title: Detection of immunoglobulin M antibodies to glycoprotein G-2 by western blot (immunoblot) for diagnosis of initial herpes simplex virus type 2 genital infections.
abstract: Western blots (immunoblots) for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies specific for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in patients' sera were developed. The locations of the type-specific glycoprotein G (gpG-2) of HSV-2 (92- and 140-kDa forms) and glycoprotein C of HSV-1 (gpC-1), which carries mostly type-specific antigenic epitopes, were checked with specific monoclonal antibodies. Western blot assays for IgM antibody to gpC-1 or gpG-2 were performed after depletion of IgG by precipitation with anti-human IgG. In patients with primary HSV-2 genital infections, seroconversion of IgM and IgG antibodies to both the 92- and 140-kDa forms of gpG-2 was observed, although both antibodies appeared in convalescent-phase serum after the first week. IgM and IgG antibodies to low-molecular-size polypeptides (40 to 65 kDa) were the first antibodies observed in patients with primary infection, but these antibodies were cross-reactive with HSV-1 and HSV-2. However, in patients with recurrent HSV-2 infections, IgG antibodies to both forms of gpG-2 and the low-molecular-size polypeptides were found no matter how early after onset the patient was bled, and IgM to gpG-2 did not appear. In patients with nonprimary initial genital HSV-2 infections, IgG antibody to HSV-1 was demonstrated in the first serum specimen, and HSV-2-specific IgM was found in 39% of the serum specimens. Hence, the Western blot assay can be used to test for IgM antibody to gpG-2, allowing for the retrospective diagnosis of inital HSV-2 infections and its use as a supplementary test to the gpG-2 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays developed elsewhere. In contrast, IgM antibody to gpG-2 is not usually detected in patients with recurrent HSV-2 infections.
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Packham
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000939:Epitopes; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C045464:glycoprotein G, herpes simplex virus type 2; C050591:glycoprotein gG-1, herpes simplex virus type 1