A series of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), specific for Mycobacterium bovis and BCG strains, were tested extensively for cross-reactivity to a wide range of mycobacterial species using ELISA, Western blotting and dot-blot analysis. The MAbs bound specifically to M . bovis and BCG and showed limited cross-reactivity with some strains of M . tuberculosis. All these MAbs recognized a 22 kDa protein previously termed MPB70, and by competitive ELISA analysis appeared to detect at least three M . bovis-specific determinants on the MPB70 molecule.
An antibody detection procedure based on agglutination of autologous red cells has been developed for samples of whole blood. A nonagglutinating monoclonal antibody to human red blood cells conjugated to a synthetic peptide antigen (in this case residues 579 to 601 of the HIV-1 envelope precursor, Arg-Ile-Leu-Ala-Val-Glu-Arg-Tyr-Leu-Lys-Asp-Gln-Gln-Leu-Leu-Gly-Ile-Trp- Gly-Cys - Ser-Gly-Lys) permitted the detection of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in 10 microliters of whole blood within 2 minutes. Agglutination was specifically inhibited by addition of synthetic peptide antigen but not by unrelated peptides. The frequency of false positive results was 0.1% with HIV-1 seronegative blood donors (n = 874). The false negative results were approximately 1% (n = 81). The autologous red cell agglutination test is potentially suitable for simple, rapid, qualitative screening for antibodies to a variety of antigens of medical and veterinary diagnostic significance.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.