This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ogasawara, M Articles by Yu, D T Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ogasawara, M Articles by Yu, D T

Mimicry of human histocompatibility HLA-B27 antigens by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT

Anti-HLA-B27 monoclonal antibody M2, which was relatively specific for human histocompatibility antigen HLA-B27, was used to test several bacteria, some of which could potentially induce chronic arthritis in HLA-B27-positive individuals. Using the Western blot procedure, we observed positive reactions with 80,000- and 60,000-dalton antigens with one strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Reactivity was not observed with five other monoclonal antibodies which were not reactive with HLA-B27 antigens, nor was reactivity observed with seven other gram-negative bacteria, irrespective of their arthritis-causing potential. To test the validity of our observation, the 80,000-dalton Klebsiella cross-reactive antigen was isolated and used to generate an immune guinea pig serum. We found that the reactivity of this guinea pig serum with Klebsiella envelopes in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was adversely affected by absorption with HLA-B27-positive cells. Our results support the existence of mimicry between HLA-B27 antigens and bacteria.