title: gag- and env-specific serum antibodies in cats after natural and experimental infection with feline immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: In order to monitor the antibody response to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in cats, following experimental and natural infection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed using recombinant env and gag proteins and p24-specific monoclonal antibodies. It was shown that in experimentally infected cats an env protein-specific antibody response was directly followed by a gag protein-specific response. Furthermore, an ELISA for the detection of env protein-specific serum antibodies proved more sensitive in identifying experimentally and naturally infected cats than ELISAs demonstrating gag protein-specific antibodies. It was concluded that, like in HIV infection of humans, the detection of env protein-specific serum antibodies in addition to gag protein-specific antibodies is not only an important tool in the diagnosis of the infection but also in studies concerning the pathogenesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunobiology, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven, Netherlands.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Rimmelzwaan
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Siebelink
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Broos
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Drost
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weijer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Herwijnen
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002415:Cats; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D011994:Recombinant Proteins