Studies on Hemagglutination and Hemolysis by Escherichia Coli Antisera

Abstract

Two recent developments have stimulated renewed interest in E, scherichia coli infections of man. In the first place, through the important investigations of Kauffmann and his associates (1, 2) extensive knowledge has been gained on the antigenic pattern of this species. The discovery by Kauffmann of antigens as inhibitors of O agglutinability and the identification of the various antigens (the somatic O antigens, the envelope or surface L and B antigens, the capsular A antigens, and the flagellar H antigens) have brought order to the serological grouping and typing of E. coli and made possible studies on the relationship between antigenic types of E. coli and various infections.The second discovery of major importance is the finding of the association of two serological groups of E. coli, namely, serogroups O l l l and 055, with epidemic and sporadic diarrheal disease of infants. In 1923 and 1927, Adam (3, 4) reported on the recovery of several biochemical types of E. coli from patients with diarrheal disease. It remained for the British investigators Bray (5), Bray and Beavan (6), Giles and Sangster (7), Giles, Sangster, and Smith (8), Smith (9), as well as Taylor, Powell, and Wright (10) to establish the fact that in certain outbreaks of epidemic diarrhea two serogroups of E. coli are found in a high percentage of affected children and 0nly rarely in healthy infants, children, and adults. These two antigenic groups have been identified as serogroups O l l l and 055. The observations of these investigators have been confirmed and extended in various parts of the world, including the Scandinavian countries by Kauffmann and Dupont (11), the Netherlands by Beeuwkes, Hodenpijl, and ten Seldam (12), Germany by Braun (13), and the United States by Modica, Ferguson, and Ducey (14), Neter and Shumway (15), Neter and Webb (16), Neter, Webb, Shumway, and Murdock (17). Very recently, Orskov (18) reported on the occurrence of E. coli belonging to O-group 26 in cases of infantile diarrhea and in white scours of newborn calves. Thus it appears likely that groups other than O l l l and 055 may be associated with diarrheal disease of infants.

The significance of erythrocyte antigen site density

“…These experiments extend previous studies of the importance of antigen density on immune hemagglutination (22)(23)(24). The adsorption of certain bacterial antigens by red cells allows passive hemagglutination assays of some antibacterial antisera and Neter, Bertram, Zak, Murdock, and Arbesman established that the concentration of Escherichia coli antigen used for adsorption affected the agglutination titer of any given antiserum (22).…”

The Initiation and Enhancement of Human Red Cell Lysis by Activators of the First Component of Complement and by First Component Esterase; Studies Using Normal Red Cells and Red Cells from Patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria*

“…We have chosen to describe these phenomena as the production of red cell membrane damage via "indifferent" activation of the C' system, since no antigen-antibody reaction specific for the red cell is involved. These hemolytic systems are clearly different from those reported by Neter and his co-workers (20,39,40), by Boyden and Andersen (41), and by Middlebrook (42), since in these latter systems antigen (or antigenantibody complex) is capable of adsorbing to the red cell surface, and thus acts as a red cell sensitizer. In addition, these authors have all noted that normal serum in high concentration interferes with red cell adsorption of the sensitizing material (39)(40)(41)(42)(43).…”

“…Certain agents capable of altering the red cell membrane are able to render NHE susceptible to C'-dependent hemolysis in acidified human serum (16). In addition, red cells coated by antigen are susceptible to C'-dependent hemolysis in the presence of specific antibody (20). Experiments were performed to investigate the possibility that poly I-induced hemolysis might share a similar mechanism, i.e., that poly I was altering, sensitizing, or attaching to the red cell surface in a manner analogous to the action of influenza virus, proteolytic enzymes, neuraminidase, periodate ions, tannic acid (21), or "antigen."…”

The significance of erythrocyte antigen site density

“…The difference in hemolytic susceptibility of red cells from different species has been widely recognized (19,20). These studies with our model system allow the first direct comparison of cells which have the same antigen and similar antigen densities.…”