Quantitative determination of retrovirus-specific immune complexes

ELISA methodology was adapted to measure antigen-specific immune complexes (ASIC) containing retroviral antigens. Using ICs artificially generated from MuLV gp70 and monoclonal antibodies against gp70 we showed that ICs can be quantified by measuring the levels of antibody and antigen and comparing these to the total content of ICs. Furthermore, this method permits determination of the composition of ICs containing an excess of antigen or antibody (i.e., small or large complexes). The levels of the ASIC were correlated with the levels of ICs containing undefined antigen components as determined by the C1q ELISA. Using this method it was possible to determine levels of MuLV gp70 specific ICs in various mouse sera.