Specificity of a panel of monoclonal antibodies to group A Streptococcus polysaccharide and search for cross reactions with mammalian tissues

: A panel of monoclonal antibodies (McAb) to different determinants of group A Streptococcus polysaccharide (A-PS) has been studied. As revealed in this study, A-PS contains at least 4 determinants, common with different epidermal antigens. McAb, cross-reacting (CR) with different mammalian tissue antigens, have not been found to be group-specific. Experiments on the inhibition of the immunoenzyme reaction of McAb with A-PS indicate that CR determinants include rhamnose and beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine of rhamnose alone. In addition, we have confirmed our earlier suggestion that group-specific high-affinity precipitating antibodies acted on different sites of A-PS. Contrary to earlier opinions, antibodies to group-specific determinants of A-PS have been found not to react with epidermal antigens.