Monoclonal antibodies specific for Bacteroides fragilis enterotoxins BFT1 and BFT2 and their use in immunoassays

We have developed 22 mouse IgG(1) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Bacteroides fragilis zinc metalloprotease toxins 1 and 2 (BFT1 and BFT2). Mice were immunized with recombinant BFT1 or BFT2 proteins with metalloprotease activity. Eight of the mAbs bind specifically to BFT1. One mAb, 2H6, binds specifically to BFT2. The remaining 13 mAbs bind to both BFT1 and BFT2. The eight BFT1-specific mAbs recognize at least five different epitopes on the toxin. Four of the BFT1-specific mAbs neutralized rBFT1 metalloprotease activity. Only one of these four mAbs, 1D9, neutralizes the cytotoxic effect of BFT1. Here, we describe the development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect BFT1 or BFT2 toxin in an isotype-specific manner. The sandwich ELISAs have a detection limit of 20 to 40 ng/ml when purified recombinant BFT protein is diluted into PBS. The sandwich ELISA can be used to distinguish and quantify levels of rBFT1 and rBFT2 in stool. This ELISA can be an important tool to investigate the association between BFT expression by enterotoxigenic B. fragilis and diseases such as diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.