Characterization of sera from subjects infected with HIV-1 subtypes B and E in Thailand by antibody binding and neutralization.

ABSTRACT

PIP: The range and specificity of the humoral immune response to HIV-1 subtypes B and E were investigated in sera and plasma collected from 168 infected patients from Thailand in 1990-94. Specifically, samples were examined for the presence of binding antibody to env regions within monomeric gp120, the CD4/gp120 binding site, and the V3 domain as well as neutralizing antibodies to T-cell line-adapted (TCLA) and primary HIV-1 isolates from subtypes B and E. A subtype-specific pattern of antibody binding was observed with the exception of the CD4/gp120MN binding site. Although neutralization of TCLA strains was highly type-specific, neutralization of primary isolates was weak and group-specific. This finding supports the dominance of the V3 region in TCLA virus neutralization but fails to confirm the distinction of subtypes B and E as discrete neutralization serotypes in Thailand.