The application of inert substrates as carriers in diagnostic virology

McCrossan, Kenneth (1980) The application of inert substrates as carriers in diagnostic virology. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The use of liposomes in viral diagnostic serology was investigated. Virus-liposome mixtures were found to be as effective as conventional antigen preparations in CF, HAI, and IIF tests. They were equally stable and similar amounts of virus were required in liposome substrates as in conventional antigens. The correlation between CF and IIF test results using virus-liposomes was found to be low. This was in agreement with the findings of other comparative studies. It was considered probable that the CF test was measuring different antibodies in certain sera to those detected by IIF. In IIF conventional infected-cell substrates are often variable, and reproducibility of results is commonly a problem. Virus-liposome mixtures offered an advantage in that they were standardised test substrates that minimised the problems of non specific fluorescence and subjective interpretation of test results. Purified influenza virus haemagglutinin subunits were prepared by cellogel electrophoresis of detergent- disrupted whole virus. Tests for purity showed them to be free from contamination by other viral proteins. 5) Liposomes combined with purified influenza virus haemagglutin in were as effective as conventional substrates in detecting influenza antibody by IIF. However, they did not detect strain-specific influenza virus antibody and reacted with antibody to haemagglutinin (H1) of a different type from that (H3) combined with the liposomes. 6) The adjuvant effect of liposome associated haemagglutinin subunits was tested in animals. Haemagglutinin - liposome mixtures although less immunogenic than whole virus, nevertheless induced higher levels of antibody than equivalent doses of haemagglutinin subunits alone. This showed that liposomes had adjuvant activity in the immune response to influenza virus produced in guinea pigs. 7) The liposome-haemagglutinin mixture showed a dose response relationship in the guinea pigs inoculated. 8) Haemagglutinin-liposome mixtures may therefore prove to be a non toxic pyrogen - and allergy-free vaccine for influenza. Clinical trials with human volunteers would be required to test this possibility.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Subjects: Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Timbury, Professor Morag C.
• Date of Award: 1980
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1980-83061
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 02 Aug 2022 12:14
• Last Modified: 02 Aug 2022 12:14
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.83061
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/83061