Antibody cross-reactivity to V3 peptides of subtype B and local B/F recombinants in Argentina

J.AMBROSIONI, R.BARRAL, C.ACUIPIL, G.ANDREANI, Y.RÓMER, M.PANDO, R.D.RABINOVICH, L.MARTÍNEZ PERALTA.

Río de Janeiro, Brasil

Conferencia; 3rd IAS CONFERENCE ON HIV PATHOGENESIS AND TREATMENT; 2005

International AIDS Society

Objectives: Studies performed on molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Argentina have shown the prevalence of subtype B as welllls B/F recombinants in the metropolitan population. The goal of this work was to analyze cross-reactivíty to V3 peptides between subtypes and recombinant forms. Materíals and Methods: Plasma samples of 50 patients infected with subtype l3 and 37 patients infected with B/F recombínant were selected. Sequences were characterized from PBMC using genome sequencing (poi, or poi and vpu) or heteroduplex mobility assay for env. A homa-made ELlSA was performed using commercial anti-human IgG labelled with peroxidase (Oakopatts, Sweden). Peptides usad corresponded to the 15 central aminoacids of the V3 loop of gp120 from subtype B: MN and SF2; subtype F1 and a consensus peptide from Argentinean recombinants B/F sequences. This peptide was designed taking Into account sequences obtaíned in our laboratory from plasma samples of patients Infected with B/F recombinants. For statistical analysís Wilcoxon rank sum test and chi sqare test were used. Results: The median of optica! density was hígher to MN peptide for samples of patients infected wíth both subtypes B and BF (p0.05). In average, there was a low reactivity to SF2 and to F1 peptides, similar to negative controls. Conclusions: we did not find differences in the reactivlty to peptides B and BF in patients infected with subtypes B or BF. Both groups had higher response to MN peptíde. These results could be important far studies on preventive vaccines.