Neutralizing antibodies as a prognostic indicator in the progression of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related disorders: a double-blind study.
A double-blind longitudinal study for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) neutralizing antibodies (NAb) in the sera of 36 patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 149 prodromal homosexual subjects, and 33 heterosexual subjects has been carried out. All AIDS patients and 68% of prodromal homosexual subjects (101/149) were found to be HIV-1 antibody positive by Western blot assay. All heterosexual subjects were HIV-1 antibody negative. Neutralizing antibody(s) was determined by testing the protective activity of sera against HIV-1 infection of human T-cell line H9. Study subjects were divided into NAb(+) (antibody titer, greater than 1:40) and NAb(-) (antibody titer, less than 1:40) groups. During the 24-month observation period 2 of 80 (3%) HIV-1(+) NAb(+) individuals progressed to AIDS and died, as compared to 5 of 21 (24%) of HIV-1(+) NAb(-) subjects who progressed to AIDS. Similarly, among the NAb(+) AIDS patients 8 of 23 (35%) died, while 10 of 13 (77%) of the NAb(-) patients died during the course of the study. In addition, the absence or reduction of HIV-1 p17 and p24 antibodies directed against HIV-1 antigens as well as the low titer or absence of NAb appears to be closely related to the clinical progression of the disease. These studies suggest that a decrease in the virus neutralization capacity of the sera and a decrease or complete loss of HIV-1 p17 and p24 antibodies may be useful as prognostic indicators for the progression of disease in HIV-1-seropositive patients.
Sei
Y
Y
Department of Neoplastic Diseases, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029.
Tsang
P H
PH
Roboz
J P
JP
Sarin
P S
PS
Wallace
J I
JI
Bekesi
J G
JG
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015415:Biomarkers; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1