[Common epitopes of protein antigens in Neisseria and Moraxella]. / Obshchie épitopy u belkovykh antigenov meningokokkov i moraksell.

Cross reactions between N. meningitidis and M. catarrhalis proteins were studied with the use of a panel of monoclonal antibodies to M. catarrhalis protein antigens. All antigenic preparations under study were shown to give cross reactions between N. meningitidis serotype porin of 39 kD (strain B125) and M. catarrhalis proteins of 40-41 kD. These M. catarrhalis proteins belonged to main proteins of class F and had the function of porins in the cell. In addition, the epitope of 41-kD antigen, detected by monoclonal antibodies 3E10, is common for both N. meningitidis porin and N. meningitidis iron-regulated proteins of 70 and 50 kD. The epitope of M. catarrhalis protein of 67 kD, detected by monoclonal antibodies 1G6, is common for N. meningitidis porin and N. meningitidis iron-regulated proteins of 50 and 55 kD.

[The protein antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae]. / Belkovye antigeny Streptococcus pneumoniacea.

Protein preparations of three S. pneumoniae strains belonging to different serological types according to the structure of their capsular polysaccharides have been analyzed. Immunoblotting with antiserum to a protein preparation isolated from one strain, pooled serum of patients with pneumococcal infection and individual sera of such patients have revealed that different S. pneumoniae strains have serologically active proteins with similar molecular weights. Analysis made with the use of rabbit antiserum to a protein preparation has demonstrated that most of such preparations (mol. wt. of 44, 49, 50 kD, etc.) belong to the group of proteins Pnp II, average in their molecular weight among the preparations under study (23-53 kD). At the same time serological response in pneumococcal infection is linked with common S. pneumoniae proteins with mol. wt. of 50, 87 and 97 kD, but not always with pneumolysin.

[The periodic and regional characteristics of the pneumococcal serotype spectrum in children with respiratory diseases and in healthy carriers]. / Peridodicheskie i regional'nye osobennosti serotipovogo spektra pnevmokokkov u detei s respiratornymi zabolevaniiami i zdorovykh nositelei.

The aim of the work was the comparative study Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes, isolated from healthy carriers and acute pneumonia patients in different regions of the CIS; in Moscow observations were carried out for 10 years. Specific antibodies to different S.pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide antigens were determined in blood serum samples by the method of heterogeneous enzyme immunoassay. The study revealed that S.pneumoniae serotype spectra in healthy children and in children with acute respiratory viral diseases were similar, while from pneumonia patients with complications of pleuritis caused by S.pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 5 and 14, were more frequently isolated. During 10 years of observations changes in the occurrence of individual serotypes were noted both in carriers and in patients. Differences in the serotype spectra of S.pneumoniae isolated in different regions were established. S.pneumoniae serotype 5 caused 70% of pleuritis cases in Tashkent, while rarely occurring in regions with the moderate climate. S.pneumoniae serotype 14, formerly causing complicated forms of pneumonia, lately became more widespread, but at the same time caused fewer cases of pneumonia with complications. High occurrence of pneumonia among children aged 1-3 years correlated with a low level of specific antibodies in the child population.

[The indices of antipneumococcal immunity in children with chronic pneumonia]. / Pokazateli protivopnevmokokkovogo immuniteta u detei, bol'nykh khronicheskoi pnevmoniei.

In 76 children with chronic pneumonia the levels of serum antibodies to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide antigens (serotypes 1, 3, 6B, 8, 9N, 15F, 23F), O-polysaccharide and pneumococcal protein somatic antigens were determined by ELISA techniques. The study showed that in sick children the content of antipneumococcal antibodies in the blood increased with age. No correlation between the content of total immunoglobulins and that of antipneumococcal antibodies in the blood of the patients was established, but a sharp decrease in the concentration of antibodies was registered in a child with hypoglobulinemia. No increase in the level of antibodies to pneumococcal antigens was observed in cases of the exacerbation of Pneumococcus-induced inflammatory process in the lungs.

[An immunoenzyme system for determining antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae polysaccharides in biological fluids]. / Immunofermentnaia sistema dlia opredeleniia antitel k polisakharidam Streptococcus pneumoniae v biologicheskikh zhidkostiakh.

