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Infect Immun, May 1998, p. 2279-2283, Vol. 66, No. 5
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Opsonic Antibodies to the Surface M Protein of Group A Streptococci in Pooled Normal Immunoglobulins (IVIG): Potential Impact on the Clinical Efficacy of IVIG Therapy for Severe Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections

Hesham Basma,1,2 Anna Norrby-Teglund,1 Allison McGeer,3 Donald E. Low,3 Omar El-Ahmedy,1,2 James B. Dale,1 Benjamin Schwartz,4 and Malak Kotb1,2,*

Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, Tennessee 381041; Departments of Surgery and of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee 381632; Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada3; and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 303334

Received 10 October 1997/Returned for modification 15 December 1997/Accepted 2 February 1998

The surface M protein of group A streptococci (GAS) is one of the major virulence factors for this pathogen. Antibodies to the M protein can facilitate opsonophagocytosis by phagocytic cells present in human blood. We investigated whether pooled normal immunoglobulin G (IVIG) contains antibodies that can opsonize and enhance the phagocytosis of type M1 strains of GAS and whether the levels of these antibodies vary for different IVIG preparations. We focused on the presence of anti-M1 antibodies because the M1T1 serotype accounts for the majority of recent invasive GAS clinical isolates in our surveillance studies. The level of anti-M1 antibodies in three commercial IVIG preparations was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the opsonic activity of these antibodies was determined by neutrophil-mediated opsonophagocytosis of a representative M1T1 isolate. High levels of opsonic anti-M1 antibodies were found in all IVIG preparations tested, and there was a good correlation between ELISA titers and opsonophagocytic activity. However, there was no significant difference in the levels of opsonic anti-M1 antibodies among the various IVIG preparations or lots tested. Adsorption of IVIG with M1T1 bacteria removed the anti-M1 opsonic activity, while the level of anti-M3 opsonophagocytosis was unchanged. Plasma was obtained from seven patients with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome who received IVIG therapy, and the level of anti-M1 antibodies was assessed before and after IVIG administration. A significant increase in the level of type M1-specific antibodies was found in the plasma of all patients who received IVIG therapy (P < 0.006). The results reveal another potential mechanism by which IVIG can ameliorate severe invasive group A streptococcal infections.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: VA Medical Center, Research Service 151, 1030 Jefferson Ave., Memphis, TN 38104. Phone: (901) 448-7247. Fax: (901) 448-7208. E-mail: mkotb{at}utmem1.utmem.edu.

Infect Immun, May 1998, p. 2279-2283, Vol. 66, No. 5
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Mehta, S., McGeer, A., Low, D. E., Hallett, D., Bowman, D. J., Grossman, S. L., Stewart, T. E. (2006). Morbidity and Mortality of Patients With Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections Admitted to the ICU. Chest 130: 1679-1686 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sriskandan, S., Ferguson, M., Elliot, V., Faulkner, L., Cohen, J. (2006). Human intravenous immunoglobulin for experimental streptococcal toxic shock: bacterial clearance and modulation of inflammation. J Antimicrob Chemother 58: 117-124 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cunningham, M. W. (2000). Pathogenesis of Group A Streptococcal Infections. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 13: 470-511 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Basma, H., Norrby-Teglund, A., Guedez, Y., McGeer, A., Low, D. E., El-Ahmedy, O., Schwartz, B., Kotb, M. (1999). Risk Factors in the Pathogenesis of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections: Role of Protective Humoral Immunity. Infect. Immun. 67: 1871-1877 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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