METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA VIRUS DISEASE BY USING THE RECOMBINANT CAPSID PROTEIN VIRUS (P26)

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and kit for detecting antibodies in clinical samples of animals infected with equine infectious anemia virus using the immunodiagnosis with the recombinant viral antigen p26. The antigen was bound to solid supports (microtitter plates, tubes, beads or nitrocellulose papers or nylon) and reacted with the test serum. After incubation with conjugated anti-equine immunoglobulin-enzyme the reaction was revealed with a solution composed of the substrate of the enzyme used in the conjugate (cromogene). After development of the reaction (color formation) it was stopped with acid solution and measured. The immunoassay may be a direct second antibody immunoassay, a one or two step sandwich immunoassay.

Description: METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA VIRUS DISEASE BY USING THE RECOMBINANT CAPSID PROTEIN VIRUS (P26) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of detecting antibodies against core antigen of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), using as antigen the non glycosilated recombinant protein (rgp26) in immunoenzymatic assays. More particularly, it relates to the use of recombinant protein p26 in kits for diagnosis of equine infectious anemia (EIA). BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The equine infectious anemia (EIA) is one of the oldest diseases caused by virus, having been described for the first time in France by LIGNEE (Rec. Med. Vet, 20:30, 1843) and recognized as viral disease by VALLEE and CARRE (Acad. Sci. ,139:331-333,1904). The disease affects exclusively the members of the family Equidae presenting a worldwide distribution and of great economical importance consequently . The EIA virus (EIAV) is classified as a lentivirus of the Retroviridae family (CHARMAN et al. J. Virol. 19(2): 1073 -1076,1976), it is genetic and antigenically related to the other lentiviruses which are characterized by developing persistent infection in host. The EIA has played a specially important role in comparative virology and in the studies of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Besides their morphological identity, both viruses are similar in terms of nucleotide sequences that code for structural surface proteins. These group of virus present genetic and antigenic variants during persistent infections, which is associated to immune response scape (MONTAGNIER et al. Ann. Virol., 135:119-134, 1984, MONTELARO et al. J. Biol. Chem., 259:10539-10544,1984, RUSHLOW et al. Virology, 155:309- 321 , 1986, STREICHER et al. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 256:2390-2391 , 1986, STOLER et al. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 256:2360-2364,1986 and HAHN et al. Science, 232:1548-1553, 1986). The transmission of EIAV occurs mainly through bite of arthropods vectors (tabanideos) which inoculate the virus into the animal's blood stream (mechanical transmission) when feeding themselves. The way of transmition is responsible for the high prevalence of EIA in areas favorable to the life cycle of vectors (ISSEL et al. Vet.. 17:251-286, 1988). The EIAV can also be transmitted by the placenta and colostra of mares with high virus levels, and by needles and surgical instruments contaminated with blood (COGGINS Comparative diagnosis of viral diseases.NY, 4:646-658, 1981 ). The course of infections shows different clinical forms of the disease (subacute, chronic and mainly inaparent or assimptomatic) in horses (ISSEL & COGGINS, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 174(7):727-33, 1979) and the most prominent signs are the fever episodes, hemolytic anemia, anorexia, fast weight loss and ventral edema. The laboratory diagnosis plays a decisive role in the control and prevention of EIA if considering the high prevalence of assymptomatic carriers, non conclusive and possibility to confuse clinical diagnosis with other diseases as the trypanosomiasis, pyroplasmosis, leptospirosis, hepatitis and by parasites . The diagnose of EIAV has been done through the detection of specific antibodies against surface antigen of virus present in the serum of affected animals by using the Coggins or agar gel diffusion test (U.S.Pat, nro.3,929,982 and U.S.Pat. No. 3,932,601 ). In the Coggins test the antigen and sample serum is placed side by side in an agarose gel plate. If EIA antibodies are present in the test serum, they will form a precipitin line when diffusing toward the agarose gel . This methodology is inherently insensitive since EIAV antigen preparation derived from spleen of ifected animals or equine derme cultures cells may be contaminated with non-EIAV antigens