Intertype specific epitopes on the hexons of adenovirus types 1, 2, 5 and 6

The intertype specificities of the epitopes present on the surface of the hexon types belonging to human adenovirus (Ad h) subgenus C were studied. The reactivity pattern (RP) and the titres of ascitic fluids containing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were determined in ELISA. From three panels of MAbs 38 directed against Ad h1, 17 directed against Ad h 35 and 6 MAbs directed against bovine adenovirus type 2 were studied. Twelve of the MAbs proved to be genus or type specific. The rest of the MAbs showed numerous intertype specific RPs in different combinations on the different hexon types according to previous experiments with purified hexons of different Ad h subgenera and animal serotypes. With hexon types 1, 2, 5 and 6 of subgenus C all intertype specific MAbs gave identical RPs and the titres of the individual MAbs with all the four hexon types were generally high, and the most frequently found titres were evenly distributed among them. These results indicate the presence of numerous different intertype specific epitopes on the hexons of subgenus C in identical combination on the four hexon types.