Summary
Infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection were shown to have antibodies against HEp-2 cell antigen present in RSV-antigen preparation used for immunoblot analysis. The prevalence of anti HEp-2 cell antibodies was examined in infants hospitalized for RSV infection (n=49, median age 121 days) compared to rotavirus infected children (n=30, median age 114 days) and to healthy controls (n=20, median age 150 days). The immunoblot analysis with RSV-infected and non-infected HEp-2 cells as antigen revealed the expected age-dependent low prevalence of G protein antibodies and clear seroconversion of N and P protein antibodies. HEp-2 antibody prevalence was higher in RSV antigen-positive infants (33/49) than in rotavirus antigen-positive (5/30) and RSV antigen-negative infants (4/20), respectively (p<0.001). Anti HEp-2 antibodies were mostly directed against 47, 46, 33, 30 kD antigens. A multiple regression analysis found the following correlations (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval): 42 kD RSV antibodies (N protein) with pneumonia (7.58; 1.43-40), 94 kD RSV antibodies (G protein) with bronchiolitis (0.064; 0.006–0.686). This study shows repeated well-known features of humoral immunity in RSV infection. The data on anti HEp-2 antibodies point to a role for these pre-existing autoreactive antibodies in the pathogenesis of RSV infection.
Zusammenfassung
Bei der Antikörperbestimmung gegen RS-Virus im Immunoblot bei Säuglingen und Kindern, die wegen ihrer Erkrankung hospitalisiert waren, wurden Antikörper gegen HEp 2-Zell-Antigene bei 33 von 49 Kindern (medianes Alter 121 Tage; 67%) gefunden. Die Prävalenz bei gesunden Kontrollen (n=20, medianes Alter 150 Tage, Anti-HEp 2-Zell-Antikörper bei 20%) und bei Kindern, die wegen Rotavirusinfektion hospitalisiert waren (n=30, medianes Alter 114 Tage, Anti-HEp 2-Zell-Antikörper bei 17%), waren signifikant niedriger (p<0,001). Die Anti-HEp 2-Zell-Antikörper reagierten hauptsächlich mit Antigenen von 47, 46, 33, 30 kD. Für die RSV-spezifischen Antikörper wurde in einer multiplen Regressionsanalyse eine Korrelation für N-Protein-Antikörper mit dem Vorhandensein einer Pneumonie (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval: 7,58; 1,43–40) und für das Vorhandensein von G-Protein-Antikörpern mit Bronchiolitis (0,064; 0,006–0,68) gefunden. Insofern zeigt die Untersuchung bekannte Zusammenhänge der spezifischen RSV-Antikörper mit Immunität und Morbidität. Die erhobenen Daten über Anti-HEp 2-Antikörper könnten auf eine Rolle dieser bei Erkrankungsbeginn vorhandenen, autoreaktiven Antikörper in der Pathogenese der RSV-Infektion hinweisen.
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Forster, J., Maier, O., Löbbert, J. et al. Prevalence of antibodies against HEp-2 cell antigen in infants and children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus infection. Infection 24, 407–411 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713039
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01713039