during its preparation. Besides, antibodies against non-EIAV antigens may be present in the test serum and can react with the non-EIA antigens forming a variety of nonspecific precipitin lines. Even if, ElAV-antigen batches can be purified the Coggins test is laborious, time-consuming and demanding of considerable expertise in interpretation of results. The Coggins test procedure takes twenty-four to forty- eight hours for the formation of clearly visible precipiting lines, delayinf results. Porter (U.S.Pat.No.4,806,467) discloses a method for detecting the EIA virus using a competitite enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay incorporating a purified viral antigen and a monoclonal antibody. To obtain the antigen, the EIAV must first be cultured. The antigen used was p26 capsid protein of the EIAV and is obtained through (purification of the cultured virus by a variety of means) well known in the art. The technique of virus tissue cultures increases the possibility of assay yield false positive results since the virus may be contaminated with other forms of protein or even another virus. Additionally, the EIAV is hard to culture, making Porter's approach very difficult for large scale production. The use of a synthetic peptide in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was disclosed by Shoeman, R. L. et al (Analytical Biochemistry 161 :370-379, 1987). Darrel & Peisheng, the U.S. Patent No. 5,427,907, discloses a method to use a synthetic peptide as the antigen in an immunoassay for the detection of antibodies against the equine infectious anemia virus in the serum of horses. This procedure include only the search of some epitopes of a virus proteins. It is an object of the present invention to provide an assay for the detection of the equine infectious anemia virus antibodies which may be fast, easily and quickly performed by using the stable recombinant envelope protein (rgp26) which may be produced in sufficient amounts at a low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features and many attendant advantages of the invention will be better understood upon a reading of the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows schematically the method of diagnosis Figure 2 shows the titration of positive and negative sera in Elisa with the recombinant protein rgp26 as antigen. Figure 3 demonstrates the distribution of the optical density (OD) in Elisa with the recombinant protein gp26 as antigen with 84 positive and 70 negative horses samples, previously tested by IDGA and ELISA by using EIAV- antigen produced in cell cultures DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore , an object of the present invention to provide a method of immunodiagnosis for EIA disease that uses the recombinant protein p26 corresponding derived from viral envelope of EIAV. The method consists of binding the recombinant antigen to solid supports (microtiter plates, tubes, beads or nitrocelullose or nylon papers or any kind that allow protein binding) and to proceed the analysis of the sera (presence of antibodies) from animals suspected of infection with the EIAV. The recombinant protein p26 is added to a solid phase support and incubated for sufficient time to ensure that protein was bound to the support. The equine test sample is added to the support and incubated for a period of time sufficient to permit that any EIA-antibodies are removed from sample. Labeled conjugate is added which binds to the protein-antibody complex. Following enough time to allow such binding, any unbound labeled conjugate is removed by washing. Labeled conjugate is added wich binds to the protein-antibody complex. Following enough time to allow such binding, any unbound labeled conjugate is removed by washing. High level of bound conjugate indicates a positive result, which mean presence of EIA viral antibodies. A low level of bound conjugate indicates a negative result which mean ausence or undetectable level of EIA viral antibodies.. A variety of commercially available solid phase supports may be used for protein binding. The direct binding of equine antibodies present in the test serum to the solid phase support is likely to result in a false positive reading. To prevent such binding, the blocking solution is used to fill any empty binding sites on the support which did not bind antibodie-protein. Any substance which will not react with EIA viral antibodies and antigen will function as a blocker. A conjugate is something which will recognize and bind with the test serum EIA viral antibody. The conjugate may be labeled using a variety of labeling means, including but not limited to: enzyme labeling, fluorescent labeling, and magnetic labeling. If enzymatic labeling is the labeling means chosen, the conjugate is labeled with an enzyme preferably select from the group consisting of horseradish peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase. Other enzymes may be used. When an enzyme label is used, the labeled conjugate is detected by adding an amount of a substrate which will recognize and react with the enzyme label to form a product that will produce a color change visible to the naked eye. The presence of color indicates a sufficient level of test serum antibodies to indicate infection. An absence of color is an indicator of a lack of infection, as the animal did not produce a significant number of antibodies to the virus. Hence, the labeled conjugate had few antibodies, if any, to bind with and was subsequently removed from the support. There are a variety of both peroxidase and phosphatase substrates which will react with horseradish peroxidase and alkalinie phosphatase enzymes, respectively to form a colored product. A preferred peroxidase substrate is an ortho- phenylenediamine/hydrogen peroxide solution. The intensity of the color of the product may be quantified using a spectrophotometer to read absorvance. Howewer, measuring the absorvance is not necessary to obtain an accurate reading of the results of the assay. The titration of positive and negative sera in Elisa with 1 μg recombinant protein p26 as antigen (Figure 2) shows the detection of antibodies anti-p26 in the ELISA test using dilutions of the serum from 1 :4 to 1 :256 and obtaining from 0.800 to 0.400 OD. The negative controls demonstrate that there is a non specific reaction. The optical density obtained when sera from 84 positive and 70 negative horses were tested is presented on Figure 3, showing the frequency of the different optical densities obtained. An animal was experimentally infected and its sera tested with the ELISA p26. Figure 4 shows that specific antibodies were detected seven days after the infection together with the appereance of fever. In order that this invention may be better understood the follow examples for illustrative purposes only, are described. The examples illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit it in spirit or scope. EXAMPLE 1 The process can be better understood through the following description in consonance with the illustration in Figurel where the binding of the antigen (recombinant protein p26) to the solid support (1), it is done by its dilution in carbonate buffer (Na 2 C03 0.1-0.5M; NaHCO3 0.1-0.5M, pH 8.0-9.6), added in the concentrations of 0.01 -1g and incubated the temperature of 4°-8°C for 18- 24 hours in micro-technique plates, tubes or beads followed by electrotransference or passive transference to nitrocelullose or nylon supports. After antigen binding, the support was washed for 3 to 6 times with buffer solution (0.01-0.02 M NaH 2 P04 , 0.01-0.02 MNa 2 HPO4 , 0.02-0.04M KCI, 0.85-0.9% NaCI pH 7.0-7.5),and then with 0.05-0.1% of tween-20 (Buffer- Tween). To block the inespecific sites of binding (2) the used support was incubated with block solution (skimmed powdered milk 1-5% bovine , 1-5% albumin or 1-5% casein in Tween buffer) for 30-60 min at 23°C-37°C. After a new wash of the support with Tween buffer, as described previously, the positive and negative control and the serum samples were diluted in Tween buffer, to bound to the antigen linked to the solid support (3), and incubated at 23°C-37°C. After new wash of the support with Tween buffer, the conjugate was added, where the anti- equine immunoglobuline binds to the antibodies that are tied up to the antigens (4). Conjugate can be an equine anti- immunoglobuline conjugated to the enzyme peroxidase or any other enzyme as acetylcolinesterase, lactate desidrogenase, galactosidase, glicose oxidase, alkaline fosfatase, or another. This conjugate was diluted in Tween buffer in agreement with its title and added to the support and then incubated at 23°C- 37°C for 30-60 min. A new wash of the support with Tween buffer and the development of the reaction was proceeded (5) with the enzyme of the conjugate, transforms the substrate of colorless to a red-faced product. The developing solution is composed of the substrate of the enzyme used in the conjugate that for the peroxidase for example is the ortofenilenodiamino diluted in phosphate or citrate buffer 0.1-0.2 M, pH 5.0-8.0. After the color development, which is proportional to the concentration of specific antibodies in each sample, solution of acid was used (sulfuric acid) for stop-reaction (6), where the acid interrupts the previous reaction. For the final result the measurement(7) of the color intensity formed in each reaction (sample) was made. This reading was made visually or in espectrophotometer, in absorbance, with a specific filter for the color formed by the developing solution.

