Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against serotype strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Monoclonal antibodies against 12 of the 17 IATS serotype strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were produced. Eighty-seven hybridoma clones were isolated, and the antibodies secreted were found to be reactive with both Formalin-fixed whole cells and purified lipopolysaccharide of homologous strains in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Among these monoclonal antibodies, the predominant antibody class was immunoglobulin M (IgM) (76%), although antibodies of the IgG2a and IgG3 isotypes were also produced. The monoclonal antibodies could further be divided into two groups based on their ability to agglutinate whole cells of homologous strains. The agglutinating monoclonal antibodies were found to immunoblot with the O side chains of homologous lipopolysaccharide, while the nonagglutinating monoclonal antibodies were found to be reactive with outer membrane protein-associated lipopolysaccharide. The applicability of monoclonal antibodies for serotyping was examined, and several antibodies were found to agglutinate whole cells and immunoblot with the O antigen of corresponding serotypes of clinical isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. In conclusion, a set of monoclonal antibodies against the IATS serotype strains of P. aeruginosa have been produced. These antibodies represent a bank of invaluable immunological reagents which may have application in serotyping, epitope mapping, lipopolysaccharide structural determination, and studies of protection against P. aeruginosa.