A radioactive hapten-binding assay for measuring antibodies to the pentapeptide determinant of peptidoglycan

A major portion of the humoral immune response to peptidoglycans is directed against the non-cross-linked pentapeptide side chains of these ubiquitous bacterial antigens. At present, no specific and sensitive assay for pentapeptide antibody determination is available. Therefore, a radioimmunoassay has been developed which employs the synthetic pentapeptide hapten L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala, labeled by the active ester method of Bolton and Hunter to high specific activities (6.74 to 18.18 muCi/mug) with 125I, and used as a reagent for measuring pentapeptide antibody. A-variant streptococcal antisera, known to contain pentapeptide antibodies as shown by quantitative precipitation, would bind more than 95% of the radiolabeled hapten in contrast to 2 to 3% by preimmune rabbit sera. Specificity of the binding reaction was demonstrated by inhibition experiments imploying various synthetic oligopeptides related or unrelated to the pentapeptide in the radioimmunoassay. Binding curves established with serial dilutions of peptidoglycan antiserum were linear from 15 to 500 mug/ml of antibody permitting pentapeptide antibody measurement within this range. Comparative data on pentapeptide antibody determinations by quantitative precipitation and radioimmunoassay are given and the time course of the production of this antibody in 14 rabbits hyperimmunized with A-variant streptococcal vaccine is reported.