Further characterization of bound measles-specific IgG eluted from SSPE brains

Tissue residues from 3 SSPE brains extracted at neutral pH were thoroughly washed with phosphate-buffered saline and further extracted at acidic pH. The low-pH extracts had significant measles antibody titers, and their measles-specific IgG content ranged from 40 to 60% of total IgG. Agarose-gel electrophoretic analysis of the extracts showed oligoclonal IgG bands, most of which disappeared after suitable absorption with measles virus, demonstrating the presence of restricted measles antibody population. Ouchterlony analysis showed a reaction of identity between bound IgG and IgG extracted at neutral pH. Thus IgG extracted at low and neutral pHs is remarkably similar.