Abstract
Antistaphylococcal IgE antibodies have recently been demonstrated in patients with recurrent staphylococcal infections, eczema and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E. The formation of these IgE antibodies may be a manifestation of an aberrant immunological response to S. aureus infection and may be related to the undue susceptibility of staphylococcal infections in these patients. In an attempt to further investigate this immunological disorder the IgE antibody binding site within the staphylococcal cell wall was studied. Cell walls from various staphyloccal strains were purified and IgE binding was measured using a solid phase radioimmunoassay. Binding occurred only to purified cell walls (PCW) from S. aureus. Since the glycan backbone and the peptide subunit of the peptidoglycan (PG) of the PCW tested are believed to be identical it is concluded that the IgE antibodies are directed to the interpeptide bridge or an unknown antigenic site within the PG of S. aureus cell walls. This hypothesis is further studied using synthetic analogues of PG interpeptide bridges.
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Schopfer, K., Wilkinson, B. & Baerlocher, K. Characterisation of antistaphylococcal IgE antibodies in patients with recurrent S. aureus infection, eczema and hyperimmunoglobulinemia E: 16. Pediatr Res 14, 169 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198002000-00043
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198002000-00043