title: Maternal antibodies to gp120 V3 sequence do not correlate with protection against vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: A retrospective study of sera from mothers infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) was undertaken to investigate whether the titers or affinities of antibodies against the third hypervariable region (V3 loop) of gp120 correlated with transmission of the virus from mother to child. The cohort comprised 7 mothers who transmitted HIV-1 to their children and 20 who did not. Sera were screened for reactivity against two synthetic peptides, one encompassing the entire V3 loop of gp120 (amino acids 297-330) and the other containing an immunodominant epitope from gp41 (amino acids 596-614). Doubling dilutions of sera were tested to obtain antibody titers against both peptides: Anti-gp41 titers were used to normalize the anti-V3 titers. Maternal sera were also screened for the presence of high-affinity antibodies against the V3 peptide. No differences were observed in either titers or affinities of maternal antibodies to the V3 sequence from transmitters and nontransmitters.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Virology Unit, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Froebel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Marsden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments