Antibody against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein may have influenced the progression of AIDS in HIV-1-infected hemophiliac patients.
Retrospective analysis of serum samples from a group of hemophiliac patients who became infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) between 1984 and 1985 has shown that, at variance with other HIV-1-infected patients, at the onset, or at least at a very early phase of HIV-1 infection, they constantly have elevated levels of antibodies against HIV-1-transactivating Tat protein and an absent or barely detectable p24 antigenemia. Anti-Tat antibodies in initial serum samples from hemophiliac patients were probably the consequence of the passive administration of immunoglobulins present in low- or intermediate-purity clotting factor concentrates prepared from HIV-1-infected blood. Furthermore, the analysis of serial serum samples obtained during the course of the disease, in which passively acquired anti-Tat antibodies were substituted by actively produced antibodies, demonstrated an inverse relationship between anti-Tat antibody and p24 anti-genemia levels throughout the observation period. These data seem to suggest that anti-Tat antibody may have some influence on the course of HIV-1 infection.
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Institute of Microbiology, University of Bologna, St. Orsola General Hospital, Italy.
Furlini
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Vignoli
M
M
Ramazzotti
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E
Zauli
G
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La Placa
M
M
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015696:Gene Products, tat; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus