AN IMPROVED HEMOLYTIC PLAQUE-ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF CELLS SECRETING ANTIBODY TO BACTERIAL-ANTIGENS

Recent advances in the development of conjugate polysaccharide vaccines for human use have stimulated interest in the use of assays detecting antibody-secreting cells (AbSC) with specificity for bacterial antigens. Here we present improved haemolytic plaque-forming cell (PFC) assays detecting AbSC with specificity for tetanus and diphtheria toxoid as well as for Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides. These assays were found to be less time consuming, more economical and yielded 1.9-3.4-fold higher plaque numbers than traditional Jerne-type PFC assays. In the case of anti-polysaccharide AbSC of the IgG isotype, the increase was as high as 7.4-11.8 times. Evidence is presented that the pronounced improvement in the detection of the latter is due to the presence of aggregating anti-IgG antibody from the beginning of the assay. It is proposed that in the case of low affinity of anti-polysaccharide antibodies aggregation of secreted monomeric antibody (IgG) is critical for plaque formation and increases the avidity of binding to target cells.