The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 15, Issue 1 135-140, Copyright © 1982 by Society for General Microbiology
Complement-mediated killing of Ureaplasma urealyticum by antibody directed against components of the growth medium
J. S. Lin
Many strains of Ureaplasma urealyticum were inactivated, in the presence of
complement, by a control antiserum prepared in guinea-pigs against the
uninfected culture medium used to grow ureaplasmas. This mycoplasmacidal
activity of the control serum, unlike that of the specific antisera
prepared against the organisms themselves, was removed by treatment with
dithiothreitol or by absorption with the horse-serum component of the
medium, suggesting that the activity was due to an antibody of the IgM
class acting on horse-serum proteins that had become associated with the
surface of the ureaplasmas. The mycoplasmacidal activity in the specific
ureaplasma antisera appeared to be due mainly to antibody of the IgG class.
A similar complement-dependent mycoplasmacidal antibody to U. urealyticum
apparently active against serum components, was present in normal rabbit
sera.
