Immunological study of cross-reactive polysaccharide antigens (types a, d, and h) of oral Streptococcus spp. with monoclonal antibodies.

Two monoclonal antibodies against the cross-reactive antigens of S. cricetus (type a) and S. sobrinus (type d) were isolated. Galactose and especially melibiose inhibited the precipitin reaction markedly. Inhibition by melibiose was over 200-fold stronger than that by galactose. This may indicate that galactose-alpha 1, 6-glucose is the predominant antigenic determinant of this cross-reactive antigen. This antigen was also found in S. sobrinus type h strains, but no antigen was found in one type d strain (OMZ176).