Opsonic capacity of a hyperimmune serum against outer membrane proteins of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT

The opsonic capacity of a hyperimmune rabbit serum against a porin-rich outer membrane protein preparation of a strain of K. pneumoniae was evaluated. By immunoblot, the antiserum recognized mainly the porins from an outer membrane protein preparation. Using an ELISA, the titer of anti-porin antibodies was determined. Through a chemiluminescence assay, the increase in the respiratory burst of murine hyperimmune serum was recorded. These data correlate with the results of the microbicidal assays and with the electron microscopy preparations obtained where a great number of bacteria were seen within the macrophages. The in vitro data show that there is a greater bacterial killing when the macrophage is infected with bacteria opsonized with the hyperimmune serum.