Sequential changes in cytomegalovirus antigenic pattern during infection of renal transplant patients.

Changes in the antigenic pattern of cytomegalovirus occurring during the course of infection were studied in two renal transplant patients. The virus was isolated several times from each patient. After two to five passages in vitro, the immune precipitate formed either with guinea-pig antiserum raised to Davis reference strain, or with human serum taken from the same patient during the acute phase of the infection, was analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Isolates from each patient showed a slightly different antigenic pattern with both human and experimental antisera. These differences possibly reflect modulation of the expression of proteins during the course of viral infection in the patients and during adaptation to cell culture in vitro.