Comparative reactivity of serum samples from Argentinean HIV-infected patients with V3 peptides from subtype B or BF recombinants.

To analyze humoral cross-reactivity to V3 peptides from subtype B and BF recombinant forms, plasma samples from 50 HIV-1-infected patients were characterized by sequencing fragments of the env and pol genes. An in-house EIA was performed using peptides corresponding to the 15 central amino acids of the V3 loop of gp120 from subtypes B (MN, SF2) and F1 and a consensus peptide from Argentinean BF recombinants. No differences were found with respect to the infecting subtype, but significant differences were found among the peptides. Reactivity was higher against the MN and BF peptides in both groups infected with subtype B (n = 28) and BF (n = 22) recombinants than against subtype F1 and SF2 peptides.