Analysis of human serum antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using recombinant ENV and GAG antigens.

Recombinant proteins representing gag and env amino acid sequences of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (HTLV-IIIb) were produced in Escherichia coli and used to analyze sera for the presence of antibodies to HIV. ENV-9 is a protein representing the carboxy terminus of gp120 and part of gp41 which is highly immunoreactive. GAG-1 represents 83% and GAG-55 100% of the amino acids of the gag open reading frame. The purified proteins allow sensitive detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of antibodies directed against either env or gag of HIV. We have determined the reactivity of sera from several HIV exposed individuals, either form high risk populations or with clinically defined conditions, in the ENV-9, GAG-55, and GAG-1 assays and found that two major seropositive groups are observed. The quantitative analysis of sera with env and gag antigens by ELISA showed AIDS patients had very low gag reactivity while retaining high env reactivity. Results obtained with authentic p24 viral protein in both ELISA and radioimmunoassay correlated to those from the GAG-55 ELISA. This correlation and the analysis of sera with both the ENV and GAG ELISAs indicate that the antibodies reactive to gag are specifically affected relative to env reactivity and that different levels of antibodies to separate viral components in these sera may correlate with disease state.