PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST AN AVIAN GROUP-A ROTAVIRUS

Fifteen monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against an avian group A rotavirus were cloned and characterized. Eight of the 15 MAbs had neutralizing activity (N-MAbs). Five of the N-MAbs (1G1, 5B8, 4E2, 3G1, 2E3) were VP4-specific by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA), and two N-MAbs (2D11, 6E8) were possibly VP7-specific (faint bands by RIPA). One N-MAb (4H12) of undefined protein specificity cross-reacted with serotype 3 simian rotaviruses. The other seven N-MAbs did not cross-react with any of the eight distinct serotypes of human and mammalian rotaviruses tested. Of the seven non-neutralizing MAbs, three were VP6-specific (3H10, 4B12, 5F6), two were VP8-specific (6C9, 1D1), one was VP4-specific (4E9), and one was of undefined protein specificity (1B11). Four non-neutralizing MAbs recognized only avian group A rotavirus in cell-culture immunofluorescence tests (6C9, 1D1, 4E9 and 5F6), whereas two MAbs (3H10 and 4B12) cross-reacted with all human and animal rotaviruses tested. The MAb 1B11 did not recognize any human rotavirus serotypes but cross-reacted with all nonhuman animal rotavirus serotypes. The MAbs produced in this study should be useful for the detection and further characterization of avian group A rotaviruses.