Detection of type-specific antibody to herpes simplex virus type 1 by radioimmunoassay with herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein C purified with monoclonal antibody

Abstract

A procedure for purifying the glycoprotein gC from HSV-1-infected cell extracts with an immunoadsorbent prepared with an HC1 monoclonal antibody is described. When used in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay, gC was a type-specific antigen for quantitation of antibody to HSV-1. Among individuals who had no antibody to HSV at the onset of infection, all of those with primary [genital] HSV-1 infection developed antibody to gC. Subjects with primary HSV-2 infection failed to develop antibody reactive with gC of HSV-1 (P < 0.01). IgG and IgM antibodies against gC were detected in sera from subjects with primary or recurrent HSV-1 infection. Higher antibody titers to gC were found in sera from individuals with recurrent infection than in sera from those with primary HSV-1 infection.