Virus-specific IgA Antibodies Research Articles

Characterization of an influenza A H5N2 reassortant as a candidate for live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines against highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses with pandemic potential

We generated a high-growth 7:1 reassortant (Len17/H5) that contained the hemagglutinin (HA) gene from non-pathogenic A/Duck/Potsdam/1402-6/86 (H5N2) virus and other genes from the cold-adapted ( ca) attenuated A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2H2) strain. Len17/H5 demonstrated an attenuated phenotype in mice and did not infect chickens. Mice administered Len17/H5 either as a live-attenuated intranasal vaccine or as an inactivated intramuscular vaccine were substantially protected from lethal challenge with highly pathogenic A/Hong Kong/483/97 (H5N1) virus and were protected from pulmonary infection with antigenically distinct A/Hong Kong/213/2003 (H5N1) virus. The cross-protective effect correlated with the levels of virus-specific mucosal IgA and/or serum IgG antibodies. Our results suggest a new strategy of using classical genetic reassortment between a high-growth ca H2N2 strain and antigenically related non-pathogenic avian viruses to prepare live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines for influenza pandemic.

Intranasal immunization with inactivated tick-borne encephalitis virus and the antigenic peptide 89–119 protects mice against intraperitoneal challenge

Detailed studies of the pathogenesis of certain neuroviral infections allow for a better understanding of the special role of the olfactory neuroepithelial cells in the invasion of viruses into the CNS. Several studies using animal models demonstrated that neurotropic viruses belonging to various families invade the brain via the olfactory tract after parenteral infection. We suppose that intranasal (i.n.) immunization inducing mucosal and systemic immunity will block neurotropic virus propagation into the brain via the olfactory pathway and neutralize virus multiplication in visceral organs. Subject of the present study was the efficacy of i.n. immunization of Balb/c mice with both killed tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus and antigenic peptide 89–119 from the envelope protein E of TBE virus in a nanoemulsion formulation. Intranasal immunization with nanoemulsion containing inactivated TBE virus particles induced specific both neutralizing and HAI antibodies. TBE virus specific IgA antibodies were detected in lung and nasal lavages of mice. The fourth i.n. immunization resulted in a drastic titer increase of the specific antibodies to 1:12,800, which was protective in all i.n. immunized mice against intraperitoneal (i.p.) challenge with 100 LD 50 of TBE virus. The ratio of specific IgG2a to IgG1 indicated the occurrence of a Th2 type immune response. We observed a similar balance of TBE virus-specific IgG2a/IgG1 after s.c. immunization of mice with the commercial FSME-Immun Inject ® vaccine against TBE virus. Thus, the experimental data obtained for the first time demonstrates the feasibility of using nanoparticles containing inactivated TBE virus for effective protection of i.n. immunized mice against the usually lethal infection. We analyzed a number of fragments of E protein of the TBE virus for antigenic similarity with human proteins by computer analysis. Local antigenic similarity of the fragments of E protein of TBE virus and human proteins allows for the identification of the epitopes, which may induce an autoimmune response if applied in a vaccine construct. One of the candidates, peptide 89–119 of E protein of the TBE virus does not contain any epitopes with local similarities to human protein epitopes. This peptide was synthesized and applied intranasally in nanoparticulate formulation. It induced TBE virus-specific antibodies and led to protection in the case of i.p. challenge with TBE virus.

Stimulating Effect of Japanese Herbal (Kampo) Medicine, Hochuekkito on Upper Respiratory Mucosal Immune System

Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochuekkito (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang in Chinese, TJ-41) and Juzentaihoto (Shi-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang in Chinese, TJ-48) are well-known Kampo formulas used as tonic. Although these medicines have separately been applied to the patients clinically depending on their symptoms, the differences of the pharmacological activities for these medicines have not been fully understood. TJ-48 and TJ-41 were compared for their effects on antibody response in upper respiratory mucosal immune system in vivo. Oral administration of TJ-41 (100 mg kg−1 per day) to early aged BALB/c mice, which were nasally sensitized with influenza hemagglutinin vaccine, significantly enhanced influenza virus-specific IgA and IgG antibody titers in nasal cavity and sera, respectively. However, oral administration of TJ-48 (100 mg kg−1 per day) failed to show the enhancing activity. TJ-41 increased not only influenza virus-specific IgA antibody titer but also total IgA antibody titer in nasal cavity. The stimulating activity of TJ-41 disappeared after treatment with methotrexate. The present study strongly suggests that TJ-41 can stimulate the mucosal immune system of upper respiratory tract, and results in enhancement of antigen-specific antibody response in upper respiratory mucosal and systemic immune systems.

Secretory IgA as an indicator of oro-pharyngeal foot-and-mouth disease virus replication and as a tool for post vaccination surveillance

A serotype-specific ELISA was developed to detect foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) specific IgA antibody in the saliva of cattle, and the method was evaluated for its feasibility in detecting serotype O FMDV carrier animals, particularly amongst vaccinated cattle that had subsequently become sub-clinically infected. For this purpose, saliva samples were collected from naïve cattle ( n = 173), FMDV challenged cattle ( n = 10), FMDV vaccinated cattle ( n = 40) and FMDV vaccinated-and-challenged cattle ( n = 40). A subset of 29 cattle was sampled for 105–168 days after challenge. The FMDV infection status of each of the cattle was determined by virus isolation and RT-PCR tests on oesophago–pharyngeal fluids and the ability of the IgA test to detect viral infection and persistence was compared to an ELISA for the detection of serum antibodies against the 3ABC non-structural proteins of FMDV. Eleven out of twelve vaccinated cattle that were shown to be persistently infected with FMDV up to or beyond 28 days post challenge, were also detected by the IgA test on saliva. With some modification and further validation, this test could be useful in post-vaccination surveillance to help confirm the absence of sub-clinical infection in order to regain the FMD-free status of a region or country.

Nasal immunization of mice with a rotavirus DNA vaccine that induces protective intestinal IgA antibodies

DNA vaccination using a plasmid encoding the rotavirus inner capsid VP6 has been explored in the mouse model of rotavirus infection. BALB/c mice were immunized with a VP6 DNA vaccine by the intramuscular, nasal and oral routes. VP6 DNA vaccination by the nasal and oral routes induced the production of anti-VP6 IgA antibodies by intestinal lymphoid cells. Intramuscular DNA injection stimulated the production of serum anti-VP6 IgG but not serum anti-VP6 IgA antibodies. Protection against shedding of rotaviruses in stools after oral challenge with the murine EDIM rotavirus strain was investigated in the immunized mice. A significant reduction in the level of rotavirus antigen shedding was demonstrated in those mice immunized at mucosal surfaces, both orally and nasally, with the VP6 DNA vaccine. Intramuscular DNA immunization, which elicited serum anti-VP6 IgG responses but not virus-specific intestinal IgA antibodies, did not provide significant protection against rotavirus challenge.

Specific mucosal IgA immunity in turkey poults infected with turkey coronavirus

The objective of this study was to elucidate the kinetics and magnitudes of specific IgA antibody responses in intestines of turkey poults infected with turkey coronavirus (TCV). Turkey poults were orally inoculated with TCV at 10 days of age. Intestinal segment cultures were administered for duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and the IgA antibody responses were analyzed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 9 weeks post-infection (PI) in two different experiments. The kinetics of virus-specific IgA antibody responses in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were similar: gradually increased from 1 week PI, reached the peak at 3 or 4 weeks PI, and declined afterward. The virus-specific IgA antibody responses in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum showed negative correlation with duration of TCV antigen in the corresponding locations of intestine with Spearman’s correlation coefficient of −0.85 ( p=0.034), −0.74 ( p=0.096), and −0.75 ( p=0.084), respectively. Moreover, the virus-specific IgA antibody responses in serum were positively correlated with that of duodenum ( coefficient=0.829, p=0.042) , jejunum ( coefficient=0.829, p=0.042) , and ileum ( coefficient=0.771, p=0.072) segment cultures, suggesting that the induction of specific IgA response in serum was predictive of an IgA response in intestine. The results indicate that intestinal mucosal IgA antibodies to TCV are elicited in turkeys following infection with TCV. The local mucosal antibodies may provide protective immunity for infected turkeys to recover from TCV infection.

