Analysis by immunoblotting of human cytomegalovirus antibody in sera of renal transplant recipient

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus-infected cell polypeptides were immunoreacted by sera of renal transplant recipients and compared with those reactive with sera of healthy adult donors by means of the Western immunoblotting technique. At least 15 polypeptides with molecular weights of 155K, 123K, 102K, 89K, 79K, 71K, 65K, 60K, 55K, 50K, 46K, 42K, 38K, 33K, and 28K were immunoreacted. Sera obtained serially from renal transplant recipients reacted with most of these polypeptides and reacted more frequently and intensely with the smaller polypeptide species such as 38K, 33K, and 28K, compared with sera of healthy seropositive adults. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Temporal patterns of immunoblot-reactive antibodies to cytomegalovirus in transplant recipients

“…These antigens are recognized by murine monoclonal antibodies CCH2 and DDG9 (results not shown) [37] and by acute phase sera of immunocompetent [9] and renal transplant recipients [ 141. In accordance with previous results by other groups, we regularly detected a 150 kDa protein that is known to be a major viral immunogen [13][14][15]17,23,25,27]. The transient appearance of antibodies to p22-p26 observed in all groups supports previous observations on the imrnunoreactivity to a 22 kDa protein in immunocompetent patients [9] and to a 28 kDa protein in renal transplant recipients, indicating the convalescent phase of CMV infection [ 141.…”

Human cytomegalovirus structural proteins

“…The in vivo antibody response against ppUL99 is almost solely IgG, and proceeds in a similar fashion to the response to the tegument p150 (high IgG titres lasting for many years after the convalescence), although the antibody titres detected in patients' sera are generally lower (Landini et al, 1985(Landini et al, , 1986Zaia et al, 1986;Hayes et al, 1987;Shimokawa et al, 1987;Meyer et al, 1988). ppUL99 has also been suggested as a target antigen for CTL as shown by blocking cytotoxicity with specific MAbs (Charpentier et al, 1986).…”

Immunoblot Analysis of the Antibody Response to Murine Cytomegalovirus in Genetically Resistant and Susceptible Mice

“…However, the effects of these parameters on the kinetics and the intensity of the human antibody response to HCMV proteins is difficult to assess. Nevertheless, antibodies from symptomatic HCMVinfected renal transplant patients have been shown to exhibit more intense reactions to individual HCMV proteins than antibodies from asymptomatic seropositive subjects (Shimokawa et al, 1987). Furthermore, immunoprecipitates obtained with sera from symptomatic, congenitally infected children reacted with HCMV polypeptides that were not H. E. FARRELL AND G. R. SHELLAM recognized by sera from healthy, seropositive children (Pereira et al, 1982(Pereira et al, , 1983.…”

“…However, the antibody response to the 56K protein did not correlate with known genetically determined host resistance status to MCMV, and therefore the role of this protein in MCMV infection and the ability to evoke a protective host response remains to be elucidated. Heterogeneity in the expression of HCMV proteins among wild-type HCMV isolates and differences in the profile of human antibodies reactive with HCMV proteins have been reported (Pereira et al, 1982(Pereira et al, , 1983Landini et al, 1985 ;Porath et al, 1987;Shimokawa et al, 1987;Gold et al, 1988), but it is not known whether these differences have a host genetic basis. Identification of HCMV proteins which are immunogenic for all individuals is required for the development of appropriate monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis of CMV infection and for the future development of a subunit vaccine.…”

“…Studies of HCMV infection have shown that although virtually all HCMV proteins are immunogenic (Osborn, 1982;Pereira et al, 1983), there is extensive heterogeneity in the recognition of HCMV proteins by sera from different donors (Landini et al, 1985;Porath et al, 1987;Shimokawa et al, 1987;Gold et al, 1988). While this may reflect antigenic variation among HCMV strains, little is known of the influence of other parameters such as viral dose, time p.i., the genetic and immune status of the host on the antibody response to individual HCMV proteins.…”