Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Which Recognize Specific Cell Surface Determinants on Salmonella Typhimurium

Abstract

Murine typhoid, a naturally occurring disease in mice caused by Salmonella typhimurium, is a good experimental model with which to study the interactions between host and parasite and is especially important since the pathogenesis of this disease is similar to typhoid fever in man (1). Although the role of the immune system in the regulation of this disease has not been studied extensively, previous studies have suggested that the murine immune response to S. typhimurium was primarily regulated by T cells and macrophages (2). However, recent observations suggest that B cells, hence protective antibodies, also play an important role in resistance (3–5). Nevertheless, the identification of the salmonella cell surface antigens towards which these protective antibodies are directed remains controversial. One approach to the identification of these antigenic determinants would be to generate large quantities of antibody directed against a specific bacterial cell surface determinant and to use these antibodies in passive transfer experiments to determine their role in the protection of the host from murine typhoid.