Specific antibody responses to synthetic peptides of HIV-1 p17 correlate with different stages of HIV-1 infection.
Antibodies were determined against five synthetic peptides (epitopes) of HIV-1 p17 in the sera of an immunologically and clinically well-characterized cohort (N = 292) of HIV-1 seronegative and HIV-1 seropositive high-risk homosexual men, HIV-1 seropositive i.v. drug abusers (IVDA), and AIDS patients. The synthetic peptides, representing the entire HIV-1 p17 protein sequence were: HGP-33 (aa 1-33), HGP-19 (aa 34-52), HGP-35 (aa 51-85), HGP-30 (aa 85-114), and HGP-17 ala (aa 114-131). The presence of one or more peptide-specific antibodies in the sera of all of the HIV-1 p17-positive subjects indicated that all five peptides contain B-cell epitopes. No antibodies were found in the sera of heterosexual controls, HIV-1 seronegative high-risk men, or asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive but p17 antibody-negative study subjects. Significant differences in antibody recognition profiles to the peptide epitopes were found among the various study groups. A significantly higher proportion of HIV-1 seropositive IVDA had antibodies specific to HGP-17 ala (aa 114-131), HGP-35 (aa 51-85), and HGP-33 (aa 1-33) compared to the HIV-1 p17-positive asymptomatic homosexuals. The epitope-specific antibody responses reflected the clinical status of the HIV-1-infected study subjects, and declined to nondetectable levels as the patient progressed to ARC/AIDS. This decline preceded by several months the reduction in the antibody titer against the intact HIV-1 p17 and p24 proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Jiang
J D
JD
Department of Neoplastic Diseases, T. J. Martell Laboratory for Leukemia, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York 10029.
Chu
F N
FN
Naylor
P H
PH
Kirkley
J E
JE
Mandeli
J
J
Wallace
J I
JI
Sarin
P S
PS
Goldstein
A L
AL
Holland
J F
JF
Bekesi
J G
JG
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D000939:Epitopes; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D010455:Peptides; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1