title: Qualitative and quantitative analyses of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse component by western blotting enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a monoclonal antibody.
abstract: We report the use of monoclonal antibody against the early antigen diffuse component (anti-EA-D) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to analyze, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the expression of EA-D in various human lymphoblastoid cell lines activated by chemical inducers. The kinetics of synthesis of EA-D in P3HR-1, B95-8, and Ramos/AW cells were similar in that they all reached the peak of synthesis on day 5 after induction. Surprisingly, no expression of EA-D was found in induced BJAB/GC, an EBV-genome-containing cell line. EBV-negative cell lines, BJAB and Ramos, were negative for EA-D. Raji cells had no detectable EA-D but responded rapidly to induction, reaching a peak on day 3. Superinfection of Raji cells also resulted in marked induction of EA-D, which reached a plateau between 8 to 12 h postinfection. Western blotting coupled with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to identify polypeptides representing EA-D. A family of four polypeptides with molecular weights of 46,000 (46K protein), 49,000, 52,000, and 55,000 were identified to be reactive with monoclonal anti-EA-D antiserum. The pattern of EA-D polypeptides expressed in each cell line was different. Of particular interest was the expression of a large quantity of 46K protein both in induced Raji and P3HR-1 cells, but not in superinfected Raji cells. A 49K doublet was expressed in activated p3HR-1, B95-8, and Ramos/AW cells and in superinfected Raji cells. In addition, two distinct 52K and 55K polypeptides were expressed in induced Ramos/AW and superinfected Raji cells. However, none of these EA-D polypeptides was detectable in BJAB/GC, BJAB, Ramos, and mock-infected Raji cells. To approximate relative concentrations of EA-D in cell extracts, we employed the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot dot methods by using one of the purified EA-D components to construct a standard curve. Depending upon the cell lines, it was estimated that ca. 1 to 3% (determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and 0.8 to 1.6% (determined by immunoblot dot) of total proteins from maximally induced cells were EA-D. These results suggest that differential expression of EA-D polypeptides could be of importance in the diagnosis of state of EBV infection.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pagano
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D010455:Peptides