BACTERICIDAL PROPERTIES OF CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI-SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN-M ANTIBODIES IN COMMERCIAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN PREPARATIONS

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common enterocolitis-causing m icroorganisms worldwide. It is of particular importance in immunodefic ient patients, who frequently are prone to develop extraintestinal man ifestations, Since these cases respond poorly to antibiotic treatment, a supportive immunomodulating therapy including the administration of C. jejuni-specific immunoglobulins would be desirable. In the present study, nine commercial immunoglobulin preparations for intravenous us e were tested for the presence of C. jejuni lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and outer membrane protein (OMP)-specific antibodies by using immunobl ot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. The immunoglobuli n G (IgG) antibody reactivities against these antigens were comparable in eight of nine tested immunoglobulin preparations. Only in one prep aration were C. jejuni OMP- and LPS-specific IgM antibodies found. In this preparation the immunoblot test revealed a strong reactivity agai nst both flagellin and a major OMP. Moreover, all immunoglobulin prepa rations recognized OMPs of C. jejuni serotypes Lior 4, 9, 11, and 29 e qually strongly, while the reactivity to an anti-Lior 36 isolate was l ess marked. Furthermore, the bactericidal properties of three immunogl obulin preparations were tested by means of chemiluminescence signalin g in and bacterial killing by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL ), The results show that the IgM preparation enhanced Campylobacter-tr iggered chemiluminescence signaling in PMNL as well as killing of C. j ejuni by PMNL, while the other immunoglobulin preparations did not do so. These results suggest that the administration of immunoglobulin pr eparations containing C. jejuni-specific IgM antibodies would be benef icial for patients with severe C. jejuni infections.