A comparison of specificity and biological activity of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies raised against Salmonella minnesota R595 lipopolysaccharide

Department of Hematology/Oncology, Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Lakeshore Drive at 31st Street, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Medical Microbiology, Wright-Fleming Institute, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London W2 1PG Department of Experimental Immunobiology, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3BS Correspondence should be sent to: Dr N. D. Mehta, Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, Box 420, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Received February 21, 1989 Accepted April 19, 1989 Murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and immune rabbit serum were raised against the rough mutant of Salmonella minnesota strain R595. These antibodies were tested for their ability to inhibit LPS-induced B-cell mitogenicity and neutralise LPS toxicity in chick embryos. Immune rabbit serum inhibited both mitogenicity and LPS lethality. None of the MAbs or a cocktail of antibodies were able to neutralise LPS lethality in chick embryos. However, they were able to inhibit mitogenicity by varying degrees.