ENDOGENOUS ENDOTOXIN-CORE ANTIBODY (EndoCAb) AS A MARKER OF ENDOTOXIN EXPOSURE AND A PROGNOSTIC INDICATOR: A REVIEW

The EndoCAb ELISA was originally devised by us to screen blood donor plasma forhigh-titre antibodies to endotoxin core which are cross-reactive with endotoxins of a numberof Gram-negative bacterial species and strains, and was then applied to a variety of clinicalstudies. The assay was devised by studying large numbers of healthy adults (blood donors)using a variety of R-LPS and S-LPS alone and in different combinations in ELISA. The finalform of what we have called the EndoCAb ELISA was comprised of an equimolar cocktailof an incomplete-core R-LPS from each of four species ( E.coli, P.aeruginosa, K.aerogenesand S.typhimurium ). Each R-LPS preserved an intact inner core but did not expresscomplete outer core (i.e. an Rc or Rb LPS where available). Each R-LPS was complexedwith polymyxin B, and the cocktail was coated on a brand of polystyrene microplate selectedfor optimal EndoCAb ELISA characteristics, as previously described (Scott & Barclay,1987; Barclay & Scott, 1987; Scott & Barclay, 1990; Scott, et al. 1990).