MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES TO WILDTYPE MEASLES VIRUS

STUDIES WITH NEWLY ISOLATED WILDTYPE MEASLES VIRUSES SUGGEST THAT ANTIGENIC DRIFT MAY BE OCCURRING WHICH COULD ADVERSELY IMPACT THE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED VACCINES. SUCH AN OCCURRENCE WOULD BE PARTICULARLY DETRIMENTAL TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, WHERE ACUTE INFECTION IN YOUNG CHILDREN CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND FATAL SEQUELAS. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND POENTIAL EFFECTS OF ANTIGENIC DRIFT, IT IS NECESSARY THAT REAGENTS BE DEVELOPED FOR IDENTIFYING WHICH VIRION PROTEINS ARE MOST PRONE TO ALTERATIONS, AND WHAT EFFECTS, IF ANY, VACCINES. MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES DIRECTED AGAINST DIFFERENT EPITOPES OF SPECIFIC VIRION STRUCTURAL PROTEINS ARE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR ASSESSING ANTIGENIC DRIFT. BY TESTING THE ABILITY OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST WILDTYPE VIRUSES TO REACT WITH VACCINE STRAINS, ONE CAN ASSESS THE DEGREE AND EXTENT OF ANTIGENIC DRIFT, AND DEVELOP NEW VACCINE STRAINS TO OVERCOME ANY DECLINE IN THE EFFICACY OF IMMUNIZATIONS. DURING THIS PHASE I EFFORT, MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES DEVELOPED AGAINST WILDTYPE VIRUS STRAINS FURINSHED BY THE CDC WILL BE TESTED FOR REACTIVITY AGAINST THE EDMONSTON VACCINE STRAIN. FURE PHASE II STUDIES WILL EMPLOY THESE ANTIBODIES FOR CHARACTERIZING MODIFIED WILDTYPE VIRUS STRUCTURAL PROTEINS BY EPITOPE MAPPING.