title: Antigenic assessment of coronaviruses isolated from patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Many studies have either supported or discounted the role of coronaviruses as etiologic agents in multiple sclerosis (MS). Two new approaches were applied to investigate this controversy. First, monoclonal antibodies specific for either murine coronaviruses (mouse hepatitis viruses) or human coronaviruses were used to characterize the antigenic features of MS-derived coronaviruses SK and SD. Both isolates were found to have a mouse hepatitis virus-type profile. Second, serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibodies to different coronaviruses, including SD, were measured in MS and control groups. No significant difference in antibody level to coronaviruses was found between MS and control samples. The results of these antigenic studies do not support a specific association between MS and coronaviruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90033.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: el Zaatari
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Berne
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Burks
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stohlman
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Tourtellotte
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003332:Coronaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral