Role of antibodies in the opsonization of Yersinia spp.

We have determined the opsonic capacity of specific antibodies in patient sera obtained after Yersinia infection. The results indicate that Yersinia antibodies lead to complement activation through the classical pathway, thus overcoming the inhibition of complement-mediated opsonization in the absence of specific antibodies provided by the virulence plasmid in Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Further, antibodies against plasmid-encoded structures, the Yersinia outer membrane proteins (YOPs), are not necessary in this effect. This is indicated by two facts. (i) Monoclonal antibodies directed against the O polysaccharide of Y. enterocolitica O:3 are capable of opsonizing the plasmid-containing bacteria through C1q binding. (ii) Rabbit antisera show opsonic activity when obtained by immunization both with plasmid-containing Y. enterocolitica expressing the YOPs and a plasmid-cured variant not expressing these proteins.