Correlation between susceptibility of primary HIV-1 isolates to autologous and heterologous neutralizing antibodies. Hospital Evandro Chagas AIDS Clinical Research Group.
OBJECTIVE
To study the susceptibility of primary HIV-1 isolates towards autologous and heterologous neutralizing antibodies (NAb).


METHODS
Blood was collected and primary HIV-1 isolated from individuals residing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in all phases of disease.


METHODS
Primary HIV-1 isolates were incubated with autologous or heterologous plasma and neutralization of infection of freshly pre-stimulated normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was assayed in parallel to median infectious dose determinations in the absence of antibodies. Levels of HIV-1 p24 antigen were used for evaluation of viral neutralization.


RESULTS
Autologous neutralization (75%) was observed for 13 (52%) out of 25 of the primary HIV-1 isolates, and 15 (71%) out of 21 isolates were susceptible to 75% heterologous neutralization by at least one-half of the heterologous plasma tested. Primary HIV-1 isolates susceptible to autologous NAb showed a higher susceptibility towards neutralization by heterologous NAb than isolates that could not be neutralized by the autologous plasma (P = 0.049). The susceptibility of the primary HIV-1 isolates towards neutralization by heterologous NAb was significantly higher for isolates derived from men (P = 0.001), and for isolates obtained from individuals infected through homo-/bisexual risk behaviour in comparison with those infected through heterosexual HIV-1 transmission (P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Susceptibility of primary HIV-1 isolates to autologous and heterologous neutralization was significantly correlated, indicating that escape mutants may become resistant not only to autologous but also to heterologous NAb.
Bongertz
V
V
Department of Immunology, IOC/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Costa
C I
CI
Santos
V G
VG
João Filho
E C
EC
Galvão-Castro
B
B
Morgado
M G
MG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments