title: Measurement of IgM responses to a subunit influenza A vaccine by sucrose-gradient centrifugation and membrane-filtration enzyme immunoassays.
abstract: IgM responses to a deoxycholate-split influenza vaccine containing the surface antigens of the H3N2 virus A/Philippines/2/82 were studied in five volunteers, three of whom were seronegative by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. Responses were measured by a sucrose-gradient centrifugation technique, in which IgM-specific HI activity was computed as a proportion of total IgM and IgG-specific HI activity, and by a membrane filtration-enzyme immunoassay (MF-EIA). Responses could be detected in all volunteers when measured by sucrose-gradient centrifugation within 1-2 weeks, and the IgM induced was 5-40% of total HI-specific activity. The response was also observed in the presence of low levels of pre-existing antibody. Levels of IgM antibody, when measured by MF-EIA, could be easily detected in two of the volunteers, while those of two others were very low and there was no response in a fifth. No biphasic virus-specific response to vaccination, involving first IgM and then IgG, could be measured by either technique. From these studies, the sucrose-gradient fractionation technique appears to be the more sensitive procedure.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tannock
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bryce
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Hampson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hensley
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Saunders
mesh_terms: D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007252:Influenza Vaccines