Borghi MO, Fain C, Barcellini W, La Rosa L, Beretta A, Meroni PL; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11; 9: 206 (abstract no. PO-A20-0430).
Institute of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology, University of Milan, Italy.
Activated human blood peripheral cells express a surface determinant recognized by a monoclonal antibody (M38) cross-reacting with the HIV envelope protein gp120. This antigen has been described as a class I HLA heavy chain in a particular form, not associated with beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2m). It is recognized also by the monoclonal antibody L31, not cross-reacting with viral components but able to inhibit lymphocyte functional activities, suggesting that this determinant could act as a receptor with down-regulating signals on cellular activity. We investigated the presence of serum autoantibodies directed against beta 2m-free HLA molecules in HIV-infected subjects using a competition cell-binding assay with the specific L31 mAb. We tested sera from 88 HIV-positive drug addicts classified according to CDC criteria. We found that a) the prevalence of autoantibodies significantly competing the binding of L31 increased with disease progression and b) these antibodies had a cytotoxic activity against target cells. The same sera were tested for their capacity to compete the binding of 01.65 mAb directed against beta 2m-associated HLA molecules, without any relation with CDC stages. As control, sera from 30 SLE patients and 10 subjects suffering from recurrent EBV infection were tested in the competition assay both with L31 and 01.65 mAbs. Five or 2 out of 30 SLE sera competed L31 or 01.65 binding, respectively, while none of the EBV-positive sera had autoantibodies competing with the two mAbs. An ongoing autoimmune response specifically directed against HLA class I molecules is present during HIV infection development. A relation between autoantibody presence and disease stage can be found only using the anti-beta 2m-free monoclonal antibody.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- Autoantibodies
- HIV
- HIV Antibodies
- HIV Envelope Protein gp120
- HIV Seropositivity
- HLA Antigens
- Humans
- beta 2-Microglobulin
- immunology
Other ID:
UI: 102203256
From Meeting Abstracts