Quantitative and qualitative characterization of virus envelope proteins and specific polyclonal antibodies.

A method for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative characterization of virus envelope proteins and virus-neutralizing antibodies is described. The quantitative estimate is based solely on the precipitation of the antibody/antigen (Ab/Ag) complexes at equivalence under equilibrium conditions. The qualitative analysis is performed by determining the diffusion coefficients, i.

Determination of size of antigenic fragments after treatment of enveloped viruses with non-ionic detergents.

The two-dimensional double immunodiffusion, the so-called 'two-cross' method, is introduced for determination of the size of antigenic subunits released after solubilization of enveloped viruses with non-ionic detergents. The method enables the determination of diffusion coefficients and calculation of relative molecular masses of immunoreacting components without using any standard and without prior isolation, purification or labelling of material to be analysed. The molecular masses of surface antigenic fragments of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) disrupted by non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 were determined.

Application of the immune complex for immune protection against viral disease.

An immune complex (IC), composed of antigenic subunits of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and specific polyclonal allogeneic antibodies, was used to protect chickens against NDV. Antibodies in the IC were chicken immunoglobulin G. The antibody:antigen ratio in IC was 2.