The enzyme immunoassay (EIA) system for the determination of antibodies to capsular polysaccharides of pneumococci, serotypes 1, 3, 6B, 8, 9N, 15F, 23F, and C-polysaccharide has been developed on the basis of poly-L-lysin-modified antigens. The use of isotype-specific conjugates in this system permits the detection of IgG and IgA antibodies in different biological fluids: blood serum, pleural fluid, saliva, milk. Samples obtained from children with pneumococcal infection and from nursing mothers have been studied. As shown in this study, the EIA system can be used for the evaluation of the dynamics of pneumococcal infection in children.

[Antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens in newborn infants]. / Antitela k nekotorym antigenam Streptococcus pneumoniae u novorozhdennykh detei.

The levels of antibodies to capsular polysaccharide antigens of pneumococci (serotypes 1, 3, 6B, 8, 9N, 15F, 23F), C-polysaccharide and protein antigen of pneumococci in the blood sera of 38 newborn infants at the moment of their birth (umbilical blood) and on the 5th or 6th day of their life, in their mothers' blood sera, as well as in the colostrum and milk of 48 nursing women, have been studied by means of the enzyme immunoassay. The study showed that in the normal course of pregnancy antibodies to pneumococci were transferred transplacentally from the mother to the fetus. Though in most cases their content in the blood of newborn infants was lower than that in maternal blood, it exceeded the average level of antipneumococcal antibodies in children aged 3-12 months. In the milk of nursing mothers considerable amount of IgA antibodies to pneumococci was detected, which might be an additional protective factor with respect to pneumococcal infection in infants.

[Use of isoelectric focusing in studying the composition of allergens from mites]. / Ispol'zovanie izoélektrofokusirovaniia dlia izuchenia sostava allergenov iz kleshchei.

The method of the isoelectric separation of allergens isolated from Dermatophagoides ticks with the use of isoelectrofocusing has been improved. 10-12 protein fractions with isoelectric points from 3.50 to 6.55 have been isolated. Allergens obtained from D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus grown on two different nutrient media have been found to contain common protein components. In D. pteronyssinus allergen the presence of a greater number of protein fractions has been noted in the region of pH 5.25-6.00 than in D. farinae allergen.

[Determination of pneumococcus antibodies in secretions in acute pneumonia in children]. / Opredelenie antitel k pnevmokokku v sekretakh pri ostroi pnevmonii u detei.

IgA-antibodies to pneumococcal antigens were measured by enzyme immunoassay in saliva and nasal washings, obtained from 32 children aged 6 months to 14 years with acute pneumonia and from 25 healthy children aged 2.5-11 years. In the secretions of children with acute pneumonia an essential increase in the levels of IgA-antibodies in comparison with those observed in healthy children was detected. The levels of antibodies to pneumococci in saliva and in nasal washings were in direct correlation. These data are indicative of a protective role played, probably, by secretory antibodies at the portals of infection in pneumococcal pneumonia.

[Use of isoelectric focusing for assessing the composition of pollen allergens]. / Ispol'zovanie izoélektricheskogo fokusirovaniia dlia otsenki sostava pyl'tsevykh allergenov.

The preparations of allergens and allergoids obtained from ragweed, timothy and wormwood pollen, as well as the preparations of allergens from birch and orchard grass pollen differing in the method of their production, have been studied with the use of analytical isoelectric focusing in a thin gel layer. The composition of the preparations of allergoids differs from that of the allergenic preparations from the pollen of the same plant species by the decreased content of protein components detected in this investigation. The main proteins contained in the preparations of allergoids are distributed in the zone of pH 3.5-4.5. Differences in the composition of different batches of the same allergens, manifested by variations in some protein bands or by their absence, have been noted. Protein components with the isoelectric point in the alkaline zone have been detected only in the preparations of ragweed pollen allergens.

[Comparative analysis of antigenic preparations made from noncapsular strains of Pneumococcus]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz antigennykh preparatov iz nekapsul'nykh shtammov pnevmokokka.

