Localization of Intracellular IVIonoclonal Antibody Specific for IVlycobacteria in Experimentally Induced Pulmonary Tuberculosis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine whether intracellular localization of intravenously injected infection specific MoAb can be localized in the infected cells, immunohistochemical staining was obtained in animals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One mg of intact mouse MoAb against mwobacteria (group I, n=10) and F(ab')2 (group II, n=6) were intravenously injected to the rabbits of each groups infected with M. tuberculosis H37RV. Immunohistochemical staining using an anti-mouse antibody was obtained at the 1,3, 5, 7 and 8th days in Group I and at the 1, 2, 3rd days in group II by streptavidin biotin method. For the control study, I mg of non specific polyclonal human IgG (group III, n=10) and 100 microgram of normal rabbit IgG F(ab')2 (group IV, n=6) were injected to the rabbits and guinea pigs respectively. RESULTS: Both groups (group I & II) showed a positive Ag-Ab reaction within the cytoplasm of monocytes. A weak but positive reaction was observed intracellularly in group III, however no positive reaction in group IV. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest intracellular Ag-Ab reaction plays an important role in the localization of infection by immunoscintigraphy using a specific MoAb fragments.