title: Antigenic and genetic diversity among the attachment proteins of group A respiratory syncytial viruses that have caused repeat infections in children.
abstract: Antigenic differences between the two major groups of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus may contribute to reinfections with these viruses. Additional variability occurs within the two major groups; the importance of intra-group variability in reinfections with RS virus has not been defined. Two pairs of group A viruses that had caused sequential infections in children showed G protein amino acid differences of up to 15%. Vaccinia viruses were constructed that expressed the G proteins from 2 of the paired group A isolates. Immunization of cotton rats with the recombinant vaccinia viruses provided equal protection against intranasal challenge by either of the RS viruses. Despite the amino acid differences between the two group A RS virus G proteins, these animal studies did not reveal differences in protection after immunization with the two G proteins. Precise definition of the role of RS virus antigenic variability in the establishment of reinfections in humans will require further investigations in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35233, USA. Pedp019@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sullender
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mufson
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Wertz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015707:HN Protein; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016205:Sigmodontinae; D014611:Vaccination; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015707:HN Protein; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C116204:attachment protein G