S. pneumoniae CPS Antibodies

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a pathogen that was first isolated in 1880. Years later, this bacteria was recognized as the main agent causing pneumonia and as being capable of producing meningitis, otitis media, and other infectious diseases. S. pneumoniae are encapsulated, aerotolerant anaerobic, gram-positive bacteria. The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) constitutes the outermost layer of the bacterial cell and is the main virulence factor.

The CPS of S. pneumoniae were isolated in 1916. Some years later, capsular antigens were established as the basis of the serotypes of pneumococcal bacteria. In Streptococcus pneumoniae, CPS is also the primary target for vaccines, there are 98 currently recognized polysaccharide serotypes and protection is strictly serotype-specific. Polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccines have evolved over the past 20 years, using both unconjugated polysaccharides and polysaccharides conjugated to toxins to elicit a protective immune response in groups at risk for pneumococcal infection.

The pneumococcal CPS capsule is a surface structure located external to the cell wall. It protects the pathogen from host defense mechanisms. The virulence and invasiveness of pneumococcal strains vary according to the serotypes and depend on the chemical composition and amount of CPS produced. Several capsules are highly polar and hydrophilic, thus interfering with the interactions between the bacteria and phagocytes. Chemical structure studies of this antigen reveal that most types contain a negatively charged capsule (except for serotypes 7 and 14, which are neutral) and acid components, such as glucuronic acid (in types 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9A, and 9V), or phosphate in phosphodiester bonds (in types 6A, 6B, 11A, 15F, 19F, 19A, and 23F).

Creative Diagnostics has developed a panel of serotype-specific S. pneumoniae CPS antibodies for streptococcus pneumoniae vaccines research. These antibodies are manufactured to the highest quality standards and are performance guaranteed for the applications listed on the detailed datasheets.