Comparative humoral responses to HIV-1 p24gag and gp120env in subjects from East Africa and the UK.
We compared 1616 sera from HIV-1-infected subjects and matched HIV-negative local controls in Uganda, Kenya and the UK. Sera were screened for specific antibody to HIV-1 p24 Gag and gp120 Env proteins and for p24 antigenaemia. In contrast to the UK, the majority of African HIV-1-infected subjects maintained detectable anti-p24 antibodies. However, lower reactivity of anti-p24 was observed in African AIDS patients, compared with those with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection. This reduction in anti-p24 reactivity with more advanced clinical stage was less marked in African HIV-1 infection than in the UK. Correspondingly, p24 antigenaemia was more common in patients with AIDS from the UK than in African patients (65 versus 4%). Reductions in anti-gp120 reactivity were observed in African AIDS patients, compared with the asymptomatic group. However, median reactivity of anti-gp120 in UK patients remained unchanged in both asymptomatic and AIDS subjects. The differences in humoral response to p24 and gp120 between Africa and the UK are semi-quantitative rather than qualitative and could be explained by initial higher antibody response to HIV-1 in African subjects.
Kaleebu
P
P
Department of Medicine, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Cheingsong-Popov
R
R
Callow
D
D
Katabira
E
E
Mubiru
F
F
Biryahwaho
B
B
Sempala
S
S
Gilks
C
C
Brindle
R
R
Were
J B
JB
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120