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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, January 2000, p. 25-30, Vol. 7, No. 1
1071-412X/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Immune Response to Haemophilus parainfluenzae in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

Joanne L. Mitchelldagger and Susan L. Hill*

Respiratory Research Laboratory, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Received 3 May 1999/Returned for modification 13 July 1999/Accepted 28 September 1999

Haemophilus parainfluenzae is often isolated from the sputa of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. We have investigated the immune response to this organism in patients with chronic bronchitis (n = 3) and bronchiectasis (n = 10) and in healthy controls (n = 9). Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of H. parainfluenzae were purified for use in enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunoblot assays. Whole-cell H. parainfluenzae preparations were used to adsorb antibodies from serum samples, which were subsequently immunoblot assayed to investigate the antibody response to surface-exposed epitopes. Levels of H. parainfluenzae-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), but not IgA or IgM, were increased in the sera of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease compared to levels in control subjects. The species specificity of the antibody response was confirmed, although a degree of cross-reactivity with H. influenzae antigens was observed. IgA and IgG specific for OMPs of H. parainfluenzae were demonstrated to be present in the sputa and sera of five patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Variation in the pattern and intensity of antigen recognition was observed among patients and among immunoglobulin classes. OMPs of approximately 36, 22, and 15 kDa were confirmed to possess epitopes exposed on the surface of intact H. parainfluenzae. We have demonstrated the presence of a species-specific systemic immune response to H. parainfluenzae in colonized patients. A specific antibody response was also observed in sputum, and the antigen specificity of these responses in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease was investigated for the first time. The presence of a specific immune response suggests that H. parainfluenzae may have a pathogenic role in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom B15 2TH. Phone: 44 121 627 2088. Fax: 44 121 627 2012. E-mail: susan.hill{at}university-b.wmids.nhs.uk.

dagger Present address: Micropathology Ltd., University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, United Kingdom CV4 7EZ.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, January 2000, p. 25-30, Vol. 7, No. 1
1071-412X/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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