Serodiagnosis of microbiosis in mice with a quantitative assay of immunoglobulins by a microcomputer-introduced ELISA system. 1. Anti-Sendai virus antibodies in naturally infected mouse sera

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system combined with microcomputer data analysis was established as a quantitative assay method of immunoglobulins. The assay system was applied to measure IgG and IgM levels of anti-microbe antibodies in animals, especially mouse and rat. And now the measurement of IgG and IgM levels (ng/ml) of anti-Sendai virus (HVJ) antibodies in naturally infected mice is available. The assay system could improve serodiagnosis in the specificity and sensitivity and in the rapid treatment of many serum samples. The operation of this system was performed by a microcomputer, FM 8 connected Titertek Multiskan MC. The limited sensitivity of this assay for IgG and IgM was 10 ng/ml and 30 ng/ml, respectively. Ninety-one of serum samples were positive for IgG and/or IgM (45 samples for IgG and IgM, 44 samples for IgG, 2 samples for IgM) to Sendai virus in the tested 279 mouse sera, and serum titers were ranged from 1: 10 to 1: 12,800 in the IgG, and from 1: 20 to 1: 160 in the IgM. In these titers, serum IgG and IgM amounts were estimated to be 0.1 to 154 micrograms/ml and 0.5 to 4.8 micrograms/ml, respectively. Relationships of serum titers and antibody amounts were almost consisted, being judged like that approximately 10 micrograms/ml is 1: 400, 30 micrograms/ml is 1: 1,600 in IgG, and 2.4 micrograms/ml is 1: 80, 4 micrograms/ml is 1: 160 in IgM.     

Study of interaction between IgG and IgM antibodies against rubella virus by the immunofluorescence method.

In immunoglobulin fractions or after elimination of IgG by absorption the immunofluorescence test for rubella IgM antibodies is more sensitive than in whole serum. Blocking of IgM activity by IgG antibodies was eliminated when the time of incubation of the serum with virus antigen was prolonged. After prolonged incubation higher titres of rubella antibodies were also obtained in the IgM immunoglobulin fractions. Protein A in Staphylococcus aureus suspension effectively absorbs antibodies of IgG class. The IgM antibody titres in absorbed sera of patients infected with rubella were in some cases 2 to 4 times higher than in unabsorbed sera.     

T cells subsets responsible for clearance of Sendai virus from infected mouse lungs

T cell subsets responsible for clearance of Sendai virus from mouse lungs determined by adoptive transfer of immune spleen cell fractions to infected nude mice. T cells with antiviral activity developed in spleens by 7 days after intranasal infection. Spleen cell fractions depleted of Lyt-2+, Lyt-1+, or L3T4+ cells showed antiviral activity in vivo, although the degree of the activity was lower than that of control whole spleen cells. The antiviral activity of the Lyt-2+ cell-depleted fraction was consistently higher than that of L3T4+ (Lyt-1+)-depleted cells. In vitro cytotoxic activity against Sendai virus-associated, syngeneic lipopolysaccharide-blast cells was detected in stimulated cells from intraperitoneally immunized mice but was lost after depletion of Lyt-2+ cells. Multiple injection of anti-Sendai virus antibody into infected nude mice had no effect on lung virus titer. These results indicate that L3T4+ (Lyt-1+) and Lyt-2+ subsets are cooperatively responsible for efficient clearance of Sendai virus from the mouse lung.     

Studies on the development of an ELISA kit for microbiological monitoring. 1. Evaluation of the reliability of the prototype kit by field tests

The prototype of an ELISA kit using protein A as the second reaction reagent for mice and anti-rat IgG for rats was prepared for seromonitoring of the Sendai virus and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)/sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV)/Parker's rat coronavirus (PCV) infections. The respective antigen strains and protein concentrations were Sendai virus MN strain, 2 micrograms/ml and MHV Nu-67 strain, 5 micrograms/ml. The reliability of this prototype kit was investigated in two field tests performed on a total of 10,094 mouse and rat sera from 147 institutions. The results indicated that the two types of kits for the two species of animals were highly specific, but it is necessary to increase the detection sensitivity of the MHV antigen for the MHV antibody of mice and SDAV/PCV antibodies of rats.     

Immunoglobulin A monoclonal antibodies protect against Sendai virus.

