Antibody response to cytomegalovirus polypeptides captured by monoclonal antibodies on the solid phase in enzyme immunoassays

Antibodies to different cytomegalovirus (CMV) polypeptide antigens, captured by monoclonal antibodies coated on the solid phase of an enzyme immunoassay test, were analyzed in 42 serum pairs submitted for serodiagnosis of CMV infection. Three CMV antigens, captured on the solid phase by three monoclonal antibodies of different specificities, designated CH92-1, CH65-1, and CH16-1, were glycoproteins A (gA), gC, and gD, respectively; and one antigen, captured by CH23, was a polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 150,000, possibly associated with the nucleocapsid. Of these four CMV antigens, gA captured by CH92-1 was most effective in eliciting an antibody response. Antibody to this antigen was present in serum samples at a higher concentration in primary and reactivated infection and persisted longer than did antibody to the other tested antigens. In contrast, antibody to antigen captured by CH23 was at a lower concentration, rose more slowly in infection, and persisted for a shorter time than did antibody to the other antigens. Antibody response to gC and gD was intermediate in concentration and temporal appearance compared with the antibody response to gA and to the polypeptide bound by CH23. An enzyme immunoassay on paired serum samples with the captured glycoproteins as antigen was equal for the detection of current infection to an enzyme immunoassay with the whole CMV antigen from infected cell lysates. Enzyme immunoassays with either the CMV glycoproteins or the whole CMV antigen from infected cell lysates were superior to a complement fixation test with a glycine extract antigen for serodiagnosis of current infection.