Open AccessDegradation of Human Immunoglobulins G and M and Complement Factors C3 and C5 by Black-Pigmented Bacteroides
Author(s) -
Göran Sundqvist,
Jan Carlsson,
Björn Herrmann,
Arne Tärnvik
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/00222615-19-1-85
Subject(s) - bacteroides , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteroidaceae , antibody , biology , chemistry , bacteria , immunology , genetics
Strains of Bacteroides, Capnocytophaga and Fusobacterium were examined by immunological methods for their ability to degrade the human serum proteins IgG, IgM, C3 and C5. The proteolytic activity of the strains was measured in terms of the breakdown of serum into trichloroacetic acid-soluble material. Only black-pigmented Bacteroides strains showed proteolytic activity. Strains of B. gingivalis degraded IgG, IgM, C3 and C5, strains of B. intermedius IgG and C3, strains of B. endodontalis C3 and IgG and a strain of B. loeschei degraded only IgG. These findings are discussed in relation to the pathogenicity of the black-pigmented Bacteroides.