title: Antibody-mediated binding of fluorescent HIV Gag and influenza nucleoprotein tetramers to blood cells.
abstract: Antibody-mediated elimination of foreign antigens contributes to immune protection from viral infection. We have generated phycoerythrin-conjugated HIV-1 Gag/p24 and influenza virus nucleoprotein tetramers for flow cytometric analysis of blood cell populations involved in antibody-mediated immunity. We show that in the presence of antigen-specific antibodies fluorescent antigen tetramers bound to different blood cell populations including granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. Binding to B-lymphocytes was particularly efficient. The interaction was primarily mediated by complement. Fcgamma receptor-mediated antigen binding by B-cells was significantly less effective. The study shows that fluorescent antigen tetramers are useful to quantify cell populations involved in complement- and Fcgamma-mediated immune responses in viral infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Max Bürger Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reiche
authors.forename: Bianca M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Bussmann
authors.forename: Yamen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dwai
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jassoy
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C102366:nucleoprotein (366-374), influenza virus