title: Influence of C4B null genes on cytomegalovirus antibody titers in healthy blood donors.
abstract: C4B null genes (C4B*Q0) have been found with increased frequency in persons with viral diseases, including hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Whether a relationship might exist between the presence of C4B*Q0 and antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) was investigated. Fifty blood donors who were seropositive for CMV antibodies and 101 healthy nondonors were C4-allotyped with electrophoresis immunofixation. CMV-seropositive sera were titrated for CMV IgG-specific antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum IgG levels were assayed by rate nephelometry. C4B*Q0 was higher in the CMV antibody-positive group than in nondonors (p = 0.05), but the increase was most significant (p = 0.028) in donors with the highest titers of CMV antibodies. There was poor correlation (r = 0.015) between CMV titers and plasma IgG levels. Serum C4B levels were lower in CMV antibody-positive donors with one C4B null gene than in matched nondonors or nondonors not having any null genes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunogenetics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moulds
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeJongh
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001782:Blood Donors; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D015934:Complement C4a / Q000032:analysis; D015935:Complement C4b / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D003181:Complement C4; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015934:Complement C4a; D015935:Complement C4b