title: Design and validation of immunological tests for the detection of Porcine endogenous retrovirus in biological materials.
abstract: The present study details the design and demonstrates function for a series of reagents and methods to allow the detection of exposure to antigens specific for Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV). The detection of PERV is carried out by the means of a variety of immunological screening methods including, indirect immunofluorescence, Western blotting and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies in serum specific for PERV gag and env antigens. Alternatively, PERV-specific antisera for gag and env can be used to detect viral antigen in serum or other samples. PERV env peptides with potential specificity for the known PERV types are also described. Antisera against the peptides can be used to detect PERV antigens directly or to characterise viral type. Using electron microscopy coupled with labelled PERV-gag-specific antisera it was possible to visualise PERV virions.
authors.affiliation: Q-One Biotech Ltd, West of Scotland Science Park, G20 0XA, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Galbraith
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dyke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beekman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000737:chemistry; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013552:Swine; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D007106:Immune Sera; D014764:Viral Proteins