Neutralization of adenovirus toxins: Specificity and antigenic relationships

Summary Early cytopathic or toxic activity was found in all human adenovirus types investigated, taken from all four subgroups. In neutralization tests with rabbit immune sera low homologous titres were observed. In subgroup III (types 1, 2, 5, 6) the cross-neutralization was entirely subgroup-specific. In subgroup I, toxins of types 7, 14, 16 and 21 reacted type-specifically, while type 3 toxin was also neutralized by type 7 antiserum and type 11 toxin by type 3, 7 and 14 antisera. Toxins of subgroup II (types 9, 15, 19 and 9–15) reacted mainly type-specifically with a crossing of types 9, 9–15 and 8. There was a neutralization by homologous dodecon antiserum, but none by hexon or fibre antiserum. The partial purification of type 2, 3 and 7 toxins did not alter their cross-neutralization pattern.Aided by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.