Biological activity of anti-cord factor antibody

索状因子（海藻糖6，6 '-二霉菌酸酯）含有长链脂肪酸（称为霉菌酸），是结核分枝杆菌及其相关抗酸菌表面的特征性成分。实验动物体内可产生抗脐带因子的抗体，并在分枝杆菌病患者体内特异性检测到。在这项研究中，我们试图澄清从实验动物和分枝杆菌病患者的抗脐带因子抗体的抗原特异性。此外，检查抗体对肉芽肿形成和脐带因子的精氨酸诱导活性的影响。实验动物和结核病患者的抗脐带因子抗体均以分枝杆菌酸为抗原决定簇。分枝菌酸分子种类的结构差异将被抗体特异性识别。抗脐带因子抗体可抑制脐带因子引起的小鼠肉芽肿形成和通过小鼠体重减轻监测的毒性。抗体减少了肉芽肿形成肺中白细胞介素-1和趋化因子的产生。根据这些结果，推测抗脐带因子抗体通过改变宿主的免疫应答在分枝杆菌感染的发展中发挥作用。

Cord factors (trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate) contain long chain fatty acids namedmycolic acid and are located at the surface of M.tuberculosis and related acid-fast bacteria as a characteristic component. We have found the antibodies against cord factors can be produce din experimental animals and are detected specifically in the patients with mycobacteriosis. In this study, we attempted to clarify the antigen-specificity of the anti-cord factor antibodies from experimental animals and from the patients with mycobacteriosis. Furthermore, the effects of the antibodies on granuloma formation and cytokine-inducing activity of cord factors were examined. Anti-cord factor antibo dies from both experimental animal and patients with mycobacteriosis would react with mycolic acids as an antigenic determinant. The difference in the structures of mycolic acid molecular species would be specifically recognized by the antibodies. The granuloma formation by cord factors and the toxicity monitored by body weight loss in mice were suppreseed by the administration of anti-cord factor antibodies. The antibodies diminished the production of interleukin-1 and chemotactic factor in the granuloma-forming lungs. From these results, anti-cord factor antibodies were postulated to play a role in the development of mycobacterial infection by modifying the immune response of host.