Antigenic cross-reactivity between caprine arthritis-encephalitis, visna and progressive pneumonia viruses involves all virion-associated proteins and glycoproteins

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Research Unit, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, U.S.A. Antigenic relatedness between the virion-associated proteins of caprine arthritis-encephalitis, visna and progressive pneumonia viruses was examined. Antigenic cross-reactivity was assessed by immunoprecipitation of disrupted, radiolabelled virus with goat, sheep and rabbit antisera, followed by resolution of the immunoprecipitation products by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results indicate that antigenic cross-reactivity between the caprine and ovine virus isolates involves all of the major virion-associated proteins and glycoproteins. The common antigenic determinants exhibited by virion structural proteins are immunogenic in goats, sheep and rabbits. Keywords: lentiviruses, cross-reactivity, immunoprecipitation Received 21 November 1984; accepted 1 February 1985.