title: Specific Antibodies Reacting with SV40 Large T Antigen Mimotopes in Serum Samples of Healthy Subjects.
abstract: Simian Virus 40, experimentally assayed in vitro in different animal and human cells and in vivo in rodents, was classified as a small DNA tumor virus. In previous studies, many groups identified Simian Virus 40 sequences in healthy individuals and cancer patients using PCR techniques, whereas others failed to detect the viral sequences in human specimens. These conflicting results prompted us to develop a novel indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides, mimicking Simian Virus 40 capsid viral protein antigens, named mimotopes. This immunologic assay allowed us to investigate the presence of serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 and to verify whether Simian Virus 40 is circulating in humans. In this investigation two mimotopes from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen, the viral replication protein and oncoprotein, were employed to analyze for specific reactions to human sera antibodies. This indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen was used to assay a new collection of serum samples from healthy subjects. This novel assay revealed that serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 large T antigen mimotopes are detectable, at low titer, in healthy subjects aged from 18-65 years old. The overall prevalence of reactivity with the two Simian Virus 40 large T antigen peptides was 20%. This new ELISA with two mimotopes of the early viral regions is able to detect in a specific manner Simian Virus 40 large T antigen-antibody responses.
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tognon
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corallini
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manfrini
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taronna
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Butel
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietrobon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trevisiol
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bononi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaccher
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbanti-Brodano
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Sections of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D010455:Peptides