Patent ID: 6306581
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: A01K,C07K,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
An assay method for detecting antibody selectively binding HHV-8, comprising:contacting with HHV-8 viral particles a serum sample originating from an individual suspected of having an HHV-8 infection, said HHV-8 viral particles having been produced by and isolated from immortalized lymphoma cells, wherein the cells are from a cell line deposited with ATCC as Accession No. CRL-12247, said lymphoma cells originating from cells isolated and cultured from ascitic fluid of an immunocompromised animal, said animal having previously received into its peritoneal cavity an inoculation of an ascites-inducing number of cells from a primary cell culture, said primary cell culture having been derived from the pleural fluid of a cavity-based lymphoma of a HHV-8.sup.+ human, said human at the time of producing the pleural fluid being HIV.sup.-, CMV.sup.-, and EBV.sup.- ;allowing the formation of complexes of the antibody and the HHV-8 viral particles;contacting any antibody-bound HHV-8 complexes thus formed with anti-human antibody-binding immnunoglobulin or anti-human antibody-binding fragments thereof, said fragments being selected from the group consisting of Fab and F(ab').sub.2, and allowing the formation of complexes of the immunoglobulin or the fragments thereof with the antibody-bound HHV-8 complexes; anddetecting the presence of any complexes formed.