Autologous neutralizing antibodies prevail in HIV-2 but not in HIV-1 infection.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) has been reported to be less pathogenic than HIV-1. We have investigated the capacity of sera from nine HIV-2-infected individuals to neutralize their own autologous virus. All nine HIV-2-infected individuals neutralized autologous virus with titers ranging between 20 and 320. In contrast, we have previously reported that most HIV-1-infected individuals lack such antibodies. The difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection was statistically significant (P < 0.0002, Pearson test) and the difference in neutralizing antibody prevalence may explain the faster disease progression in HIV-1-infected individuals than in HIV-2-infected individuals.
Björling
E
E
Department of Virology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Scarlatti
G
G
von Gegerfelt
A
A
Albert
J
J
Biberfeld
G
G
Chiodi
F
F
Norrby
E
E
Fenyö
E M
EM
D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009500:Neutralization Tests
D015483:HIV Antibodies