Mouse infection with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) leads to lifelong viraemia, despite the production of neutralizing antiviral antibodies. To test whether viral persistence correlated with the development of resistance to these antibodies, we compared the neutralization of viral particles derived from acutely and chronically infected animals, using polyclonal and monoclonal anti-LDV antibodies. Whereas virus isolated during acute infection was efficiently neutralized, titres of LDV from chronically infected mice were only slightly reduced by antiviral antibodies. In addition, LDV from animals acutely infected with such poorly neutralizable virus from chronically infected mice was resistant to anti-LDV antibodies like their parental viral particles. These results suggest that LDV variants capable of escaping neutralization by antiviral antibodies can emerge in chronically infected animals.
BrintonM. A., GavinE. I., FernandezA. V.1986; Genotypic variation among six isolates of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus. Journal of General Virology 67:2673–2684
CafrunyW. A., PlagemannP. G. W.1982; Immune response to lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus: serologically specific rabbit neutralizing antibody to the virus. Infection and Immunity 37:1007–1012
CafrunyW. A., ChanS. P. K., HartyJ. T., YousefiS., KowalchykK., McDonaldD., ForemanB., BudwegG., PlagemannP. G. W.1986; Antibody response of mice to lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus during infection and immunization with inactivated virus. Virus Research 5:357–375
ClementsJ. E., PedersenF. S., NarayanO., HaseltineW. A.1980; Genomic changes associated with antigenic variation of visna virus during persistent infection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A 77:4454–4458
CoutelierJ. -P., Van SnickJ.1988; Neutralization and sensitization of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus with monoclonal antibodies. Journal of General Virology 69:2097–2100
CoutelierJ. -P., Van RoostE., LambotteP., Van SnickJ.1986; The murine antibody response to lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus. Journal of General Virology 67:1099–1108
HahnB. H., ShawG. M., TaylorM. E., RedfieldR. R., MarkhamP. D., SalahuddinS. Z., Wong-StaalF., GalloR. C., ParksE. S., ParksW. P.1986; Genetic variation in HTLV-III/LAV over time in patients with AIDS or at risk for AIDS. Science 232:1548–1553
HartyJ. T., PlagemannP. G. W.1988; Formalin inactivation of the lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus reveals a major neutralizing epitope not recognized during natural infection. Journal of Virology 62:3210–3216
HartyJ. T., PlagemannP. G. W.1990; Monoclonal antibody protection from age-dependent poliomyelitis: implications regarding the pathogenesis of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus. Journal of Virology 64:6257–6262
KuoL., ChenZ., RowlandR. R. R., FaabergK. S., PlagemannP. G. W.1992; Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV): subgenomic mRNAs, mRNA leader and comparison of 3′-terminal sequences of two LDV isolates. Virus Research 23:55–72
MeulenbergJ. J. M., HulstM. M., De MeierE. J., MoonenP. L. J. M., Den BestenA., De KluyverE. P., WensvoortG., MoormannR. J. M.1993; Lelystad virus, the causative agent of porcine epidemic abortion and respiratory syndrome (PEARS), is related to LDV and EAV. Virology 192:62–72
NotkinsA. L., MaharS., ScheeleC., GoffmanJ.1966; Infectious virus-antibody complex in the blood of chronically infected mice. Journal of Experimental Medicine 124:81–97
NotkinsA. L., MageM., AsheW. K., MaharS.1968; Neutralization of sensitized lactic dehydrogenase virus by anti-γ-globulin. Journal of Immunology 100:314–320
OnyekabaC. O., HartyJ. T., EvenC., HuB. -G., PlagemannP. G. W.1989; Persistent infection of mice by lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus: effects of immunosuppression on virus replication and antiviral immune responses. Virus Research 14:297–316
PayneS., ParekhB., MontelakoR. C., IsselC. J.1984; Genomic alterations associated with persistent infections by equine infectious anaemia virus, a retrovirus. Journal of General Virology 65:1395–1399
PlagemannP. G. W., HartyJ. T., EvenC.1992; Mode of neutralization of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Archives of Virology 123:89–100
RowsonK. E. K., MahyB. W. J.1975; Laboratory methods. In Lactic dehydrogenase virus: Virology Monographs13 pp. 100–105GardS., HallauerC. Edited by Wien & New York: Springer-Verlag;