CLINICAL COXSACKIEVIRUS-B ISOLATES DIFFER FROM LABORATORY STRAINS IN THEIR INTERACTION WITH 2 CELL-SURFACE RECEPTORS

Coxsackie B viruses interact with two putative cell surface receptor m olecules. Experiments with prototype laboratory strains suggest that a ll 6 coxsackie B serotypes interact with a 46-kDa protein recognized b y the monoclonal antibody RmcB, whereas CB1, CB3, and CB5 may also bin d to decay accelerating factor. Antireceptor monoclonal antibodies wer e used to study interactions between low-passage clinical coxsackie B virus isolates and the two receptors. In contrast to observations made with single prototype strains, these data indicate that receptor use by clinical isolates is not strictly related to serotype and that even prototype strains with different passage histories may differ in rece ptor use. Within a given serotype, variation exists in the capacity of individual virus isolates to bind to specific receptors, and variants with altered receptor specificity may arise during infection in human s and in tissue culture.