Oligoclonal measles virus-specific IgG antibodies isolated from sera of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Measles virus-specific antibodies isolated from sera of six patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were all composed of oligoclonal IgG proteins, in contrast to the polyclonal IgG antibodies isolated from sera of healthy individuals. Periods of disease progression were associated with an increase in number and amount of oligoclonal IgG antibody proteins, and a decrease was observed in disease remission. A correspondence between the oligloclonal measles-specific IgG of serum and the oligoclonal IgG proteins of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurred in each case. It is concluded that sera from patients with SSPE may be used instead of CSF as a source for the isolation of measles antibodies of restricted heterogeneity.