Antibodies to staphylococcal peptidoglycan and its peptide epitopes, teichoic acid, and lipoteichoic acid in sera from blood donors and patients with staphylococcal infections

Abstract

Antibodies to the staphylococcal antigens peptidoglycan, P-ribitol teichoic acid, and lipoteichoic acid, as well as to the peptidoglycan epitopes L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala, L-Lys-D-Ala, and pentaglycine, were found over a wide range of concentrations in sera from both blood donors and patients with verified or suspected staphylococcal infections. The patient group was heterogeneous with regard to both age and type of staphylococcal infections, being representative for sera sent to our laboratory. In single-antigen assays antibodies to pentaglycine had the highest predictive positive value (67%), although only 32% of the patients had elevated levels of such antibodies. Combinations of test antigens could yield positive predictive values as high as 100%, but then the fraction of positive sera was low. Indeed, the fraction of patient sera which was positive in multiple-antigen tests never exceeded 61%. The clinical usefulness of these seroassays for identifying Staphylococcus aureus as a causative agent was limited, owing to the considerable overlap in the range of antibody concentrations between patient and blood donor sera.

Current methodologies for proteomics of bacterial surface‐exposed and cell envelope proteins

“…Most importantly, these proteins offer a rich pool of candidates for antibiotic development as well as for directed vaccinology 15–20. Surface‐exposed proteins are presented to the host and are thus most likely to induce an immunogenic response that could be protective 21–31. There are currently many efforts in the discovery of novel vaccines 22, 23, 32–46 as they represent a major advance in protection against, rather than the treatment of, disease.…”

Human antibody response during sepsis against targets expressed by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

“…Other inves-tigations were focused on humoral immune response to S. aureus components, such as peptidoglycan or teichoic acid [13^15]. The reported overlap in the range of antibody titers between infected patients and healthy individuals limits the clinical usefulness of such bacterial factors [16]. Also, the role of humoral antibody response to S. aureus virulence factors, such as K:-toxin and enterotoxins, is less certain, since the titer of antistaphylococcal antibodies does not correlate with severity of infection [17^19].…”

Lipid S, a novel Staphylococcus epidermidis exocellular antigen with potential for the serodiagnosis of infections

“…The potential application of lipid S in serodiagnostic tests for Gram-positive infections is unexpected since previous work with LTA and wall teichoic acid has been discouraging, with variable antibody levels reported in donated blood from healthy individuals and no apparent increase in patients with infection [28]. High LTA antibody levels might be explained by prior exposure to LTA (or lipid S) produced by commensal skin CNS through minor skin conditions or unreported earlier infection.…”