[Monoclonal antibodies to rubella virus glycoprotein E1].

AIM: To obtain monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) to glycoprotein E1 of rubella virus, to assess their immunochemical characteristics and ability to use fluorescent MCA for rapid identification of rubella virus.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Rubella virus strain C-74 (Moscow), vaccine strains "Orlov" (Saint-Petersburg), Wistar RA 27/3 (USA) as well as strain Judith (Germany) were used. Viral antigens were obtained using diploid cells L-68 and cell lines VNK-21-F and Vero E6. MCAs were produced by conventional method and their isotype was determined: Immunoblotting, immunoenzume assay (IEA), hemagglutination inhibition assay (HIA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) were performed.

RESULTS

Five monoclonal antibodies--Kh-252.1, Kh-347.2, Kh-183.3, Kh-214.4, Kh-187.5--to antigens of rubella virus strain C-74 were obtained. Isotypes of these antibodies were determined and their reactivity with native and denaturated antigens of other strains ("Orlov", Wistar RA 27/3, Judith) was characterized. IEA showed that all MCAs interacted with rubella virus glycoprotein E1 at high titers ranging from 1/1600 to 1/200,000. Immunoblotting demonstrated that 4 MCAs (Kh-252.1, Kh-347.2, Kh-183.3, Kh-214.4) had aforementioned feature. MCAs inhibited hemagglutinating activity of Judith strain in titer from 1/16 to 1/1024 in HIA. FITC conjugate of MCA Kh-347.2 (most sensitive variant) allowed to detect rubella virus in infected Vero E6 cells after 24 hours since infection, whereas FITC conjugates of 3 MCAs (Kh-183.3, Kh-214.4, Kh-187.5)--after 72 hours since infection.

CONCLUSION

Use of FITC conjugates of MCAs is a perspective tool for identification of rubella virus glycoprotein E1 in infected cell cultures and nasopharyngeal swabs.