Enterococcus faecalis and/or enterococcus faecium antigen

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to the field of detecting and preventing infectious diseases caused by Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium. More specifically, the invention relates to an Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium antigen which comprises at least one unit having the following general formula:

1 . An isolated antibody, or an antibody fragment, to an  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium  antigen, wherein the antigen comprises at least one unit having the following general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  are independently of one another selected from the group consisting of H, OH, OCH 3 , OAc, OC n H m , OFo, OAcyl, SH, SCH 3 , SC n H m , SFo, SAc, SAcyl, NH 2 , NHCH 3 , NHC n H m , NHFo, NHAc, NHAcyl, PO 2 (OR 2 ) 2 , F, Cl, Br and I, 
         wherein Fo is formyl, R 2  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C n H m , C n H m-1 NHR 3  and C n H m-1 N(CH 3 ) 3 , 
         wherein R 3  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, Fo, Ac and acyl, 
         X are independently of one another selected from the group consisting of O, S, CH 2 , NH and POOR 4 , 
         wherein R 4  is H, C n H m , C n H m-1 NHR 3  and C n H m-1 N(CH 3 ) 3 , 
         Y are independently of one another selected from the group consisting of O, S, CH 2  and HPO 4 , 
         CA is independently of one another selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6 -acyl radicals, in particular hydroxyacyl radicals, preferably lactyl, H, OH, OCH 3 , OAc, OC n H m , OFo, OAcyl, SH, SCH 3 , SC n H m , SFo, SAc, SAcyl, NH 2 , NHCH 3 , NHC n H m , NHFo, NHAc, NHAcyl, PO 2 OR 2 , F, Cl, Br and I, 
         wherein Fo is formyl, R 2  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OC n H m , OC n H m-1 NHR 3  and OC n H m-1 N (CH 3 ) 3 , 
         wherein R 3  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, Fo, Ac and acyl, 
         wherein m=2n+1 and n is selected from the set of natural numbers from 1 to 10. 
       
     
     
         2 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , wherein the antigen has two sugars that are in the D configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , wherein the antigen comprises a disaccharide consisting of a furanose Gal and a pyranose Glc has a structure that is selected from the following:
 →-v)-D-Galf-(1→-z)-D-Glcp-(1→-,   →-v)-D-Galf-(1→-z)-D-Glcf-(1→-,   →-v)-D-Galp-(1→-z)-D-Glcp-(1→- or   →-v)-D-Galp-(1→-z)-D-Glcf-(1→-,   wherein v and z are in each case 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.   
     
     
         4 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , wherein the antigen has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         5 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , wherein, for the antigen, R 1  is OH, X is O, Y is O and CA is lactyl. 
     
     
         6 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , wherein the antigen has a molecular weight of approximately 50,000 to 150,000 Da. 
     
     
         7 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , said unit of the antigen occurs at least 100 times. 
     
     
         8 . The antibody, according to  claim 1 , that is a recombinant antibody, or a recombinant fragment thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A composition comprising an antibody according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The composition as claimed in  claim 9 , comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The composition as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that it is a vaccine against  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium.    
     
     
         12 . A kit for detecting  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium  in a sample, comprising an antibody according to  claim 1 , optionally bound to a support. 
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the antigen or the antibody is labeled with a marker. 
     
     
         14 . A method for immunizing a subject against  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium,  wherein said method comprises administering to the subject an antibody of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . An isolated antibody, or an antibody fragment, to an  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium  antigen, wherein the antigen comprises at least one unit having the following general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  is OH, X is O, Y is O and CA is lactyl. 
       
     
     
         16 . A method for immunizing a subject against  Enterococcus faecalis  and/or  Enterococcus faecium,  wherein said method comprises administering to the subject an antibody of  claim 15 .