Humoral and cell-mediated immunity to Vero cell-derived influenza vaccine

A candidate trivalent influenza whole virus vaccine produced in a continuous mammalian cell line (Vero), and analogous commercially available egg-derived vaccines, were compared for their ability to induce humoral and cell-mediated immunity in Balb/c mice. Substantial haemagglutination-inhibition titre and high levels of influenza virus-specific IgG were found in all groups of immunized mice, irrespective of the vaccine formulation. The IgG responses were predominantly of IgG1 and IgG2a/2b isotypes. Virus-specific secretory IgA antibodies were detected only in mice immunized intranasally with a live virus, derived either from Vero cells or eggs. T-cell proliferative responses and T-helper 1 type cytokine release was significantly higher in mice immunized with Vero cell-derived influenza vaccine compared to egg-derived vaccine formulations. We have demonstrated that the immunogenicity of the trivalent Vero cell-derived whole influenza virus vaccine was comparable to that of the equivalent egg-derived vaccine, with respect to humoral immune response and was superior with respect to cellular response.

Carbohydrate biopolymers enhance antibody responses to mucosally delivered vaccine antigens.

We have evaluated the ability of two carbohydrate biopolymers, chitosan and gellan, to enhance antibody responses to subunit influenza virus vaccines delivered to the respiratory tracts of mice. Groups of mice were vaccinated three times intranasally (i.n.) with 10 microg of purified influenza B/Panama virus surface antigens (PSAs), which consist of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), either alone or admixed with chitosan or gellan solutions. Separate groups were vaccinated subcutaneously (s.c.) with PSAs adsorbed to Alhydrogel or chitosan or gellan alone i.n. Serum antibody responses were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for influenza virus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and by HA inhibition (HAI) and NA inhibition (NAI) assays. The local respiratory immune response was measured by assaying for influenza virus-specific IgA antibody in nasal secretions and by enumerating nasal and pulmonary lymphocytes secreting IgA, IgG, and IgM anti-influenza virus-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunospotting (ELISPOT). When administered alone i.n., B/Panama PSA was poorly immunogenic. Parenteral immunization with B/Panama PSA with Alhydrogel elicited high titers of anti-B/Panama antibodies in serum but a very poor respiratory anti-B/Panama IgA response. In contrast, i.n. immunization with PSA plus chitosan stimulated very strong local and systemic anti-B/Panama responses. Gellan also enhanced the local and serum antibody responses to i.n. PSA but not to the same extent as chitosan. The ability of chitosan to augment the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines given i.n. was confirmed using PSA prepared from an influenza A virus (A/Texas H1N1).

Circumvention of Vector-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Response by Alternating Use of Human and Non-Human Adenoviruses: Implications in Gene Therapy

To determine whether non-human adenovirus-specific antibodies are cross-neutralizing, rabbit and mouse anti-human adenovirus type 5 (HAd5), anti-bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAd3), and anti-porcine adenovirus type 3 (PAd3) sera were used in cross-virus neutralization assays. Adenovirus neutralizing antibodies were found to be virus-specific, suggesting that virus neutralizing epitope differs significantly in HAd5, BAd3, and PAd3. To further investigate whether immunity to an HAd5-derived vector could be circumvented by the use of non-human adenoviruses in vivo, mice were first immunized either intranasally or intraperitoneally with HAd5, BAd3, PAd3, or BAd3 + PAd3, and after development of adenovirus-specific antibodies, animals were inoculated with the HAd5 recombinant (AdCA36lacZ) containing the bacterial β-galactosidase gene under the control of murine cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter. Virus-inoculated animals developed virus-specific IgG and IgA antibodies. LacZ expression in animals initially primed with HAd5 was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), suggesting that the immune response against the vector could prevent the transgene expression following subsequent inoculation of the same vector, whereas LacZ expression in mice initially primed with BAd3, PAd3, or BAd3 + PAd3 was significantly higher (P > 0.05) than that obtained in HAd5-primed animals. Our results suggest that HAd5-, BAd3-, or PAd3-based vectors may be used sequentially for human gene therapy or vaccine production as a means to avoid immunity to the vector.

