Three antigenic variant groups in human respiratory syncytial virus subgroup B isolated in Japan.

Nineteen hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the structural proteins of strain 58-17, a subgroup B field strain of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) isolated in Japan, were obtained by fusion of X63 myeloma cells with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with the virus-infected HEp-2 cells. Seven clones were found to produce antibodies against the fusion protein (F), five against the large glycoprotein (G), five against the nucleoprotein (NP) and two against the 22k protein by radioimmunoprecipitation assay. By competitive binding assay with the MAbs, at least seven, two, three and one epitopes were defined on the F, G, NP and 22k protein components of subgroup B strain, respectively. Of these epitopes, three, two and one epitopes on the F, G and NP components were different from subgroup A strain, respectively. Fifty-three other field strains of subgroup B isolated in Sapporo, Japan, during nine epidemic years from 1980 to 1989, were examined for reactivity with the MAbs by ELISA. Different reactivity to one anti-NP antibody suggested that the 53 strains can be divided into three groups (B-a: 26 strains, B-b: 26 strains, and one other strain). The dominant strain prevailing during the 1984 to 1988 epidemic years had changed from B-a to B-b. All of the 53 subgroup B strains reacted similarly with the other 18 MAbs.