Immunoglobulin A anti-Sendai virus HN protein monoclonal antibodies, generated via a mucosal immunization protocol, were shown to neutralize virus in vitro and, when passively administered to the mouse respiratory tract, to protect against Sendai virus in vivo. Thus, immunoglobulin A antibodies by themselves can protect against respiratory virus infection.     

Antibodies to meningococcal H.8 (Lip) antigen fail to show bactericidal activity

Purified H.8 (Lip) antigen was coupled to tresyl-activated Sepharose 4B and used in affinity columns to purify anti-Lip antibodies from convalescent patient sera and from immune rabbit sera. Affinity-purified anti-Lip antibodies isolated from two convalescent patient sera contained 1000 and 1280 ELISA units of antibody and included antibodies of IgG, IgA, and IgM isotypes. An anti-Lip mouse monoclonal ascites (2-1-CA2) had 28,400 ELISA units of antibody. Bactericidal assays were performed using three different case strains of Neisseria meningitidis group B, namely 44/76, 8532, and 8047. Neither preparation of purified human anti-Lip antibodies had detectable bactericidal activity against strains 44/76 and 8532, but one of the two had a titer of 1:4 against strain 8047. Anti-Lip antibodies that were purified from immune rabbit serum and contained 1600 ELISA units of anti-Lip antibodies also failed to show detectable bactericidal activity. The rabbits were immunized with purified Lip antigen and showed specific antibody levels of 2000-2200 units by ELISA, but even the unfractionated sera had little or no bactericidal activity against the test strains. The high titer mouse monoclonal ascites had no bactericidal activity against the test strains. The poor bactericidal activity associated with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to the Lip antigen suggest that in spite of other attractive properties it may not be useful as a meningococcal vaccine.     

Postembedding immunocytochemical localization of paramyxovirus antigens by light and electron microscopy

A postembedding method is described to localize antigens specific for various paramyxoviruses in sections of cells and tissues that have been fixed and embedded in epoxy resins for conventional electron microscopy. Viral antigens were localized in CV-1 cell cultures infected with simian virus 5 (SV5), brains of suckling hamsters inoculated with either neuroadapted mumps virus or hamster-adapted measles virus, and brains of adult mice infected with Sendai (parainfluenza I) virus. Both 1-micrometer-thick and thin (gold) tissue sections were etched with alcoholic sodium hydroxide-solution and then treated following either the unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase or the biotinylated protein A:avidin peroxidase procedure. Primary reagents included immunoglobulin isolated from hyperimmune rabbit sera with specificity to the major viral components of SV5 or SV5 hemagglutinin-neuraminidase, to whole mumps virus or mumps virus nucleocapsids, and to whole Sendai virus. Crude rabbit anti-Sendai virus antiserum and whole human subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) sera were used in parallel. The results indicate that tissues processed for conventional evaluation by electron microscopy may be suitable, within limits, for postembedding immunocytochemical staining of paramyxovirus antigens.     

The ability of fractionated sera from animals vaccinated with irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni to transfer immunity to mice

To study the role of IgG and IgM isotypes found in sera of mice or rabbits immunized with irradiated cercariae in schistosome immunity, the respective sera were fractionated by protein A chromatography. Both the protein A-bound and unbound fractions of vaccinated mouse serum (VMS) showed reactivities in ELISA assay using NP-40 membrane extracts of 3-hr schistosomula as antigens and in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) using live 3-hr schistosomula. Both the protein A-bound and unbound fractions possessed high levels (84% and 76%, respectively) of complement-mediated cytotoxicity against schistosomula in vitro. The IgG- and IgM-containing fractions each conferred passive protection (30% and 20%) against challenge infection, although at a lower level when compared to unfractionated VMS (42%). These data demonstrate that in the mouse model both IgG and IgM can recognize epitopes on the surface of schistosomula, mediate cytotoxicity in vitro, and provide passive protection in vivo. Similarly, the protein A-bound and unbound fractions of vaccinated rabbit serum (VRS) were also shown to be positive in ELISA and IIF. The IgG- and IgM-containing fractions each possessed high levels (95% and 85%, respectively) of complement-dependent cytotoxicity against schistosomula in vitro. In contrast to VMS fractions, the IgG fraction of VRS conferred a similar level (28%) of in vivo protection as unfractionated VRS when injected into mice no later than 6 days after challenge. Moreover, the IgG fraction of VRS was still able to provide passive protection to mice when given as late as 15 days postinfection, but failed to confer protection when injected at 24 or 35 days postinfection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Appearance of IgG (Fc) receptor(s) on cultured human fibroblasts infected with human cytomegalovirus.

Cultured human diploid fibroblasts (WI-38) after infection with human cytomegalovirus (CMV) but not when uninfected, could hemadsorb sheep red blood cells (SRBC) coated with rabbit anti-SRBC IgG. The adsorption of IgG-coated SRBC to virus-infected cells was completely abolished if the tests were carried out in the simultaneous presence of rabbit antiserum elicited against CMV. Normal sera of rabbit or human origin as well as purified human IgG but not Fab fragment of human IgG could also abolish the binding of sensitized SRBC to CMV-infected fibroblasts. Active metabolism on the part of CMV-infected fibroblasts proved to be an important requisite for demonstrating binding of sensitized SRBC to their surfaces. By using an indicator Staphylococcus aureus to which rabbit antiserum against normal human IgG, IgM, or IgA was bound via Fc fragments, evidence has been obtained which suggests the existence of receptor(s) on CMV-infected WI-38 cells that react specifically with Fc region of human IgG.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Sendai virus and rotavirus in laboratory rabbits

One hundred and sixty rabbit sera from 10 breeding colonies and 13 laboratory colonies were tested for antibodies to Sendai virus and rotavirus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies were detected to Sendai virus in 53% and to rotavirus in 81%, indicating the prevalence of these viral infections in laboratory rabbit colonies.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgM, IgG and IgA class antibodies against Candida albicans antigens: development and comparison with other methods

An extract of Candida albicans was used as an antigen on microtitre plates in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure IgM, IgG and IgA class antibodies in the sera of hospitalized patients. It was found that of these patient sera that reacted positively in Ouchterlony immunodiffusion (ID) when undiluted, 58% were also positive in the ELISA against the same antigen preparation. However, all the sera with an ID titre of 1:2 or higher were ELISA-positive, demonstrating especially IgG and IgA. Of the sera positive by counterimmunoelectrophoresis against somatic and metabolic antigens of C. albicans, 86% were positive by ELISA. Reactions in precipitin-negative sera, if they occurred, usually demonstrated IgM or IgA. The sera with high passive haemagglutination or indirect immunofluorescence titres against surface antigens of C. albicans were positive in the IgG and IgA assays, while approximately one third were positive in the IgM assay.     

TNP-LPS induces an IgG anti-TNP immune response in mice.

The trinitrophenylated derivatives of lipopolysaccharide (TNP-LPS) elicit a specific anti-TNP, thymus-independent immune response in mice. After a single injection of antigen, anti-TNP antibodies of IgM and IgG isotypes are detected at the cellular and at the humoral levels, in athymic nude mice as well as in conventional (C57B1/6 × DBA/2)F₁ mice. The immune sera were resolved into IgM and IgG molecules by gel filtration; both fractions showed an anti-TNP activity, thus confirming the data obtained by the cellular analysis.     

Protection of mice from respiratory Sendai virus infections by recombinant vaccinia viruses.

Mechanisms of protection of mice from Sendai virus, which is exclusively pneumotropic and causes a typical respiratory disease, by immunization with recombinant vaccinia viruses (RVVs) were investigated. Although the RVV carrying a hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene of Sendai virus (Vac-HN) propagated in the noses and lungs of mice by either intranasal (i.n.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation, no vaccinia virus antigens were detected in the mucosal layer of upper and lower airways of the i.p.-inoculated mice. The mice immunized i.n. with Vac-HN or Vac-F (the RVV carrying a fusion protein gene of Sendai virus) demonstrated the strong resistance to Sendai virus challenge both in the lung and in the nose, whereas the i.p.-immunized mice showed almost no resistance in the nose but showed a partial resistance in the lung. Titration of Sendai virus-specific antibodies in the nasal wash (NW), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and serum collected from the Vac-F-immunized mice showed that the NW from the i.n.-immunized mice contained immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies but no IgG and the BAL from the mice contained both IgA and IgG antibodies. On the other hand, neither IgA nor IgG antibodies were detected in the NW from the i.p.-immunized mice and only IgG antibodies were detected in the BAL, although both i.n.- and i.p.-immunized mice exhibited similar levels of serum IgG, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies. The resistance to Sendai virus in the noses of i.n.-immunized mice could be abrogated by the intranasal instillation of anti-mouse IgA but not of anti-IgG antiserum, while the resistance in the lung was not significantly abrogated by such treatments. These results demonstrate that IgA is a major mediator for the immunity against Sendai virus induced by the RVVs and IgG is a supplementary one, especially in the lung, and that the RVV should be intranasally inoculated to induce an efficient mucosal immunity even if it has a pantropic nature.     