Induction of innate immunity by nasal influenza vaccine administered in combination with an adjuvant (cholera toxin)

Inactivated influenza vaccine was administered intranasally to BALB/c mice together with an adjuvant (cholera toxin B subunit [CTB] supplemented with a trace amount of the whole toxin, CTB*) and its ability to induce innate immunity and confer protection against influenza was examined. Nasal wash virus titres 3 days after inoculation of homologous viruses were measured as an index of the ability of the vaccine to confer protection in mice immunized with either CTB*–combined vaccine or CTB* alone 1–21 days previously. The results were as follows. (1) Partial but significant reduction of the nasal-wash virus titres (prevention) was detected beginning 3 days after the vaccination, that is, 2 days earlier than the appearance of both virus-specific antibody-forming cells (AFCs) in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and virus-specific IgA antibody responses in the nasal washes of mice immunized with the CTB*–combined vaccine. (2) The protection, detected on day 3 and peaking on day 5 but lost by day 21, was also conferred in mice immunized with CTB* alone. (3) The non-specific prevention was detected at doses of more than 0.3 μg of CTB*/mouse. (4) The nonspecific protection beginning 3 days after the immunization involved the enhanced expression of cytokine mRNAs (IL-15 and IL-18), considered responsible for natural killer (NK) cell activation, by the non-T cell populations in the NALT. (5) Normal NALT cells, when cultured in vitro with CTB*, secreted IL-1β within a few hours in culture. These results demonstrate that the CTB*–combined vaccine, when given intranasally into mice, can confer nonspecific protection against influenza beginning 3 days after the vaccination and that CTB* also possessed this ability to confer protection non-specifically and temporarily by inducing the secretion of IL-1β, one of the most important cytokines that initiates both innate and adaptive immunity, and also NK cell activity.

Low induction of varicella-zoster virus-specific secretory IgA antibody after vaccination

Breakthrough after varicella vaccination occurs in approximately 2. 6% approximately 18.6% of immunocompetent children, but the reason has not been demonstrated clearly. As a first defense, specific secretory IgA antibody on the mucosa plays an important role in preventing invasion of microorganisms. To examine induction of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) specific secretory IgA after natural infection and vaccination and its booster mechanisms, 143 salivary samples were tested by ELISA. The VZV-secretory IgA values were significantly higher in the matched children after natural chickenpox than in those after vaccination, although the total secretory IgA did not differ between them. Two (7%) of the vaccinees lacked the sIgA antibody. In the elderly and in immunocompromised children, the VZV-secretory IgA values were no lower than those in healthy children, and they did not lack VZV-secretory IgA. The doctors and nurses taking care of patients with chickenpox had higher values than the other groups as did individuals who had had herpes zoster recently. VZV-secretory IgA was thought to be stimulated by exogenous and reactivated endogenous VZV to neutralize VZV with weak activity. These results suggest that low or no induction of VZV-secretory IgA antibody after vaccination may be one of the possible explanations for a breakthrough.

Local and systemic isotype-specific antibody responses to equine influenza virus infection versus conventional vaccination

Inactivated alum-adjuvanted conventional equine influenza virus vaccines are of poor efficacy and offer limited short-term protection against infection. In sharp contrast, natural infection with equine influenza virus confers long-term protective immunity. In order to identify the protective immune responses to equine influenza virus, the influenza virus-specific IgA, IgGa, IgGb, IgGc and IgG(T) antibody responses in nasal secretions and serum induced by natural infection and a commercial vaccine were studied by ELISA. Two groups of four influenza-naive ponies were established. In the natural infection group, ponies received 10 8.5 EID 50 of A/equine/Ky/1/81 by intranasal instillation, were allowed to recover, and then were rechallenged 100 days later. All four ponies exhibited clinical signs of influenza virus infection and viral shedding following primary infection, but were completely protected from challenge infection. Antibody responses to primary infection were characterized by nasal IgA and serum IgGa and IgGb responses. Ponies in the conventional vaccine group received a commercially available vaccine by intramuscular injection followed by a booster injection 3 weeks later. Challenge infection 100 days after vaccination resulted in clinical signs of infection and viral shedding. Antibody responses to vaccination were restricted to serum IgG(T) responses only. These results demonstrate that the protective immunity generated by natural equine influenza virus infection is associated with a mucosal IgA immune response and humoral IgGa and IgGb sub-isotype responses, and that this pattern of response is not generated by conventional vaccines.

Antibody-forming cells in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue during primary influenza virus infection.

Antibody-forming cell (AFC) responses in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) of BALB/c mice were examined following intranasal infection, mainly of the upper respiratory tract, with a small volume of influenza virus. The infection induced significant accumulation of T and B cells in NALT, peaking around day 7 post-infection. Virus-specific IgA, IgG and IgM AFC responses were induced, developing from day 5 and peaking at day 7; responses were predominantly IgA and IgG, followed by IgM. At peak, NALT contained the greatest number of IgA AFCs per total cells of the lymphoid tissues examined in the upper respiratory tract. The IgM AFC responses were induced in NALT cell cultures from uninfected mice following in vitro culture with influenza virus, indicating that at least a part of the AFCs in infected mice may have originated from specific B cell precursors in NALT. In parallel with the detection of AFCs in infected mice, virus-specific IgA antibodies appeared in the nasal wash and their appearance correlated well with virus clearance from the nasal area. These results suggest that virus-specific IgA antibodies, produced by IgA AFCs in NALT, play an important role in recovery from infection.

Effect of Rimantadine on Induced Specific Serum Haemagglutination-Inhibiting Antibody and Nasal IgA Titres after Experimental Exposure of Adults to Influenza a Virus

Haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody and specific nasal IgA responses to infection with influenza A (H1N1) virus were compared between 35 rimantadine-treated subjects (100 mg, orally, twice daily from day 2 to day 10, post-challenge) and 36 placebo-treated subjects. Infection was documented in 29 (83%) and 34 (94%), viral shedding in 24 (69%) and 30 (83%), and seroconversion in 21 (60%) and 27 (75%) of the rimantadine- and placebo-treated subjects, respectively. The duration of virus shedding (1.7±1.6 days compared with 3.1±2.1 days) was significantly lower in the rimantadine-treated group. Both groups had significant increases in the HI (21 days post-challenge) and virus-specific nasal IgA antibody (7 days post-challenge) titres. Convalescent HI but not IgA antibody titre was significantly greater in the placebo group. Convalescent HI antibody titre correlated with virus shedding, suggesting that differences between treatment groups are attributable to the reduced duration of viral shedding in rimantadine-treated subjects.

Isolation and characterization of mouse nasal-associated lymphoid tissue

A method for isolation of mouse nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT), which is a principal mucosal lymphoid tissue of the respiratory tract in rodents, was developed. The paired lymphoid organs could be separated from the upper jaw by peeling away the palate where NALT was localized bilaterally on the posterior side. About 3×10 5 lymphocytes could be obtained from one NALT fragment. The NALT lymphocyte fraction from normal BALB/c mice contained T- and B-cells in about equal numbers, and contained about 4 times as many CD4 + T-cells as CD8 + T-cells when analyzed with a FACScan fluorescence analyzer. The composition of the NALT lymphocytes was similar to that of the lymphocytes from the portion of the nasal cavity remaining after isolation of the NALT. The NALT lymphocyte fraction from mice infected 7 days previously with influenza virus was also characterized. The numbers of NALT T- and B-cells from the infected mice were approximately 2 and 3 times higher than those of non-infected mice, respectively. In parallel with the cell increase, NALT lymphocytes produced IFN-γ when cultured for 24 h and contained cells secreting influenza virus-specific IgA and IgG antibodies. The results suggest that this method can be successfully used for investigating cellular dynamics of mucosal immunology in the upper respiratory tract.

