title: The use of recombinant antigens in ELISA procedures for the quantification of intrathecally produced HIV-1-specific antibodies.
abstract: An ELISA procedure is described for the quantification of intrathecally synthesized immunoglobulin G antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens. Recombinant p17, p24, endonuclease (END), reverse transcriptase (RT), a peptide from the transmembrane region of gp41 (ENV80) and a fusion protein containing HIV-1 and HIV-2 epitopes were compared with a commercially available ELISA. Using a reference serum, antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to all of the antigens could be measured quantitatively in a reliable and reproducible fashion. Despite the fact that the titer varied up to 10(5)-fold between CSF and serum, interassay variability ranged from 3.87% for p17 to 8.41% for RT and intra-assay variability varied from 3.9% +/- 1.2% for p17 to 14.3% +/- 3.9% for the commercial ELISA. Antibody specificity indices (ASI) obtained by relating CSF/serum titers with reference to the corresponding IgG concentrations can be used to detect intrathecal synthesis of virus specific antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen, F.R.G.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freter
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lüer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poser
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Felgenhauer
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins