@article{mbs:/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-5-1089, author = "Virji, M. and Heckels, J. E.", title = "The Role of Common and Type-specific Pilus Antigenic Domains in Adhesion and Virulence of Gonococci for Human Epithelial Cells", journal= "Microbiology", year = "1984", volume = "130", number = "5", pages = "1089-1095", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-130-5-1089", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-5-1089", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2080", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "A panel of monoclonal antibodies with varying pilus specificities ranging from cross-reacting to type-specific has been used to investigate the role of conserved and variable antigenic domains in the adhesion of gonococci to human epithelial cells. The binding of 125I-labelled α pili from strain P9 to buccal epithelial cells was inhibited by three type-specific but not by two cross-reacting antibodies. Four type-specific antibodies inhibited the binding of γ pili while the two cross-reacting antibodies were again without effect. The virulence of the variants P9-2 (α pili) and P9-35 (γ pili) for Chang conjunctiva epithelial cells was similarly reduced only in the presence of relevant type-specific antibodies. These results indicate the importance of variable antigenic domains in the adhesion of gonococci to human epithelial cells.", }