Mucosal Immunity Induced by Parenteral Immunization with a Live Attenuated Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Vaccine Candidate

Induction of a mucosal immune response is generally thought to require introduction of an immunogen directly onto the mucosal surface. It has been observed, however, that live, attenuated mutants of the alphavirus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE), induce protection from virulent challenge at the respiratory mucosa even after parenteral inoculation. In this report, we propose a mechanism by which subcutaneous immunization with a molecularly cloned, attenuated double mutant of VEE is able to stimulate the production of mucosal anti-VEE IgA. Our results showed that the immunizing virus spread to, and replicated within, lymphoid tissues throughout the mouse. Several tissues known to be inductive sites of the mucosal immune system were found to be positive for the presence of VEE RNA by 48 hr postimmunization. Moreover, this mucosal lymphotropism resulted in the production of virus-specific IgA antibody detectable in vaginal secretions of immunized mice.

Characterization of mouse nasal lymphocytes isolated by enzymatic extraction with collagenase

A reproducible method for isolation of mouse nasal lymphocytes was developed. The cells were released from tissue fragments of dissected mouse nose by enzyme extraction with collagenase and separated by a stepwise Percoll gradient centrifugation. The partially purified nasal lymphocyte fraction from normal BALB/c mice contained CD4 + T cells (18–23%), CD8 + T cells (7–10%) and B cells (20–38%), when analysed with a FACScan fluorescence analyser. The ratio of T to B cells and that of CD4 + to CD8 + T cells in the nasal cell fraction were about twice as high as those in Peyer's patch lymphocytes. The nasal lymphocyte fraction from the mice infected with influenza virus was then characterized. The nasal lymphocytes contained a twice larger number of CD4 + and a three times larger number of CD8 + T cells than those of normal mice 7 days after infection. They produced IFN-γ which increased after infection. They contained the cells secreting influenza virus-specific IgA and IgG antibodies 4 weeks after infection. Moreover, the nasal lymphocytes from infected C3H mice lysed the virus infected-target cells. These results suggest that this method can successfully be used for investigating cellular dynamics of mucosal immunity in the upper respiratory tract of experimental animals.

Detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgA, and IgG Norwalk virus-specific antibodies by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with baculovirus-expressed Norwalk virus capsid antigen in adult volunteers challenged with Norwalk virus

Pre- and postexposure sera collected from 17 adult volunteers challenged with Norwalk virus as described previously (D. Y. Graham, X. Jiang, T. Tanaka, A. Opekun, P. Madore, and M. K. Estes, J. Infect. Dis. 170:34-43, 1994) were examined for Norwalk virus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgA, and IgG by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with recombinant Norwalk virus antigen bound to the solid phase. Sixteen of the 17 volunteers had evidence of past infection, all presenting with preexisting IgG antibody of high avidity; only one volunteer had no evidence of previous infection. Virus infection was detected in 14 of the 16 volunteers with evidence of past infection, and 9 of the infected volunteers had symptomatic illness. A significant rise in both virus-specific IgA and IgG titers was detected after challenge in all of the volunteers who became ill. Five of the asymptomatic volunteers who were infected had rising titers of virus-specific IgG, but only two of the five had a concomitant rise in their virus-specific IgA antibody titers. Antibody rises were detectable in eight of nine ill volunteers 8 to 11 days after challenge but in the asymptomatic volunteers only after more than 15 days had elapsed. Virus-specific IgM was detected after challenge in all 14 infected volunteers. Between symptomatic and asymptomatic volunteers there were no significant differences in titers of virus-specific IgG and IgA in serum before challenge; however, there were significantly higher titers in symptomatic volunteers between 8 and > 90 days after challenge for virus-specific IgG and 8 and 24 days after challenge for virus-specific IgA.

