Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

High frequency of antigenic variants among naturally occurring human Coxsackie B4 virus isolates identified by monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

The Coxsackie B virus group consists of six serotypes (B1–B6) that are antigenically distinct. In patients, the Coxsackie B4 serotype can produce a variety of clinical diseases (for example, pleurodynia, respiratory illness, meningitis, myocarditis, orchitis and diabetes)1,2. It is not known, however, whether the different clinical diseases are due to chance infection of particular organs by Coxsackie B4 or due to antigenic variants of Coxsackie B4 that are inherently different in their tissue tropism. The long-standing reference hyperimmune sera do not identify variants that may exist within each of the serotypes3. In an attempt to identify variants of the Coxsackie B4 serotype, we prepared a panel of 18 monoclonal antibodies that neutralized the prototype Coxsackie B4 strain. These monoclonal antibodies have been characterized as to their subclass, neutralization titres and reactivity patterns with recent clinical isolates. Here we have identified over 13 variants of CoxsacKie B4 virus and have shown that there are major antigenic differences among naturally occurring isolates. Using monoclonal antibodies as a selecting agent, we find that the frequency of antigenic mutation may be as high as 10−4.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Gear, J. H. S. & Measroch, V. Prog. med. Virol. 15, 42–62 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Yoon, J. W., Austin, M., Onodera, T. & Notkins, A. L. N. Engl. J. Med. 300, 1173–1179 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Melnick, J. L. & Hampil, R. WHO Bull. 33, 761–772 (1965).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Koprowski, H., Gerhard, W. & Croce, C. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 2985–2988 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kohler, G., & Milstein, C., Nature 256, 495–497 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. McKearn, T. J. in Monoclonal Antibodies (eds Kennett, R. H., McKearn, T. J. & Bechtol, K. B.) 374 (Plenum, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Goding, J. D. (1978). J. immun. Meth. 20, 241–253.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. McKearn, T. J. in Monoclonal Antibodies (eds Kennett, R. H., McKearn, T. J. & Bechtol, K. B.) 403–404 (Plenum, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dimmock, N. J. J. gen. Virol. 59, 1–22 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Morishima, T., McClintock, P. R., Aulakh, G. S., Billups, L. C. & Notkins, A. L. Virology (in the press).

  11. Crowell, R. L. in Cell Membrane Receptors for Viruses, Antigens and Antibodies, Polypeptide Hormones and Small Molecules (eds Beers, R. F. Jr & Bassett, E. G.) 179–202 (Raven, New York, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gerhard, W., Yewdell, J., Frankel, M. E. & Webster, R. Nature 290, 713–717 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wiktor, T. J. & Koprowski, H. J. exp. Med. 152, 99–112 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Birrer, M. J., Udem, S., Nathenson, S. & Bloom, B. R. Nature 293, 67–69 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Holland, J. et al. Science 215, 1577–1585 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rueckert, R. R. & Duesberg, P. H. J. molec. Biol. 17, 490–502 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Reed, L. J. & Muench, H. Am. J. Hyg. 27, 493–497 (1938).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prabhakar, B., Haspel, M., McClintock, P. et al. High frequency of antigenic variants among naturally occurring human Coxsackie B4 virus isolates identified by monoclonal antibodies. Nature 300, 374–376 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/300374a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/300374a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing