Evaluation of antiviral drugs and neutralizing antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus by a rapid and sensitive microtiter infection assay.
A 96-well microtiter infection assay for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is described. The assay utilizes human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-immortalized MT-2 cells as targets for infection and requires only 4 to 5 days for completion. Cytolysis was quantitated by vital dye uptake of poly-L-lysine-adhered cells as an endpoint for infection. The assay's efficacy was proven by the sensitive and accurate assessment of several known anti-HIV agents including two inhibitors of reverse transcription (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine), three biological response modifiers (recombinant interferons alpha and beta and mismatched double-stranded RNA), a direct inactivator of HIV virions (amphotericin B), and neutralizing antibodies from two HIV-positive human subjects. Evaluation of data was facilitated by computer-assisted analysis. This assay provides a means for rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive large-scale in vitro testing of potential anti-HIV therapeutic regimens and quantitation of HIV-neutralizing antibody titers.
Montefiori
D C
DC
Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
Robinson
W E
WE
Schuffman
S S
SS
Mitchell
W M
WM
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D012984:Software
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015483:HIV Antibodies