Analysis oftheAntigen Specificity oftheHumanSerum Immunoglobulin G ImmuneResponse toComplicated Gonococcal Infection

Thehumoral immuneresponse ofpatients tocomplicated gonococcal infection isnotcompletely understood. Antibodiesdirected against fimbria (pili), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), andother cell-surface proteins including protein Ihavebeen demonstrated intheseraofpatients withcomplicated and uncomplicated gonococcal infection (1,7,15). Therelative frequency withwhichantibodies areproduced tothese antigens andtheir importance inhost defense isincompletely characterized. TheWestern blottechnique forelectrophoretic transfer ofproteins separated bysodiumdodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to nitrocellulose paper(NCP)developed byTowbinetal. provides apowerful tool forsimultaneous qualitative characterization ofserological antibody response tomultiple antigens(14). We haveusedthis methodtocharacterize the antibody response of13patients withcomplicated gonococcalinfection tooutermembrane components ofNeisseria gonorrhoeae. Inaddition, therelative importance oftwo antigens, protein IandLPS,inthebactericidal activity of immuneserumwasinvestigated foronepatient recovering fromgonococcal arthritis.