Production of monoclonal antibodies neutralizing vacuolation of cultured cells by Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin

Abstract

We have succeeded in producing monoclonal antibodies which neutralize the vacuolation of rabbit kidney cells by a cytotoxin produced by Helicobacter pylori. Vacuolating activity of several H. pylori strains correlated with ELISA values using these monoclonal antibodies and culture supernatants of the strains. These results indicate that the molecules recognized by the monoclonal antibodies might be the vacuolating toxin produced by H. pylori. In addition, the sera from patients with gastritis and gastric cancer reacted strongly with the antigens captured by the monoclonal antibodies from the supernatant containing H. pylori vacuolating toxin.