Herpes simplex virus subunit antibodies in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Serum IgG antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 capsid, envelope, and excreted antigens in 52 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, and in their age- and sex-matched controls, were assayed with a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. When compared with the controls, patients with Parkinson's disease were found to have a substantially increased antibody response against each of the HSV subunit antigens tested. The increased antibody response in patients with Parkinson's disease was not associated with the occurrence of recurrent HSV infections, since the difference in antibody levels was most evident when comparing patients without recurrent HSV infections with their respective control group. Consequently, the increased HSV antibody response in patient with Parkinson's disease might depend on some antigenic stimulation other than ordinary recurrent HSV infections, or alternatively, on the generally enhanced immunological reaction of the patients against HSV.

Polystyrene balls as the solid-phase of a double-antibody radioimmunoassay for human serum albumin.

Polystyrene balls have been incorporated as the solid-phase of a model double-antibody radioimmunoassay for human serum albumin. Purified IgG from the secondary antiserum is adsorbed on the 6.4 mm diameter balls. The solid-phase secondary antibody is then used to separate primary antibody bound iodinated antigen from unbound antigen. The secondary antibody coated polystyrene balls are easily prepared and manipulated; several hundred sample dilutions can readily be processed in a single assay. Assay background values of 1.5% or less are consistently obtained without extensive or special washing procedures.

Solid-phase radioimmunoassay of herpes simplex virus IgG and IgM antibodies.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for detection of herpes simplex virus-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in human serum specimens is presented. Virus antigen is adsorbed on polystyrene balls and antibodies which attach to the antigen are detected by 125I-labeled antihuman-gamma or antihuman-mu immunoglobulins. A total of 76 specimens have been tested. The appearance of virus-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in primary herpetic infections was readily demonstrated. When serum samples from patients with past exposure to herpes simplex virus were tested, endpoint titers of virus-specific IgG antibodies were found to be 8 to 2048 times higher than titers determined by a complement fixation test. Apparent cross reactivity with varicella-zoster virus was observed in the present radioimmunoassay.

IgM-class rheumatoid factor interference in the solid-phase radioimmunoassay of rubella-specific IgM antibodies.

The interference of IgM-class rheumatoid factor (RF) in the solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) of rubella virus IgM antibodies was studied. Acute rubella infections did not significantly activate RF. False-positive rubella antibody results were obtained, however, when patients with raised RF levels were tested. If a low rubella IgG antibody titre was present, a high level of RF was required to cause a false-positive IgM result; conversely, in sera with high IgG titres, only a low level of RF was required for interference. Although the false-positive IgM titres obtained were generally low, thet did show a positive correlation to both RF levels and rubella IgG titres. False-positive results were successfully avoided by removing the RF by absorption with heat-aggregated human gamma globulin. The absorption procedure did not affect true rubella IgM antibody titres.

Radioimmunoassay of herpes-simplex and measles virus antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients without infectious or demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to detect IgG antibodies against herpes-simplex virus antigens (capsid, envelope and excreted) and against measles virus antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of 61 patients with no evidence of infectious or demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Quantitative determinations of IgG and albumin in serum and CSF were also performed. Of the 61 serum and 61 CSF samples tested, 57 and 56 respectively contained antibodies against subunit antigens of herpes simplex virus. Antibody against measles virus was found in 59 serum and 47 CSF specimens. A positive correlation (P less than 0-001) was found between each of the four serum to CSF antibody ratios and the serum to CSF total IgG ratios. This indicated that the distribution of antiviral IgG antibodies in serum and CSF normally follows the distribution of total IgG. The ratios between viral antibody in serum and CSF were also correlated with albumin ratios (P less than 0-05). An inverse relation (P less than 0-001) was found between the age of the patients and their serum to CSF albumin ratios, but not their IgG ratios, suggesting that the albumin ratio is a useful indicator of a blood brain barrier lesion and that the IgG ratio should be used in evaluating disturbed antibody ratios.

Solid-phase radioimmunoassay determination of virus-specific IgM antibody levels in a follow-up patients with naturally acquired measles infections.

The question of the exact disappearance time or possible persistence of measles-specific IgM antibodies after naturally acquired measles virus infections was studied with a sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. A total of 30 patients were analyzed with follow-up times varying from 4.5 to 8 months; all were measles IgM positive in the first serum specimen obtained after the onset of rash. In 29 of 30 patients, the measles IgM declined to undetectable levels by approximately 90 days. The remaining patient developed postmeasles encephalitis, however, and was found to have a prolonged measles IgM antibody response. For comparison, the measles-specific IgG response was also studied and was found to develop only slightly later than the IgM response, with levels then remaining high and stable up to 8 months later. Although apparent measles IgM antibodies were found in 1 of 64 nonmatched adult controls, they were due to the presence of high levels of IgM-class rheumatoid factor. The data presented indicate that measles IgM antibodies begin to decline soon after the onset of rash and reach negative levels 1 to 3 months later; in complicated infections, however, measles IgM antibody synthesis may not terminate normally.

Solid-phase radioimmunoassay of rubella virus immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay method has been developed for the detection of rubella virus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies in human serum specimens. Purified rubella virus was adsorbed onto polystyrene balls, and antibodies that attached to the virus-treated balls were detected by subsequent binding of 125I-labeled anti-human gamma or anti-human mu immunoglobulins. A total of 77 serum specimens were tested. Binding ratios between positive and negative sera were as high as 22 in the IgG assay but rarely exceeded 3 in the IgM assay. The sensitivity of the IgG assay was found to be 16 to 256 times higher than that of the rubella virus hemagglutination inhibition test. The IgG radioimmunoassay can be readily adopted for routine diagnostic use. The IgM radioimmunoassay, however, due to its lower sensitivity, must be modified before being routinely applied.