INFLUENCE OF DETERGENTS ON THE IMMUNOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF GROUP-B NEISSERIA-MENINGITIDIS ANTIGENS

The complex study of the influence of detergents of different classes and aluminum hydroxide, a traditional adjuvant, on the immunogolical a ctivity of individual N. meningitidis antigens (outer membrane protein s, polysaccharide B) and the complex preparation containing all these antigens revealed that changes in the antigenic and immunogenic proper ties of the antigens under study depended on the degree of their purif ication and the character of modifying substances. Aluminum hydroxide proved to be the most active adjuvant: it stimulated immune response t o both outer membrane proteins and antigens of the protein-polysacchar ide complex, while decreasing the antigenicity of outer membrane prote ins and polysaccharide. Detergents increase the antigenicity of outer membrane proteins, purified and, to a lesser extent, contained in the complex; still the immune response only to the purified preparation co uld be stimulated.