Separation of anti-histone antibodies from nonimmune histone-precipitating serum proteins, predominantly alpha2-macroglobulin.

Calf thymus histories formed precipitates with human, rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, goat, or sheep sera regardless of whether the subjects were immunized with histones. Their order of activity in precipitation was: H4 >H3 >H2a >H2b ? H1. Precipitation occurred with more than one serum protein fraction, but not with purified IgG, IgM, or crystallized albumin. The major nonimmune precipitant had the size and charge properties of α2-macroglobulin. Serological analysis with anti-α2-macroglobulin antiserum confirmed the presence of this protein in the precipitating fractions, and its selective depletion from histone-precipitated serum. Specific anti-histone antibodies were separated from the nonimmune precipitants by DEAE-cellulose chromatography.     

小鼠仙台病毒ELISA抗体检测规范化试剂盒的研制与应用

目的按照实验动物国家标准和农业部对于兽医诊断制品的要求研制小鼠仙台病毒抗体检测试剂盒,并在临床检测中分析其适用性。方法建立仙台病毒的种子批和BHK-21细胞的细胞库;标化仙台病毒生产工艺、抗原蛋白纯化工艺;优化ELISA反应板体系;标化质控血清。使用规范化的ELISA试剂盒对我单位672份送检血清样品进行检测,使用IFA和Western blot方法进行复检。结果病毒的种子批检验表明在-80℃保存半年以上毒力稳定;病毒生产和抗原纯化工艺的标准化提高了抗原生产的稳定性;对照体系的设定降低了环境等变量对于结果判定的影响。在对临床样本的检测过程中发现3种方法的灵敏度ELISA高于Western blot高于IFA。结论规范化的小鼠仙台病毒ELISA抗体检测试剂盒能对小鼠仙台病毒感染状况作出准确判断,具有一定的稳定性和结果可重复性。     

In vivo immune stimulation of mice by anti-μ antibodies: Generation of high serum levels of a low molecular weight IgM product

These studies show that anti-μ antibodies first injected into BALB/c mice as young adults exhibit a marked in vivo stimulatory effect, manifested by the appearance in circulation of large quantities of an aberrant IgM product. This stimulatory property extends to both rabbit and goat anti-μ antisera which have been raised against either myeloma or normal IgM but is not demonstrable for normal sera or antisera against γ or α heavy chains. The kinetics of appearance of this IgM product provide support for active generation upon stimulation, as opposed to immediate release of a preformed substance. Production of this form of IgM is accompanied by slight elevations in serum levels of IgG1 and normal IgM but unaltered levels of IgG2 and IgA. A molecular weight similar to that of IgG together with the demonstrated presence of light chains suggest that the aberrant product is likely a monomer of IgM. This stimulatory process appears to be thymus dependent because it cannot be induced in congenitally athymic (nude) mice unless they have been thymus reconstituted. Several test protocols involving adult-initiated anti-μ treatment resulted in immune responses to two thymus-dependent complex antigens (rabbit serum and sheep red blood cells) as well as generation of the aberrant IgM product in normal control mice but failed to render nude mice responsive to either antigen. It is thus apparent that although anti-μ antibodies can generate a stimulus in adult mice which results in production of an otherwise undetectable IgM product, the stimulus is not generally interpreted biologically as an immune “signal” complementary to antigen stimulation.     

Characterization of mouse and human monoclonal antibodies cross-reactive with SLE serum antibodies to guanosine

Two new monoclonal antibodies, one a mouse IgM and the other a human IgM that reacted with guanosine, were compared to human serum antibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The human monoclonal antibody was polyspecific in its binding to the nucleoside bases, whereas the mouse monoclonal antibody was relatively specific for guanosine when compared by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Neither antibody bound polyguanylic acid or denatured single-stranded (ss) DNA, however. Serum IgG antibodies from seven patients with SLE cross-reacted with the mouse monoclonal antibody and showed considerable specificity for guanosine. In contrast, the human serum IgG antiguanosine antibodies also bound ssDNA but not dsDNA or polyguanylic acid. Serum IgG antibodies to guanosine measured by ELISA from the seven SLE patients had a decreased response when compared to the total serum IgG response to ssDNA, and most of the antibodies that bound guanosine also bound ssDNA. These studies provide new evidence that there are specific IgG antibodies to guanosine in SLE sera that are a small fraction of the antibodies to ssDNA. Further efforts to define the role of these guanosine antibodies in SLE may provide a better understanding of the basic mechanisms responsible for the development of SLE in man.     

Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: evaluation of ELISA for detection of Puumala-virus-specific IgG and IgM

IgM and IgG ELISA to Puumala virus were evaluated using sera from patients with haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) from different geographical regions: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the European USSR.IgM ELISA proved useful in the diagnosis of HFRS in patients from all the regions mentioned above. Specific IgM could be detected as early as day 1 post onset of disease, and patients remained IgM-positive for several months. Specific IgG ELISA antibodies were also frequently detected in acute sera, and acute-convalescent serum pairs often failed to show a significant titre rise or increase in optical density (OD) values. This limits the use of IgG ELISA in patient diagnosis. Sera collected 2 years after infection revealed higher IgG ELISA OD readings than convalescent sera, and very high values were still detectable 10 to 20 years postinfection. IgG ELISA is therefore useful for the testing of immunity and in seroepidemiological studies.Acute and convalescent sera from HFRS patients in Korea and the Asian USSR showed no or only very weak reactivity in the Puumala virus IgG and IgM ELISA. These results are consistent with the “one-way” crossing described earlier.     

Production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for baboon IgG heavy and light chain epitopes

We have generated a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that recognize baboon IgG epitopes. The reactivity of the MAbs with IgG from other primate species was also examined. Specificity for IgG heavy (H) or light (L) chain epitopes was determined by Western blot analysis. The H chain-specific MAbs were analyzed for IgG subclass specificity and the L chain-specific MAbs for reactivity with baboon IgM and polymeric sIgA. Finally, an ELISA was developed to demonstrate the utility of the MAbs in analysis of humoral immune responses in baboons.     

Xenoantisera against a murine T cell tumor product cross-react with immunoglobulin Fab determinants

Some murine monoclonal T lymphoma cells express a surface component that reacts with chicken antisera produced against the Fab fragment of normal mouse IgG. In the present study, we use a solid phase immunoadsorbent consisting of affinity-purified chicken anti-Fab coupled to Sepharose to isolate a product produced by the in vitro T cell line, WEHI-7.1. The affinity-purified T cell surface molecule (IgT) migrated on SDS-PAGE as a single band of approximately 65,000 daltons. The object of these studies was to produce xenoantisera against the purified T cell product cross-reactive with Ig determinants and to characterize the antisera. Rabbits immunized with this purified molecule produced antibodies that reacted with Fab fragments of polyclonal mouse IgG and with the myeloma proteins MOPC-104E and MOPC-41, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This binding was eliminated by adsorption of the antisera with normal polyclonal IgG; however, adsorption with fetuin did not significantly affect the reactivity of the antisera. Radioimmune precipitation assays revealed that the rabbit anti-IgT bound to normal murine spleen and thymus cells; this reactivity was abrogated by adsorption with insolubilized polyclonal IgG. Competition radioimmunoassays demonstrated that detergent extracts of the thymus and the spleen contained material that inhibited the precipitation of MOPC-41; nonlymphoid cells lacked such material. The rabbit anti-IgT serum blocked the binding of antigen by normal T cells; adsorption of the antiserum with polyclonal IgG-Sepharose abrogated this blocking capacity. A solid phase immunoadsorbent prepared from the IgG fraction of the rabbit anti-IgT isolated a single component from formic acid-solubilized mouse thymus. This molecule had an approximate mass of 65,000 to 70,000 daltons. The anti-IgT serum isolated surface IgM and IgD from lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodinated B cells. The anti-IgT serum detected IgM and IgG in mouse serum with the use of immunoelectrophoresis. The anti-IgT immunoadsorbent isolated several components from normal mouse serum, that, when analyzed by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions, revealed bands corresponding to mu-, gamma-, and light chains as well as components that migrated between mu- and gamma-chains, and another component with an approximate mass of 45,000 daltons. Our results with antibodies to a purified T cell product indicate that a surface component of normal T cells and certain monoclonal T cell tumor lines is serologically related to the Fab fragment of serum Ig and is implicated in the binding of antigen.