Differentiation between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 isolates by nonradioisotopic reverse transcriptase-typing assay.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
T UrabeM Baba

Abstract

We tested whether human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) could be differentiated from HIV-2 by a reverse transcriptase (RT)-typing assay that measured the reduction of enzyme activity owing to specific antibody. RT-inhibiting antibody was examined for HIV type specificity by a new nonradioisotopic RT assay. Antibodies from four rabbits immunized with recombinant HIV-1 RT and from 23 HIV-1-seropositive individuals all specifically inhibited the enzyme activities of two HIV-1 strains (LAV-1 and GH-3), three zidovudine-resistant HIV-1 mutants, and a recombinant HIV-1 RT. However, none of these antisera affected the activities of six HIV-2 strains (GH-1, GH-2, GH-4, GH-5, GH-6, LAV-2ROD), Rous-associated virus type 2, and DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli. In contrast, HIV-2 antibody from a rabbit immunized with disrupted GH-1 virions blocked the enzyme activities of the six HIV-2 strains but not those of the three HIV-1 strains, Rous-associated virus type 2, or DNA polymerase I. These results indicate that the antigenic domains of HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs recognized by their inhibiting antibodies are distinct from each other and are highly conserved. Clinical HIV isolates from 18 HIV-1-seropositive individuals and 3 HIV-2-ser...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1979·The Journal of General Virology·M Robert-Gurof, R C Gallo
Feb 1, 1988·AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses·A L DeVicoM G Sarngadharan
Jan 24, 1985·Nature·L RatnerK Baumeister

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antibody Specificity

Antibodies produced by B cells are highly specific for antigen as a result of random gene recombination and somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation. As the main effector of the humoral immune system, antibodies can neutralize foreign cells. Find the latest research on antibody specificity here.