Claims: EXAMPLE 2 The kit for diagnosis of the EIAV may contain the the folowing products: (a) the antigen recombinant p26 from EIA coated to the solid support (microplate, microtiter wells, tubes, capillary tubes, sticks, dipsticks, beads) with different chemical composition (polystyrene, polypropilene, polyethylene, polypropylene, poly-carbonate, polyvinyl, polystyrene, latex, nitrocellulose, nylon; cellulose, polyacrylamide, cross-linked dextran and microcrystalline glass (b) the anti- equine immunoglobulin conjugated with label that is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a fluorescent marker, avidin-biotin (c) the substrate for the label as orthophenilenodiamine and H 2 0 2 (d) a blocking solution (0.01- 0.02M NaH 2 P04, 0.01-0.02M Na 2 HPO4 , 0.02-0.04M KCI, 0,85-0,9% NaCI pH 7.0-7.5), with 0.05-0.1 % of Tween 20 and skimmed powdered milk 1 -5% bovine , 1-5% albumin or 1-5%casein (e) a diluent solution for specimen and conjugate (0.01-0.02 M NaH 2 P04 , 0.01-0.02M Na 2 HPO4 , 0.02-0.04M KCI , 0.85-0.9% NaCI pH 7.0-7.5), with 0.05-0.1 % of Tween 20 and 1 % skimmed powdered milk (f) a diluent solution for substrate 0.1M Na 2 HP04 , 0.1M C6H8O7 pH 5,0 (f) stop solution 7N H 2 SO4 (g) wash solution (0.01-0.02M NaH 2 P04, 0.01-0.02M Na 2 HP04, 0.02-0.04 M KCI , 0.85-0.9% NaCI pH 7.0- 7.5), with 0.05-0,1 % of Tween 20 (h) positive control inactivated horse serum (I) negative control inactivated horse serum While the present invention has been described in connection with an example, it will be understood that modifications and variations apparent to those ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. An immunoenzymatic assay for detecting the presence of antibody to the equine infectious anemia virus recombinant p26 capsid antigen in equine test samples comprising: (a) binding the recombinant p26 capsid antigen to a solid support, (b) reacting the bound antigen with a clinical sample, (c) removing the unbound test sample, (d) reacting the bounded test antibody with a labeled antibody (e) measuring the amount of bound antibody specific to the equine anemia infectious virus p26 capsid antigen in the test sample 2. The immunoassay according to claim 1 , wherein said label is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a fluorescent marker, avidin-biotin. 3. The immunoassay according to claim 1 , wherein said solid support is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene or polypropilene microtiter wells, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl;, polystyrene, or glass test tubes.capillary tubes,dipstcks, or beads; latex beads; nitrocellulose.nylon; cellulose, polyacrylamide,cross-linked dextran and microcrystalline glass.

Inventors: CERQUEIRA LEITE ROMULO, FORTES FERRAZ ISABELLA BIAS, KROON ERNA GEESSIEN, PEREGRINO FERREIRA PAULO CESAR, PIMENTA DOS REIS JENNER KARLIS, CERQUEIRA LEITE, ROMULO, FORTES FERRAZ, ISABELLA, BIAS, KROON, ERNA, GEESSIEN, PEREGRINO FERREIRA, PAULO, CESAR, PIMENTA DOS REIS, JENNER, KARLISSON
Applicants: CERQUEIRA LEITE ROMULO, FORTES FERRAZ ISABELLA BIAS, KROON ERNA GEESSIEN, PEREGRINO FERREIRA PAULO CESAR, PIMENTA DOS REIS JENNER KARLIS, UNIV MINAS GERAIS, CERQUEIRA LEITE, ROMULO, FORTES FERRAZ, ISABELLA, BIAS, KROON, ERNA, GEESSIEN, PEREGRINO FERREIRA, PAULO, CESAR, PIMENTA DOS REIS, JENNER, KARLISSON, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS
Application year: 1997
Main classification: C12Q1
IPC codes: G01N33