Reactivation by Physical Means of Antibody-Neutralized Poliovirus

[摘要] The infectious capacity of poliomyelitis virus type 2 neutralized by an excess of rabbit antiserum can be reactivated by sonic vibration. This reactivation process can not be ascribed to the fragmentation of antibody-virus aggregates, since virus neutralized by univalent antibody and unable to form lattices was reactivated similarly. The rates of the neutralization of virus by antibody, before and after the reactivation procedure, were equal, indicating that the mechanism of the reaction is a complete separation of antibody and virus. The milder fragmentative process of repeated cycles of freezing and thawing was also capable of disrupting the virusantibody union but was strongly dependent on the degree of antibody saturation of the virus particles. A comparable effect could not be reproduced by reacting antibody molecules joined to virus, with an excess of anti-rabbit γ-globulin. These results are interpreted as suggesting that a critical number of viral antigenic sites must remain occupied by antibody in order to continue to obstruct the infectious capacity of the virus.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）