Abstract

The effect of genetic variation on the neutralizing antibody response to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is poorly understood. In this study, acute- and convalescent-phase sera were evaluated against different RSV strains. The proportion of individuals with homologous seroconversion was greater than that among individuals with heterologous seroconversion among those infected with RSV group A (50% vs 12.5%; P = .0005) or RSV group B (40% vs 8%; P = .008). Seroconversion to BA genotype or non-BA genotype test viruses was similar among individuals infected with non-BA virus (35% vs 50%; P = .4) or BA virus (50% vs 65%; P = .4). The RSV neutralizing response is group specific. The BA-associated genetic change did not confer an ability to escape neutralizing responses to previous non-BA viruses.

Highlights

  • In addition to group-specific differences, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) G gene is known to undergo molecular evolution characterized by progressive accumulation of amino acid changes at an estimated rate of 0.25% of amino acids per year over the length of the protein [8]

  • We investigated RSV group–specific responses to both contemporary and historical test viruses, as well as the role of the recent BA genetic change in abrogating neutralizing responses generated against wild-type group B strains that did not have the duplication

  • Group Specificity of the RSV Neutralizing Response Comparison of homologous and heterologous neutralizing antibody responses in different age classes was performed by testing the difference between homologous and heterologous fold-rises in titer

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Summary

Introduction

In addition to group-specific differences, the RSV G gene is known to undergo molecular evolution characterized by progressive accumulation of amino acid changes at an estimated rate of 0.25% of amino acids per year over the length of the protein [8]. The emergence of a novel strain of RSV B with a 60-nucleotide duplication in the variable region of the G gene has been described (the BA genotype) [10]. Since it was first reported about 10 years ago, the BA genotype has progressed from relative novelty to becoming the most dominant genotype of RSV B globally [11]. We investigated RSV group–specific responses to both contemporary and historical test viruses, as well as the role of the recent BA genetic change in abrogating neutralizing responses generated against wild-type group B strains that did not have the duplication

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