Neutralization of poliovirus by antibody-mediated polymerization

The neutralization of type 1 poliovirus by a monoclonal antibody was studied. The antibody caused polymerization of the virions as observed by sucrose gradient centrifugation and electron microscopy. Dimers, trimers, and higher polymers were formed. No antibody was found in association with the monomeric virions remaining after neutralization, which retained full infectivity. The specific infectivities of dimers, trimers, and higher polymers decreased in that order.