Immunogenicity of a purified and carrier-complexed streptococcal lipoteichoic acid.

Solublie teichoic acid could not stimulate the formation of antibodies either as an aqueous solution or in an emulsion with Freund incomplete adjuvant. However, when given as precipitates with methylated bovine serum albumin, it stimulated strong anti-teichoic acid responses. High levels of anti-teichoic acid antibodies usually resulted in allergic symptoms upon secondary challenge either with immunogenic teichoic acid-methylated bovine albumin complexes or with non-immunogenic soluble teichoic acid. These symptoms suggested anaphylatic shock, but probably also included the formation of complement-consuming immune complexes.