Synthetic peptides define the fine specificity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp160 humoral immune response in HIV type 1-infected chimpanzees.
The fine specificities of antibodies produced against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp160 were examined in sera from 23 HIV-1-infected chimpanzees. These animals had been infected with one of six isolates of HIV-1. Sera were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for reactivity against seven synthetic peptides corresponding to regions of gp160. Chimpanzees appear to remain healthy after infection with HIV-1, suggesting that these animals may prevent extensive spread of the virus in vivo through immunologic mechanisms. Antibody specificity to gp160 epitopes may play a key role in the defense against HIV-1-related disease. Approximately one-half of all chimpanzee sera contained antibodies reactive with peptide 846-860, which corresponds to the carboxyl terminus of gp41. Less than 10% of sera from HIV-1-infected humans that were examined contained antibodies reactive with peptide 846-860, suggesting that this region is not highly immunogenic in humans. Of the human sera containing antibodies reactive with this peptide, all were from individuals classified as Walter Reed stages 1 to 3. No sera from humans with advanced stages of the disease contained antibodies reactive with peptide 846-860. Peptide 600-611, which reportedly reacts with nearly all sera from HIV-infected humans, was reactive with less than one-half of sera from HIV-1-infected chimpanzees. The observed differences in antibody reactivity to gp160 peptides in sera from HIV-1-infected chimpanzees and humans suggest that each may generate antibodies against differing sets of HIV-1 epitopes. These differences may contribute to the lack of disease progression in chimpanzees after infection with HIV-1.
Department of Virology and Immunology, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas 78284.
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Warren
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Wolf
K R
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Shuler
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Eichberg
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Zajac
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Boswell
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Kanda
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Kennedy
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000276:immunology*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D010455:Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors