Stability of a varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein E epitope.

The epitope stability of a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) glycoprotein E (gE) was analyzed with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in cells infected with different passages of various VZV strains and isolates. The gE-specific mAbs recognized same antigenic sites (epitopes) in VZV isolates with various passage history. All VZV strains and virus-isolates reacted with an anti-gE monoclonal antibody by immunoprecipitation, or indirect fluorescent antibody staining test. Sera from VZV seropositive individuals reacted with a truncated VZV gE glycoprotein, designated TgpI-511. Also, human mononuclear cells (MNCs) stimulated with TgpI-511 glycoprotein were shown to produce VZV-specific antibodies in vitro. The results demonstrated the stability of these gE epitopes tested in this study in TgpI-511 and among the VZV-isolates obtained from different passages. These results also suggest that VZV glycoproteins as well as live attenuated or killed varicella vaccines containing these epitopes could be used as therapeutic booster vaccines in adults and the elderly to prevent zoster.