might indicate the possibility of its use in prophylaxis or therapy against meningococcal infections.