Antigenic activity of three chimeric synthetic peptides of the transmembrane (gp41) and the envelope (gp120) glycoproteins of HIV-1 virus

Prep Biochem Biotechnol. 2004 Aug;34(3):227-37. doi: 10.1081/PB-200026804.

Abstract

The antigenicity of three chimeric synthetic peptides (Qm, Qm-16, and Qm-17) incorporating an immunodominant epitope of the gp41 transmembrane protein (587-617) and the different epitopes of the gp120 envelope protein (495-516), (301-335), (502-516) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), separated by two glycine residues, was evaluated by UltramicroEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (UMELISA) by using panels of anti-HIV-1 positive sera (n = 47). The specificity was evaluated with samples from healthy blood donors (n = 20) and anti-HIV-2 positive samples (n = 10). The results indicate that the chimeric peptide, Qm, was the most reactive one because it detected antibodies to virus efficiently. This may be related to peptide adsorption onto the solid surface, the C-terminal region of HIV-1 gp120 (495-516) combined with gp41 (587-617) in the chimera, and the epitope accessibility to the antibodies. This study showed the usefulness of the chimeric peptides as antigen to detect antibodies to HIV-1 virus.

MeSH terms

  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • HIV Antibodies / blood
  • HIV Antibodies / immunology
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / chemistry*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / immunology
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / chemistry*
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / immunology
  • HIV Infections / blood*
  • HIV-1 / chemistry*
  • HIV-1 / immunology
  • Humans
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / immunology

Substances

  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41
  • Peptides