Acute phase protein modulating endotoxic activity of lipopolysaccharides, assay methods and polypeptides

摘要

A lipopolysaccharide binding protein is disclosed as are an assay method, polypeptides and antibodies related to that binding protein. The binding protein: (a) is present in impure form in acute phase serum, but is substantially absent from normal serum; (b) binds to Gram-negative bacterially secreted lipopolysaccharide in vitro in the serum of the animal treated; (c) retards in vitro binding of the lipopolysaccharide to high density lipoprotein present in the normal serum of the animal host; and (d) immunoreacts with antibodies raised to a polypeptide having the amino acid residue sequence, from left to right and in the direction from amino-terminus to carboxy-terminus, or ##STR1## wherein each of said parenthesized amino acid residues in an alternative to the immediately preceding residue in said sequence.