title: Expression and serological characterization of polyomavirus WUPyV and KIPyV structural proteins.
abstract: The polyomaviruses WUPyV and KIPyV were recently discovered. We expressed their structural proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3, and the corresponding proteins of BKV and JCV, for immunoblotting of IgG antibodies from 115 wheezing young children and 25 asymptomatic adults. Furthermore, nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) and sera from the children were examined by PCR for viral DNA. The overlapping minor proteins VP2 and VP3 of WUPyV and KIPyV were more reactive in immunoblots than the major protein VP1; of 100 NPA PCR-negative wheezing children aged < or = 4 y, 31 (31%) and 31 (31%) were positive for WUPyV and KIPyV VP2/VP3, compared to only 3 (3%) and 5 (5%) for VP1, respectively. For comparison, the respective WUPyV and KIPyV IgG seroprevalences as determined by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with nondenatured VP1 were 80% and 54%, respectively, among 50 NPA PCR-negative children aged < or = 2 y. This difference shows the importance of conformational VP1 antigenicity. Of the 25 adults, 52% and 68% were IgG-positive in immunoblots for VP2/VP3 of WUPyV and KIPyV, and 8% and 12% were for VP1, respectively. Of the 192 NPA samples studied by PCR, 7 (3.6%) were positive for WUPyV, and 3 (1.5%) were positive for KIPyV DNA. Unlike the NPA samples, none of the corresponding 443 sera contained WUPyV or KIPyV DNA. Together with the high VP2/VP3 IgG prevalence, this points to a paucity or brevity of KIPyV and WUPyV viremias among immunocompetent children. Our results indicate the significance of protein conformation in immunoreactivity of VP1, and show the antigenic importance of the WUPyV and KIPyV minor proteins VP2 and VP3. The high and rapidly increasing IgG prevalence rates observed in this study for WUPyV and KIPyV support the notion that these novel polyomaviruses are widespread and are acquired early in childhood.
authors: Department of Virology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Kalle
authors: K
authors: Kantola
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Sadeghi
authors: Moritz J
authors: MJ
authors: Ewald
authors: Benedikt
authors: B
authors: Weissbrich
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Allander
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Lindau
authors: Kalle
authors: K
authors: Andreasson
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Lahtinen
authors: Arun
authors: A
authors: Kumar
authors: Päivi
authors: P
authors: Norja
authors: Tuomas
authors: T
authors: Jartti
authors: Pasi
authors: P
authors: Lehtinen
authors: Eeva
authors: E
authors: Auvinen
authors: Olli
authors: O
authors: Ruuskanen
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Söderlund-Venermo
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Hedman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000379:methods; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins