Dot immunobinding assay for detection of human immunodeficiency virus-associated antigens

The detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated antigens was simplified by the application of dot immunobinding on a nitrocellulose matrix. Antigens were detected by applying the polyethylene glycol-precipitated supernatants of experimentally infected cultures directly onto nitrocellulose strips and sequentially incubating the strips with an anti-HIV antiserum and an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated, species-specific antiserum. The immune reaction was developed by adding the precipitable substrate indoyl phosphate. The dot immunobinding assay was nearly as sensitive as the reverse transcriptase assay in detecting HIV antigens in experimentally infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as in a T-cell line. The technique was also useful in the in vitro evaluation of antiviral agents. The dot immunobinding assay is a simple and sensitive technique that is useful in the detection of HIV antigens in studies of viral pathogenesis.