Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)

Background

Varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the Herpesviridae family also known as Human Herpesvirus Type 3 (HHV-3), is a highly contagious virus causing varicella (chickenpox) after primary infection. Transmission occurs via droplets and aerosols or contact with virus containing vesicles or scabs. Polymorphic exanthemas with a strong itch leading to papulation, vesicles and eschar are typical for this childhood disease. In healthy children, chickenpox is a usually harmless and self-limiting infection. However, lifelong latency in cranial nerve and dorsal root ganglia is usually established and reactivation as herpes zoster (shingles) may occur decades after primary infection. Primary infection of adults, especially of immunosuppressed patients, or newborns may be fatal and infection during gestation can lead to congenital varicella syndrome. Thus, VZV serological tests are commonly used for confirmation of acute infection, control of vaccination effectiveness and in some countries they are even routinely added to TORCH screening of pregnant women. Furthermore, VZV serology is an important diagnostic element in the context of transplantation, because immunocompromised patients have an increased risk for severe complications after infection or virus reactivation.

Antigens

For production of the two native antigens VZV Antigen (BA104VS) and VZV Glycoprotein (BA104VSG) HEL 299 cells are infected with VZV strain Ellen. After cultivation, the antigens are purified by ultra-centrifugation through a sucrose cushion (BA104VS) or detergent extracted and purified via lectin affinity chromatography (BA104VSG). VZV antigen BA104VS is recommended for IgM detection, while glycoprotein BA104VSG is very well suited for IgG assays.

The recombinant VZV Envelope Glycoprotein E (BA104R02) is another reliable option for efficient IgM and IgG detection. Glycoprotein E is highly expressed on VZV viral particles as well as on infected cells. It is the immunogenic component in the licensed subunit vaccine Shingrix® (Glaxo Smith-Kline Biologicals), which elicits a strong immune response and protects against herpes zoster (Nordén et al., 2019). SERION Immunologics’ VZV Envelope Glycoprotein E (BA104R02) is produced in insect cells in a patented process and highly purified by strep-tag affinity chromatography. Bulk quantities are readily available.

Please  let us know if you are interested in 0.25 mg test samples.

References:

Nordén R, Nilsson J, Samuelsson E, Risinger C, Sihlbom C, Blixt O, Larson G, Olofsson S, Bergström T. "Recombinant Glycoprotein E of Varicella Zoster Virus Contains Glycan-Peptide Motifs That Modulate B Cell Epitopes into Discrete Immunological Signatures." Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Feb 22;20(4):954. doi: 10.3390/ijms20040954. PMID: 30813247; PMCID: PMC6412795.