HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSE IN EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS-INFECTIONS .1. ELEVATED SERUM CONCENTRATION OF THE IGG1 SUBCLASS IN INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS AND NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (1) , 149-156
Abstract
Using radial immunodiffusion, IgG subclass concentrations were measured; their distribution in serum samples was studied from patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 2 Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated diseases, in comparison with 2 control groups [completely anti-EBV negative persons and subjects carrying antibodies to the viral capsid antigen (VCA)]. Antibody titers to VCA and to the early antigen (EA) were determined by indirect immunofluorescence and revealed characteristic patterns for the respective diagnostic groups. Nephelometric assays served for quantitating total protein, albumin, total IgG, IgA and IgM in all the sera. In the IM and NPC groups the concentration of IgG1 was significantly elevated by > 50% whereas the other 3 subclasses remained unchanged as compared with the controls. Correspondingly, a significant increase of total IgG was found in IM and NPC. In IM, the only disease where VCA-specific IgM antibodies have been reported to occur, IgM levels were markedly elevated. Thus, the IgG1 subclass evidently plays an important role in the humoral immune response to EBV-determined antigens; it is possibly involved in the control of virus infection.