Serologic Reactivity of Certain Antigens Obtained by Fractionation of Coxsackie Viruses in Cesium Chloride Density Gradients

Abstract

Cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation of certain Coxsackie viral types has served to separate the precipitating antigens possessing “specific” and “group” reactivity with human sera, and has also separated two complement-fixing (CF) antigens. One of the CF antigens (in the same fraction as the “specific” precipitating antigen) fixes complement with homotypic monkey immune serum, but not with human sera. The other CF antigen (in the same fractions as the “group” precipitating antigen) fixes complement with homotypic monkey immune serum and also with human sera from both homotypic and heterotypic Coxsackie virus infections. Heating at 56°C for 30 min converted the serologic activity of the fraction with “specific” precipitating activity and no CF activity with human sera to that of the fractions containing “group” precipitating activity and CF activity with homotypic and heterotypic human sera.