Effect of specific antibodies on the cell-associated spread of pseudorabies virus in monolayers of different cell types

Summary The effect of specific pseudorabies virus (PRV) antibodies on the enlargement of plaques produced by PRV were studied in monolayers of different cell types. The plaque size was used as parameter for the efficacy of the cell-associated spread (CAS) of PRV. First, the effect of anti-PRV hyperimmune serum on the plaque growth was examined in monolayers of the continuous cell lines ST, SK-6 and MDCK and monolayers of the primary cultures of porcine fibroblasts, endothelial cells and endometrial cells. A tenfold increase in the serum concentration did reduce the plaque size with 50% in both SK-cells and fibroblasts and with 40, 28 and 16% in MDCK, endothelial and endometrial cells, respectively. In ST cells, no change in size was observed with increasing antibody concentrations. Secondly, the effects of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against PRV glycoproteins gB, gC, gD and gE and polyclonal antibodies against gC were evaluated in SK-6 cells. MAbs against gB, gD and gE were able to reduce the CAS with a cumulative effect between mAbs against gD and either mAbs against gB or mAbs against gE. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against gC did not change the plaque size.