Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis antibodies against measles virus polypeptides.

Antibodies to measles virus proteins in SSPE, MS and control human sera were compared using measles virus strain Edmonston, productive SSPE strain Mantooth and non-productive SSPE strain DR. The viral antigens were subjected to transfer electrophoresis, incubated with sera and localized after a second incubation with peroxidase labeled immunoglobulins. High levels of antibodies to all measles viral proteins are present in SSPE sera and CSF and to a lesser degree in MS and control sera although the non-productive SSPE strains lack one viral protein (M protein) present in wild type measles virus strains and the productive SSPE strains.