Antigenic relationships among the members of adenovirus subgenera determined by monoclonal antibodies.

Epitope composition of human adenovirus (AV) serotype 13 (subgenus A), 19, 26 and 27 (subgenus D), as well as 41 (subgenus F) was studied with 23 selected monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against different hexon types. With the help of three panels of MAbs great differences were shown in the epitope structure of subgenus D hexons. Comparing two AV13 strain hexons (a prototype strain and an intermediate strain), it was shown that the epitopes recognized by the MAbs were present in different combinations even on strains of the same serotype. Therefore the epitope composition of the subgenus D hexons seems to be heterogeneous.