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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay
Published on: September 14, 2014
HIV envelope glycoprotein, antigen specific T-cell responses, and soluble CD4
F Manca1, J A Habeshaw, A G Dalgleish
1Department of Immunology, University of Genoa, San Martino Hospital, Italy.
Specific T cells stimulated by antigen presenting cells (APC) pulsed with antigen in the presence of HIV were no longer detectable with a functional assay, which suggests that HIV has been transferred from APC to the specific activated T cell via an antigen-dependent mechanism to exert its cytopathic effect on activated T cells. In contrast soluble gp120 inhibited antigen-driven proliferation, but this action was reversible and could be blocked by soluble CD4. Thus the chief mechanism of HIV pathogenesis may be gp120/CD4 interaction and HIV may be pathogenic mainly as a producer of gp120.
Specific T cells stimulated by antigen presenting cells (APC) pulsed with antigen in the presence of HIV were no longer detectable with a functional assay, which suggests that HIV has been transferred from APC to the specific activated T cell via an antigen-dependent mechanism to exert its cytopathic effect on activated T cells. In contrast soluble gp120 inhibited antigen-driven proliferation, but this action was reversible and could be blocked by soluble CD4. Thus the chief mechanism of HIV pathogenesis may be gp120/CD4 interaction and HIV may be pathogenic mainly as a producer of gp120.
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