title: Functional antibody response to human cytomegalovirus in immunocompetent and HIV-1 infected individuals with antibodies that inhibit virus penetration into cells and intercellular transmission of viral infection.
abstract: Antibodies mediating post-attachment virus neutralisation (PN), inhibition of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-induced cell fusion in the glioblastoma cell line U373 (IF) and global neutralising activity (NA) were quantified in sera from healthy immunocompetent individuals, asymptomatic HIV-1-infected subjects and AIDS patients to further characterise the neutralising antibody response to HCMV in these population groups and to assess whether HIV-1-infected individuals exhibited an abnormal functional antibody profile. PN and IF antibodies accounted for a minor fraction of the NA activity of sera from all population groups. Sera from HIV-1-infected individuals (particularly AIDS patients) displayed higher levels of PN and IF antibodies than those from the healthy control group; however, the relative contribution of these antibodies to the global serum NA activity appeared to be lower in the former individuals than in immunocompetent controls. Serum antibodies preventing HCMV cell-to-cell spread (IP) were then measured to determine whether a specific deficiency could be detected in the HIV-1-infected group population. Serum IP antibody titres were significantly higher in HIV-1-infected individuals (particularly in AIDS patients) than in controls. The potential implications of the data for explaining the pathogenesis of HCMV infection are discussed.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alberola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamarit
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000276:immunology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus