Antigenic relationships among human herpesvirus‐6 isolates

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Abstract
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) prototype isolate GS is a newly identified lymphotropic herpesvirus and several subsequent herpes isolates were recognized as HHV‐6 by their hybridization to a HHV‐6(GS) DMA probe pZVH14. DNA restriction analysis and in vitro tropism studies show that HHV‐6 isolates can be divided into two groups, designated group A and group B. Antigenic relationships among 15 HHV‐6 isolates belonging to these two groups were examined using rabbit antibodies against HHV‐6(GS) infected cells, 11 monoclonal antibodies against three glycoproteins and four non‐glycoproteins of HHV‐6(GS), and sera from 136 healthy adults. More than 20 polypeptides from all these isolates were immu‐noprecipitated by rabbit polyclonal antibodies against HHV‐6(GS) infected cells. Reactivities of monoclonal antibodies segregated these isolates into the same two groups. Group A contains HHV‐6(GS), HHV‐6(U1102) from a Ugandan acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient, and nine other HHV‐6 isolates from various disorders. HHV‐6(Z‐29) from a Zairian AIDS patient, HHV‐6(SF) isolated from the saliva of a human immunodeficiency virus (HlV)‐infected individual, HHV‐6(OK) from a child with exan‐them subitum, and HHV‐6(DC) from a leukopenia patient are in group B. Eighty‐one percent of the sera showed similar antibody titer in immunofluorescence assay with group A HHV‐6(GS) and group B HHV‐6(Z‐29) infected cells and 19% of the sera showed two‐ to four‐fold antibody titer differences. The mobilities of many of the polypeptides immunoprecipitated from group A HHV‐6(GS) and group B HHV‐6(Z‐29) infected cells were different and sera showed differences in the quantities and nature of polypeptides immunoprecipitated. Together, our data show that HHV‐6 related isolates segregate into two antigenically closely related yet distinct groups, exhibiting group common and group specific anti‐genie epitopes. The complex patterns of reactivities of human sera suggest that individuals may be infected with viruses from one group.