Prophylactic significance of the nonlipopolysaccharide antigens of Vibrio cholerae.

The infant-mouse cholera model was used for evaluation of the immunoprophylactic significance of the nonlipopolysaccharide antigens of Vibrio cholerae. The protective efficiency of antibodies to the nonlipopolysaccharide components of the 569B strain was much greater than that of antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide. Protective nonlipopolysaccharide antigens were not detected in two other strains, however; the possible basis for this restricted distribution was considered in light of studies from other laboratories. An investigation of the mechanism by which antibodies mediate protection in this model suggested that the critical property of protective antibodies is their capacity to block vibrio attachment directly.