ISOLATION OF PROTEIN OF HTLV-III, SEROLOGICAL DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES TO HTLV-III IN SERA OF PATIENTS WITH AIDS AND PRE-AIDS CONDITIONS, AND DETECTION OF HTLV-III INFECTION BY IMMUNO-ASSAYS USING HTLV-III AND ITS PROTEINS

摘要

This invention relates to the production of core antigens of the virus HTLV-III and their use in detection of antibodies in sera of AIDS and pre-AIDS patients, and to biochemical and immunological analysis of antigens associated with the virus HTLV-III. The utilization of p24 and p41 core antigens enables a greater specificity of detection. It is shown that antigens associated with the infection of human cells by the virus are specifically recognized by antibodies from AIDS patients Specifically, HTLV-III isolated from AIDS patients and transformed by cocultivation with an HT cell line is specifically detected by antibodies from human sera taken from AIDS patients. The p24 and p41 antigens are used to monitor the presence of HTLV-III in cultured cells and cell-free culture fluids, where virus infection is suspected, and also to monitor antibodies in human sera. The method of detection of antibodies preferred is a radioimmunoassay (RIA), ELISA (an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) or indirect immunofluoresceence assay.