Use of recombinant nucleocapsid proteins for serological diagnosis of feline coronavirus infection by three immunochromatographic tests

• Published in: Journal of virological methods Vol. 196; pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Takano, Tomomi, Ishihara, Yuka, Matsuoka, Masafumi, Yokota, Shoko, Matsuoka-Kobayashi, Yukie, Doki, Tomoyoshi, Hohdatsu, Tsutomu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2014
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Ascites - immunology; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - virology; Cats; Chromatography, Affinity - methods; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - veterinary; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronavirus, Feline - immunology; Feline coronavirus; Feline infectious peritonitis; Immunochromatographic test; Nucleocapsid Proteins - genetics; Nucleocapsid Proteins - immunology; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serologic Tests - methods; Serological test; Veterinary Medicine - methods; Feline coronavirus; Feline infectious peritonitis; Serological test; Immunochromatographic test
• ISSN: 0166-0934; 1879-0984
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2013.10.014

•We designed 3 types of Immunochromatographic assay (ICA)s to detect anti-feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibodies.•Recombinant FCoV nucleocapsid protein was used as a conjugate or test line in all 3 ICA kits.•Specific detection of anti-FCoV antibodies was possible in all samples using ICA kit with protein A blotted as test line.•Development of simple antibody test methods applying principle of ICA for other viral infections is expected. Three types of immunochromatographic assays (ICAs) were designed to detect anti-feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibodies. Recombinant FCoV nucleocapsid protein (rNP) was used as a conjugate or test line in all 3 ICA kits (CJIgG/TNP, CJNP/TNP, and CJNP/TPA). All three ICA kits were capable of detecting anti-FCoV antibodies; however, non-specific positive reactions of anti-FCoV antibody-negative plasma samples with the test line were observed in 2 ICA kits (CJIgG/TNP and CJNP/TNP), in which rNP was used as the test line. On the other hand, the specific detection of anti-FCoV antibodies was possible in all plasma, serum, whole blood, and ascitic fluid samples using the ICA kit with protein A blotted as the test line (CJNP/TPA). In addition, the specificity and sensitivity of ICA (CJNP/TPA) were equivalent to those of the reference ELISA. The development of simple antibody test methods using the principle of ICA (CJNP/TPA) for other coronavirus and feline viral infections is expected in the future.