Biological activity of anti-cord factor antibody

脐带因子(海藻糖，6，6‘-二聚乙醇酸)含有被称为霉菌酸的长链脂肪酸，作为特征成分存在于结核分枝杆菌和相关抗酸细菌的表面。我们发现针对脐带因子的抗体可以在实验动物中产生，并在分枝杆菌病患者中特异性检测到。在这项研究中，我们试图阐明来自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，还检测了抗体对肉芽肿形成和脐带因子细胞因子诱导活性的影响。实验动物和分枝杆菌病患者的抗人脐带因子抗体均可与霉菌酸作为抗原决定簇发生反应。霉菌酸分子结构的差异将被抗体特异性地识别。抗脐带因子抗体可抑制脐带因子所致的肉芽肿形成和体重减轻监测的毒性。这些抗体减少了形成肉芽肿的肺中白细胞介素1和趋化因子的产生。根据这些结果，推测抗脐带因子抗体可能通过改变宿主的免疫反应而在分枝杆菌感染的发生发展中发挥作用。

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.