Nonencapsulated strains obtained by subculturing Streptococcus pneumoniae in a medium containing 0.5% of bile have been shown to possess a number of morphological and cultural features. The preparations obtained from the biomass of these strains by sonication have been found to possess antigenic, immunogenic and protective properties and to be specific to S. pneumoniae. The data obtained in this investigation may be considered indicative of the necessity for further study of these preparations with a view to their use for the analysis of serum samples taken from patients with bronchopulmonary diseases by means of enzyme immunoassay.

[Detection of pneumococcal antibodies in children with acute pneumonia and pleurisy by an immunoenzyme method]. / Vyiavlenie antitel k pnevmokokku u detei s ostroi pnevmoniei i plevritom immunofermentnym metodom.

The samples of sera and pleural fluid from sick children have been analyzed by means of EIA techniques. To detect the time course of antibody production, the antigenic preparations of pneumococci (monovalent capsular polysaccharides, polyvalent polysaccharide vaccine and complex pneumococcal antigen) have been used. Antibody response observed in the forms of pneumococcal infection, studied in this investigation, has proved to be highly variable. It is expedient to determine antibodies to polysaccharide antigens not earlier than on days 10-12 from the beginning of the disease. But, besides the positive dynamics of antibodies, their unchanged level is sometimes observed in the patients at the beginning of the disease. As a rule, there is a coincidence between the dynamics of antibody formation in response to polysaccharide antigens and to complex pneumococcal antigen.

[Detection of noncapsular antigens in pneumococcus]. / Vyiavlenie nepasul'nykh antigenov pnevmokokka.

Complex antigenic preparations obtained from noncapsular pneumococcal strains were used for the immunization of rabbits and guinea pigs. The injection of the preparations in complete Freund's adjuvant for 5 weeks led to the appearance of antibodies in their sera. The antibodies were detected by the double immunodiffusion test. The preparations obtained from different strains by extraction (with Triton X-100 or sodium deoxycholate) or by disintegration contain common pneumococcal antigens.

[High-molecular antigenic complex of the pneumococcus: its properties]. / Vysokomolekuliarnyi antigennyi kompleks pnevmokokka; nekotoyre svoistva.

The study of an antigenic preparation isolated from pneumococci, serotype 3, by the method of alkaline hydrolysis has revealed that the preparation contains a high-molecular complex protein-polysaccharide composition of the cell wall of this microorganism. The preparation contains at least two immunologically active components: the type-specific polysaccharide of serotype 3 pneumococcus and a nonspecific protein component. This antigenic preparation is capable of the formation of immunological memory in mice and protecting them from experimental challenge with pneumococci of homologous and heterologous serotypes.

[Immunoenzyme analysis in pneumococcal infection]. / Immunofermentnyi analiz pri pnevmokokkovoi infektsii.

Complex protein preparations obtained from pneumococci have been used for the serological examination of patients with pneumococcal infection. The proposed system of ELISA permits the detection of positive results in about 70% of cases. The specificity of the method is 95%. Special attention is paid to the determination of the criterion indicating the presence of positive results.

[A carbohydrate-containing copolymer with the specificity of a capsular polysaccharide of type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae]. / Uglevodsoderzhashchii sopolimer so spetsifichnost'iu kapsuliarnogo polisakharida Streptococcus pneumoniae, tip 3.

The synthesis of allyl beta-glycoside of cellobiuronic acid by chemical modification of cellobiose was described. The carbohydrate-containing polymers with different content of determinant groups were obtained via radical copolymerization of this hapten with acrylamide. The copolymer which contained 27% carbohydrates and had molecular mass about 100-300 kilodaltons had the serological specificity of the capsular polysaccharide Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 as shown by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

[Type-specific pneumococcal agglutinating sera in precipitation tests]. / Izuchenie tipospetsificheskikh aggliutiniruiushchikh pnevmokokkovykh syvorotok v reaktsiiakh pretsipitatsii.

Diagnostic agglutinating sera to pneumococci of different serotypes have been studied with respect to their capacity for taking part in the reactions of precipitation with capsular pneumococcal polysaccharides. The sera have proved to be highly active and specific in the reactions of double immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis. The sera under study have also been found to react with cattle serum, one of the components of the medium used for the cultivation of pneumococci.