Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection of alveolar macrophages can be blocked by monoclonal antibodies against cell surface antigens.

PRRSV has a restricted macrophage tropism. To explore if the difference in susceptibility of porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to PRRSV is correlated with certain cellular surface antigens which may serve as a virus receptor, polyclonal antibodies against PAM and PBMC were prepared. Anti-PAM but not anti-PBMC antibodies protected PAM from PRRSV infection suggesting that specific receptor(s) may exist on PAM. Furthermore, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against putative receptor(s) were produced. Balb/c mice were firstly immune-tolerized with freshly isolated PBMC after which they were immunized with PAM. Two MAbs (41D3 and 41D5) which blocked PRRSV infection of PAM were obtained. MAb 41D3 and 41D5 prevented the attachment of purified PRRSV to PAM. Both MAbs bound to the cellular membrane of PAM but not to that of porcine peritoneal macrophages, PBMC and three porcine cell lines (SK, ST and PK-15) as revealed by flow cytometry. This membrane reactivity correlates well with the susceptibility of these cells to a PRRSV infection. Taken together, these data suggest that MAb 41D3 and 41D5 recognize a potential cellular receptor for PRRSV on PAM.