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Antigenic variation among Sendai virus strains detected by monoclonal antibodies

R Yamaguchi1, H Iwai, K Ueda

  • 1Department of Veterinary Public Health, Institute of Public Health, Tokyo.

Insights

Sendai virus strains from the 1950s matched the prototype, but later strains showed variations. Some later Sendai virus isolates lacked reactivity with specific monoclonal antibodies targeting F and HN proteins.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Sendai virus, a paramyxovirus, causes respiratory infections in various hosts.
  • Monoclonal antibodies are crucial tools for identifying viral protein variations.
  • Understanding antigenic drift in Sendai virus is important for diagnostics and vaccine development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the antigenic properties of historical and recent Sendai virus strains.
  • To investigate variations in the F (fusion) and HN (hemagglutinin-neuraminidase) proteins of Sendai virus isolates.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of thirteen Sendai virus strains from different sources and time periods (1950s and post-1976).
  • Serological testing using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against the prototype strain MN.
  • Assessment of viral reactivity with F-specific and HN-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Main Results:

  • Five strains from the 1950s exhibited reactivity similar to the prototype strain MN.
  • Two strains isolated in 1976 and 1978 showed no reactivity with an F-specific monoclonal antibody.
  • Six strains isolated after 1978 lacked reactivity with an HN-specific monoclonal antibody.

Conclusions:

  • Sendai virus has undergone antigenic changes in its F and HN proteins over time.
  • Recent isolates display altered antigenicity compared to older strains.
  • These antigenic variations may impact diagnostic assays and therapeutic strategies targeting Sendai virus.

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