title: Quantitation of intrathecal measles virus IgG antibody synthesis rate: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and multiple sclerosis.
abstract: A method for quantitating specific anti-viral antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is established using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Quantitated antibody levels are used to determine intrathecal specific IgG synthesis rate for the particular antibody. Measles virus was used as a model for validating this quantitative technique: a mutated form of measles virus is a cause of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and there is a possibility that measles virus is related to the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). Matched serum and CSF samples were assayed. Concentration of anti-measles IgG was determined and intrathecal measles-specific IgG synthesis rate was calculated. For the SSPE samples, measles-specific IgG synthesis rate was elevated and comprised > 20% of the total intrathecal IgG synthesis rate; these results are consistent with the literature. The ELISA method can be performed routinely, providing a quick, simple, reproducible means of quantitating specific antibody concentrations, with sensitivity greater than 1 nanogram per milliliter. With this method, quantitation of IgG antibodies to any other viral antigen can be reliably and precisely determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine 90024.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Andeen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avolio
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Baumhefner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mirzayan
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Tourtellotte
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G