Virus neutralizing antibody titer to feline immunodeficiency virus isolates of subtypes A, B and D in experimentally or naturally infected cats

Six strains of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) classified into subtypes A, B and D were examined by cross-neutralization test using Kumi-1 cells (CD4(+), CD8(-), and CD9(+)), an interleukin-2 dependent feline T-lymphocyte cell line. Neutralizing activities against these six FIV strains were also investigated in 50 FIV-antibody-positive serum samples collected from different geographical regions in Japan. The cross-neutralization test revealed that antisera against the six strains tended to possess high neutralizing activity against the homologous strain. These antisera were also capable of neutralizing viral strains of the same subtype. However, some of the antisera were broadly crossreactive with all six FIV strains. Serum samples collected from naturally infected cats in the field showed various neutralization patterns for the six FIV strains. These observations reflect the antigenic diversity in FIV strains prevailing in the field. There were also broadly crossreactive serum samples, and 36% (18/50 samples) showed neutralization for all six FIV strains.