Detection of early human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I antibody patterns
during seroconversion among transfusion recipients
A Manns, EL Murphy, R Wilks, G Haynes, JP Figueroa, B Hanchard, M Barnett, J Drummond, D Waters and M Cerney
National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
From a cohort of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) exposed
transfusion recipients (N = 71) enrolled in the Jamaican Transfusion Study,
11 were selected for detailed laboratory evaluation. All recipients were
followed at monthly intervals for 6 months and then bimonthly up to 1 year
for evidence of HTLV-I seroconversion. Without regard to results on
screening assays, pretransfusion and posttransfusion samples were tested
with two licensed HTLV-1 whole- virus screening enzyme immunoassays (EIAs),
recombinant EIAs for antibody against tax (p40x) and p21e envelope,
standard whole virus Western blot (WB), WB enhanced with recombinant p21e,
and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA). In the early period
posttransfusion, antibody to gag core protein was predominant with anti-
p24 generally appearing before anti-p19. Recombinant anti-p21e envelope
protein, in EIA and WB format, was frequently the earliest envelope
reactivity detected, while anti-gp46 in WB and anti-gp61/68 in RIPA system
appeared later. Anti-tax antibodies appeared later in the time course of
seroconversion. The whole-virus EIAs were less sensitive than the
confirmatory assays. The combination of WB and RIPA or WB enhanced with
recombinant p21e appeared equally effective in confirming samples as
positive by the Public Health Service two gene group confirmatory
algorithm. However, specificity of this assay approach could not be
addressed in this study.
Volume 77,
Issue 4,
pp. 896-905,
02/15/1991
Copyright © 1991 by The American Society of Hematology
