Quantitative measurement of antibody inhibiting reverse transcriptase activity in cats naturally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus

Quantitative measurement of reverse transcriptase-inhibiting (RTI) antibodies in Japanese household cats naturally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was performed by poly A-linked colorimetric reverse transcriptase assay (PAC-RTA). Eight FIV-seropositive plasma samples were diluted twofold from 1:10 to 1:160 and incubated with FIV RT. Fifty percent RTI activity (RTI50) was calculated from a dose response PAC-RTA curve. The plasma of FIV-seropositive cats showed different RTI activities against two Japanese isolates and Petaluma strain. Six of eight plasma samples showed RTI activities against the Japanese isolates (subtype B), but only one showed RTI activity against Petaluma strain (subtype A). It is important to use the appropriate strain as a source of RT for detection of RTI antibodies in cats.