title: Serum antibodies to HIV-1 are produced post-measles virus infection: evidence for cross-reactivity with HLA.
abstract: Convalescent sera obtained from patients who were recently recovered from an acute measles virus infection were tested for the presence of anti-HIV-1 antibodies by Western blot analysis. While 16% (17/104) of control sera displayed reactive bands to a variety of HIV proteins, 62% (45/73) of convalescent sera demonstrated immunoreactive bands corresponding to HIV-1 Pol and Gag, but not Env antigens. This cross-reactivity appears to be the result of an active measles infection. No HIV-1 immunoblot reactivity (0/10) was observed in sera obtained from young adults several weeks after a combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Interestingly, examination of anti-HLA typing sera specific for either class I and class II molecules revealed that 46% (19/41) of these sera contained cross-reactive antibodies to HIV-1 proteins. Absorption of measles sera with mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR)-activated lymphocytes and/or HIV-1 recombinant proteins significantly decreased or removed the presence of these HIV-1-immunoreactive antibodies. Together, these findings suggest that the immune response to a natural measles virus infection results in the production of antibodies to HIV-1 and possibly autoantigens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Baskar
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dorsey-Cooper
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pyle
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dunston
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kendig
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nalin
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Adler
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008457:Measles / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens