Analysis of binding of a technetium-99m-labeled monoclonal antibody to lentivirus-infected cells.
Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) is a model for the study of lentiviral infections. The authors' hypothesis is that radioimmunodetection has the potential to detect lentiviral proteins at the surface of infected cells. A monoclonal antibody (CAEV92A1) specific for a CAE virus (CAEV)-associated glycoprotein and a control antibody were radiolabeled with technetium-99m (99mTc) using the pretinning method. Cell binding assays were used to evaluate immunoreactivity and binding properties of 99mTc-labeled antibodies to CAEV-infected cells. 99mTc-CAEV92A1 bound preferentially to paraformaldehyde-fixed and live CAEV-infected cells. 99mTc-CAEV92A1 did not appear to be shed rapidly from its binding site.