Polyclonal and oligoclonal IgA synthesis in the cerebrospinal fluid of neurological patients: An immunoaffinity-mediated capillary blot study

An intrathecal synthesis of IgA has been reported in various neurological disorders. However, the frequency of its occurence and the electrophoretic characteristics of the locally produced IgA remained a matter of controversy. We developed a sensitive immunoaffinity-mediated capillary blot technique for the detection of polyclonal and oligoclonal IgA in the CSF of 115 patients with various neurological disorders. Paired CSF and serum samples containing 50 ng IgA after appropriate dilutions were submitted to isoelectric focusing in agarose gels; IgA was then blotted onto a polyvinylidene difluoride sheet coated by an anti-IgA antiserum or by infectious antigens. The immunoblots were revealed by an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-IgA antiserum. Only five samples displayed CSF-restricted oligoclonal IgA bands, including two out of 33 from MS patients. In herpetic encephalitis ( n = 5) and varicella-zoster meningitis ( n = 2), a strong intrathecal production of virus-specific IgA antibodies was detectable. In such cases, faint oligoclonal IgA antibodies were superimposed on a polyclonal background. A weak local production of anti- Borrelia burgdorferi IgA antibodies was present in two out of four cases of neuroborreliosis.

Isotype-specific antibody-secreting cells to transmissible gastroenteritis virus and porcine respiratory coronavirus in gut- and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissues of suckling pigs.

Antibody-secreting cells (ASC) were enumerated in gut- and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissues of pigs exposed to three antigenically related coronaviruses: virulent transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), attenuated TGEV, and porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV). Exposure of 11-day-old pigs to virulent TGEV resulted in severe gastroenteritis and virus shedding mainly in feces but also to a limited extent in nasal secretions. PRCV and attenuated TGEV exposure produced no clinical signs and only one pig given a high dose of attenuated TGEV shed virus in feces, but virus was shed from the nasal passages. Nasal virus titers were highest after PRCV inoculation of pigs. Mononuclear cells were isolated from spleens, mesenteric, and bronchial lymph nodes of pigs and assayed for virus-specific IgG and IgA antibody secretion by an enzyme-linked immunospot assay. Virus-specific ASC peaked at postinoculation days 12 to 24 and IgG-ASC outnumbered IgA-ASC in all tissues tested. The greatest numbers of ASC were in mesenteric lymph nodes of virulent TGEV-exposed pigs and in BLN of PRCV-exposed pigs. Attenuated TGEV induced intermediate ASC responses in the gut and respiratory tract. Secondary in vitro ASC responses to inactivated TGEV or PRCV paralleled the primary responses except in BLN where the numbers of memory ASC were high for both TGEV- and PRCV-exposed pigs. We conclude that: 1) a single exposure of pigs to PRCV either oral-nasally or by aerosol leads to potent systemic and bronchus-associated, but not gut-associated, ASC responses; 2) a high dose of attenuated TGEV (4 x 10(8) plaque-forming units) is more effective than PRCV (6 x 10(5) or 2 x 10(8) plaque-forming units) or a lower dose of attenuated TGEV (7 x 10(6) plaque-forming units) in eliciting gut-associated ASC; 3) although virulent and a high dose of attenuated TGEV induce high numbers of ASC in the tissues tested, virulent TGEV induces the most ASC in the gut and IgA-ASC in all lymphoid tissues; and 4) virus replication in the gut or respiratory tract is a major factor affecting the magnitude of an ASC response at that site and may be necessary for the recruitment of IgG- and IgA-ASC and memory cells in large numbers from other mucosal inductive sites. This unique model of mucosal immunity using antigenically related viruses with distinct tissue tropisms may help to clarify interactions of the various components of the common mucosal immune system.