Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2010 | Research
A systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive recombinant Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) antigens
Authors:
Maria G Vizoso Pinto, Klaus-Ingmar Pfrepper, Tobias Janke, Christina Noelting, Michaela Sander, Angelika Lueking, Juergen Haas, Hans Nitschko, Gundula Jaeger, Armin Baiker
Published in:
Virology Journal
|
Issue 1/2010
Login to get access
Abstract
Background
Varicella-Zoster virus causes chickenpox upon primary infection and shingles after reactivation. Currently available serological tests to detect VZV-specific antibodies are exclusively based on antigens derived from VZV-infected cells.
Results
We present a systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive VZV antigens. Therefore, all VZV open reading frames were cloned into a bacterial expression vector and checked for small scale recombinant protein expression. Serum profiling experiments using purified VZV proteins and clinically defined sera in a microarray revealed 5 putative antigens (ORFs 1, 4, 14, 49, and 68). These were rearranged in line format and validated with pre-characterized sera.
Conclusions
The line assay confirmed the seroreactivity of the identified antigens and revealed its suitability for VZV serodiagnostics comparable to commercially available VZV-ELISA. Recombinant ORF68 (gE) proved to be an antigen for high-confidence determination of VZV serostatus. Furthermore, our data suggest that a serological differentiation between chickenpox and herpes zoster may be possible by analysis of the IgM-portfolio against individual viral antigens.