To standardize human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) antibody assays for application to asymptomatic infection, a blinded comparison was done of seven immunofluorescence assays and ELISAs. Five experienced laboratories tested a serum panel from 143 subjects in 4 diagnostic groups. Except for a minor capsid protein ELISA, the other six tests detected HHV-8 antibodies most frequently in classic (80%-100%) and AIDS-related (67%-91%) Kaposi's sarcoma, followed by human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients (27%-60%), and least frequently in healthy blood donors (0-29%). However, these six assays frequently disagreed on individual sera, particularly for blood donor samples. Current HHV-8 antibody tests have uncertain accuracy in asymptomatic HHV-8 infection and may require correlation with viral protein or nucleic acid detection. Antibody assays are useful for epidemiologic investigations, but the absolute prevalence of HHV-8 infection in the United States cannot yet be determined.
A body cavity lymphoma-derived cell line (BC1), known to carry both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8 ; or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, KSHV), was analysed for the expression of EBV-encoded, growth transformation-associated antigens and cellular phenotype by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, RT-PCR and flow cytometry. A similar phenotypic analysis was also performed on another body cavity lymphoma line, BCBL1, that is singly infected with HHV-8. Phenotypically, the two lines were closely similar. Although both lines are known to carry rearranged immunoglobulin genes, they were mostly negative for B-cell surface markers. Both expressed the HHV-8-encoded nuclear anti-
To determine whether serum titers of anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies are elevated in blood specimens collected up to 30 years prior to onset of multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: Individuals with MS were identified among members of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan who participated in the multiphasic examinations administered between 1965 and 1974. Stored serum samples were used to compare anti-EBV antibody titers in 42 individuals who developed MS with agematched and sex-matched controls.
Results:The geometric mean titers of antibodies to the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) complex and its component EBNA-1 were significantly higher in the MS cases when compared with matched controls. The relative risk of MS associated with a 4-fold increase in antibody titers was 2.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.8) for the EBNA complex and 1.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.9) for EBNA-1. Elevations of antibody titers to the EBNA complex and EBNA-1 among MS cases first occurred between 15 to 20 years before the onset of symptoms and persisted thereafter.
Conclusion:The elevation of anti-EBV titers is probably an early event in the pathogenesis of MS and is unlikely to be the result of an aspecific immune dysregulation.
Patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection develop an immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with markedly elevated platelet IgG, IgM, and C3C4 as well as serum immune complexes determined by the polyethylene glycol (PEG) method. Analysis of their serum PEG-precipitable immune complexes as well as platelet acid eluates revealed the presence of anti-HIV-1 antibody existing as a complex that eluted in the void volume of a Sephadex G-200 gel-filtration column. The complex binds to washed normal platelets, whereas affinity-purified anti-HIV-1 (gp120) antibody does not. HIV-1 antigen or proviral DNA was not detectable in the immune complexes or platelet extracts. However, anti-antibodies directed against anti-HIV-1 antibody were detectable in the immune complexes as well as platelet eluates. Approximately 50% of eluted platelet IgG contained anti-HIV-1 antibody. Thus the markedly elevated platelet immunoglobulin is partly due to the presence of anti-HIV-1 antibody complexes. This may be responsible for the enhanced platelet clearance and thrombocytopenia in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related immunologic thrombocytopenia.
22 homosexual or narcotic addict patients at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or with AIDS, were studied for the presence of antiimmunoglobulin antibodies and circulating immune complexes (20 were thrombocytopenic, 6 had AIDS).
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