Browsing by Author "Stephen, Josephine K."

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    Immunization of Ferrets against Influenza: A Comparison of Killed Ferret Grown and Egg Grown Virus
    (1974) Sweet, Clive; Stephen, Josephine K.; Smith, H.
    Both killed unadjuvanted ferret and egg grown A/Moscow/1019/65 (H2N2) influenza virus failed to immunize ferrets against challenge with homologous virus: the preparations were given in 2 doses, 2 wk apart, distributed intranasally, intramuscularly and intraperitoneally. However, small doses (<2 HA units) of both preparations induced immunity in ferrets previously 'primed' with a live heterologous virus (A/FM/1/47 (H1N1) according to the method of Potter et al. (1973). Although no difference in immunizing activity was detected between ferret and egg grown virus, the former induced greater HI titres than the latter. There was no correlation between HI titres in serum and protection to challenge: in fact, some protection seemed to be afforded by the 'priming' virus in the absence of HI antibody to the challenge virus. These results are discussed in relation to the possibility that a previously unrecognized antigen different from hemagglutinin and neuraminidase may contribute to immunity to influenza.
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    Purification of Influenza Viruses using Disulphide-Linked Immunosorbents Derived from Rabbit Antibody
    (Elsevier, 1974) Sweet, Clive; Stephen, Josephine K.; Smith, H.
    Influenza viruses (A/Moscow/1019/65, A/England/344/68, PR/8-A/Hong kong/68) were specifically adsorbed from crude egg grown suspensions by their homologous disulphide-linked immunosorbents prepared from the γ-globulin of rabbits immunized with influenza virus from calf-kidney tissue cultures.In batch experiments 20 mg of the appropriate ‘non-avid’ immunosorbents (from 4–7 ml of serum taken shortly after one dose of antigen) adsorbed approximately 6 × 109, 3 × 109 and 3 × 1010 egg-bit infective dose50 (approximately 1 × 1012, 1·3 × 1012 and 1·9 × 1012 total particles as indicated by haemagglutination assays) of A/Moscow/1019/65, A/England/344/68 and PR/8-A/Hong Kong/68 respectively; and about 50 per cent of infective virus was eluted with alkaline buffers of pH 11·3, 12·0 and 12·5 respectively. After filtration to remove a trace of immunosorbent the eluted virus suspensions contained 40–91,000 HA/mg protein. ‘Avid’ immunosorbents (prepared from serum taken later after booster injections) had greater capacities (approximately 2–4 times) for infective virus than ‘non-avid’ immunosorbents but only 3–18 per cent of virus could be eluted from them. Both ‘non-avid’ and ‘avid’ immunosorbents adsorbed heterologous viruses of the same or different serotypes to those used to prepare the immunosorbents provided there was some similarity in either the haemagglutinin or neuraminidase antigens. However, their capacities for heterologous viruses were reduced in comparison to those for homologous viruses.Using a column containing a mixture of immunosorbent (100 mg) and Sephadex G-15 approximately 3·5 × 1012 total particles were adsorbed and 50 per cent eluted at each cycle at 5°C. Prior diafiltration of the crude virus suspensions was necessary to prevent column blockage but then the column could be recycled 10 times. The eluted virus suspension had 100,000 HA/mg protein and contained little or no egg or rabbit protein as judged by hypersensitivity reactions in suitably sensitised guinea-pigs.
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    Recovery of Protein Antigens from Disulphide-Linked Immunosorbents Derived from Non-Avid Sera
    (Elsevier, 1974) Nicklin, M. G.; Stephen, Josephine K.
    Disulphide-linked antibody immunosorbents were prepared from non-avid antisera raised to human serum albumin, ovalbumin and lysozyme. The ease with which homologous antigen was released from such immunosorbents was compared with that from their fully avid counterparts. This was maximally demonstrated using acidic buffers of pH 4–5 and immunosorbent columns in which the disulfide-linked protei was mixed with Sephadex G-15 and placed on top of more Sephadex G-15. Conditions are described under which immunosorbent derived from non-avid sera adsorber and released homologous antigen 3–4 time more efficiently than their avid counterparts.
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    Solubilities of Protein-Antigen/Rabbit-Antibody Complexes as a Measure of Serum Avidity
    (Elsevier, 1973) Nicklin, M. G.; Stephen, Josephine K.
    Several immunizing schedules were examined for the production of rabbit antibodies to human serum albumin, ovalbumin and lysozyme, having lowered affinities for respective antigens.From those sera which contained precipitating antibodies, antigen/antibody complexes were made at optimum proportions at pH 7.0. The solubilities of such complexes were measured in buffers of constant ionic strenght (0·26) and of pH ranging from 2·5 to 10·0. The use of large quantities of alum-absorbed antigen, administered in small doses (schedule I) yielded sera, complexes derived from which were the most soluble at least extreme pH values. Sera raised with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) yielded the least soluble complexes. Administration of large quantities of alum-adsorbed antigens in two dosed produced sera whose complexes were similar to those of CFA sera. Sera taken early in the response to antigen and CFA yielded complexes similar to those of schedule I sera.Attention was focused on the effect of citrate buffer pH 4·0, in dissociating antigen/antibody complexes since at this pH value maximum solubility differences were observed between complexes derived from the greatest number of sera. Where technically possible antisera yielding complexes soluble at pH 4·0 were shown to yield dissociable complexes (by ultracentrifugation), to contain non-precipitating antibodies (by precipitin analysis), and to be non-avid (by the technique of Farr (1985)).