title: Systematic analysis of longitudinal serological responses of pigs infected experimentally with African swine fever virus.
abstract: The protective immune response to African swine fever virus (ASFV) includes both cellular and serological components. In this study, the role of antibodies in the pathogenicity and diagnosis of African swine fever (ASF) was explored. Accordingly, total and Ig isotype antibody responses against the 12 viral proteins previously demonstrated to be the main targets of serological immunity were evaluated in longitudinally collected sera from pigs infected experimentally with the non-pathogenic ASFV/NH/P68 isolate. Strong total IgG antibody responses were observed against viral proteins E183L/p54, K205R/'unassigned', A104R/histone-like and B602L/'unassigned'; therefore, IgM, IgG1 and IgG2 responses to these proteins were also determined. One protein stimulating IgM (K205R) may have practical potential for the detection of recently infected animals. There was a clear trend towards an IgG1 response to all of the proteins. This may reflect a dominant Th2-controlled immune response. In order to identify possible correlations between these serological responses and the pathogenesis of ASF, total IgG responses to the 12 recombinant proteins were compared in asymptomatic and chronically infected animals. For the proteins NP419L/DNA ligase, CP312R, B646L/p73, K196R/thymidine kinase and K205R, the antibody titres were significantly higher in animals developing lesions. One exception was the antibody response to the A104R/histone-like protein, which was higher in asymptomatic than in chronically infected pigs, suggesting that antibodies against this protein might be an indicator of an effective immune response or that this response is somehow involved in protection.
authors: Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Apartado 14, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors: Ana Luísa
authors: AL
authors: Reis
authors: Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Apartado 14, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors: R M E
authors: RME
authors: Parkhouse
authors: Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Apartado 14, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors: Ana Raquel
authors: AR
authors: Penedos
authors: Laboratório de Doenças Infecciosas, CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Martins
authors: Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, CVZ, CIISA, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Leitão
mesh_terms: D000357:African Swine Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D000358:African Swine Fever Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins