A systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive recombinant Varicella-Zoster Virus

• Published in: Virology journal 2010-07, Vol.7, p.165
• Main Authors: Vizoso Pinto, Maria G, Pfrepper, Klaus-Ingmar, Janke, Tobias, Noelting, Christina, Sander, Michaela, Lueking, Angelika, Haas, Juergen, Nitschko, Hans, Jaeger, Gundula, Baiker, Armin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Causes of; Diagnosis; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Health aspects; Herpes; Herpesvirus diseases; Varicella-zoster virus; Viral antigens
• ISSN: 1743-422X; 1743-422X
• DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-7-165

Varicella-Zoster virus causes chickenpox upon primary infection and shingles after reactivation. Currently available serological tests to detect VZV-specific antibodies are exclusively based on antigens derived from VZV-infected cells. We present a systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive VZV antigens. Therefore, all VZV open reading frames were cloned into a bacterial expression vector and checked for small scale recombinant protein expression. Serum profiling experiments using purified VZV proteins and clinically defined sera in a microarray revealed 5 putative antigens (ORFs 1, 4, 14, 49, and 68). These were rearranged in line format and validated with pre-characterized sera. The line assay confirmed the seroreactivity of the identified antigens and revealed its suitability for VZV serodiagnostics comparable to commercially available VZV-ELISA. Recombinant ORF68 (gE) proved to be an antigen for high-confidence determination of VZV serostatus. Furthermore, our data suggest that a serological differentiation between chickenpox and herpes zoster may be possible by analysis of the IgM-portfolio against individual viral antigens.