This Article Full Text (PDF) Other Versions of this Article: CVI.00432-06v1 14/7/839    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zhao, J. Articles by Gao, X.-M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zhao, J. Articles by Gao, X.-M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clin. Vaccine Immunol. doi:10.1128/CVI.00432-06
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of IgG responses against the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-coronavirus in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Department of Immunology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Beijing Red Cross Blood Center, Beijing, China

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: xmgao{at}bjmu.edu.cn.

	Abstract

Both the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) are able to induce strong humoral responses in humans following an infection. To compare IgG responses against the S and N proteins of SARS-CoV in SARS patients during the manifestation/convalescent versus post-infection periods, serum samples were collected from hospitalized SARS patients within 6 weeks after the onset of illness (Set 1, 57 sequential samples from 19 patients) or 2-3 months after their recovery (Set 2, 33 post-infection samples from 33 subjects). Serum samples from 100 healthy blood donors (Set 3), collected in 2002, were also included. Specific IgG against whole virus, fragment 450-650 of the S protein, and full length N protein of SARS-CoV were measured by ELISAs. Western-blot assays were carried out to confirm the ELISA results. Fifty one of the Set 1 sera (89%) bound N-protein, a similar proportion to that recognizing whole virus (79%) and S-fragment (77%). All 33 sera from Set 2 were strongly positive for N-specific IgG, while 27 (82%) were positive for anti-S450-650 IgG. Two of the Set 3 sera were strongly positive for anti-N, but not anti-S450-650, IgG. Similar levels of IgG responses against the S and N proteins were observed in SARS patients during the manifestation/convalescent stages. In the post-infection period, however, a number of patients had much lower serum IgG levels against S450-650 than against N protein.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Dijkman, R., Jebbink, M. F., El Idrissi, N. B., Pyrc, K., Muller, M. A., Kuijpers, T. W., Zaaijer, H. L., van der Hoek, L. (2008). Human Coronavirus NL63 and 229E Seroconversion in Children. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 2368-2373 [Abstract] [Full Text]