Researchers aimed to overcome the limited immunological tools available for studying clinically relevant Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) strains by producing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting various epidemic ribotypes. Immunizing mice with the Low Molecular Weight (LMW) subunit of the surface layer protein SlpA from different C. difficile strains resulted in high-affinity mAbs capable of binding both LMW and whole bacteria from multiple ribotypes. This collection of anti-C. difficile mAbs shed light on C. difficile pathogenesis, offering potential avenues for therapeutic interventions.
Through immunization with LMW SlpA subunits, researchers developed mAbs targeting prevalent ribotypes, facilitating specific identification and potential therapeutic applications. While some mAbs exhibited cross-reactivity between certain ribotypes, their specificity allows for diverse assays and contributes to understanding C. difficile infection, pathogenesis, and epidemiology. Further investigation is necessary to assess mAb specificity across additional clinical isolates and related pathogens, broadening their potential clinical utility.
Reference: Hunault L, England P, Barbut F, et al. A monoclonal antibody collection for C. difficile typing? Gut Pathog. 2024 Jan 19;16(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s13099-023-00592-7. PMID: 38243246; PMCID: PMC10797914.
