[Investigation on the immunoprotection of monoclonal antibodies against outer envelopes of serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar lai strain 017 leptospires].

BALB/c mice were immunized intraperitoneally with outer envelopes of serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae lai serovar strain 017 leptospires. Monoclonal antibodies against outer envelopes (IgG, agglutinating titre 1:25,600) were produced by hybridoma technique. The monoclonal antibodies ascites (diluted 1:100) 1 ml administered intraperitoneally 1 hour before the intraperitoneal injection of 2 x 10(8) leptospires of strain 017 and the subsequent daily administration of McAb in similar doses for five days protected 80% of guinea pigs. Survival rates of three control groups which received physiological saline, ascites of BALB/c mouse myeloma cell lines SP2/0, and monoclonal antibodies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in place of monoclonal antibodies against outer envelopes of strain 017 leptospires were 10%, 20% and 10% respectively. When killed 20 days after challenge, guinea pigs of experiment group were normal at autopsy. Old pulmonary haemorrhage were present in the animals of three control groups. Passive immunoprotection experiments have demonstrated immunoprotection of monoclonal antibodies against outer envelopes of strain 017 leptospires. It will be valuable for separating protective antigen fraction of outer envelopes and studying new vaccine of leptospira.