Sequential changes in antibody levels to the env and gag antigens in human immunodeficiency virus infected subjects

Sera from 51 HTLV-III (human immunodeficiency virus, HIV)-antibody positive subjects consisting of 21 asymptomatic individuals and 15 ARC and 15 AIDS patients were analyzed for their serological profiles toward the viral antigens. One of the asymptomatic subjects only showed a p24 reactivity in the immunoblot, but antibodies to the env antigens were clearly identified by immunoprecipitation of viral antigens (RIP) followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. RIP patterns of different subjects and even different bleeds from the same subjects showed a varying reactivity to the gag antigens whereas the reactivity towards the env antigens appeared to be generally stable. RIP analysis of sequential sera of virus-infected individuals indicated a pattern consistent with an initial steady rise of antibody reactivities to the gag antigens relative to the reactivities to the envelope antigens. These reactivities reached a plateau and then slowly declined. While all sera tested had antibodies to the envelope antigens gp160, gp120 and gp41, 86% of the asymptomatic subjects, 67% of the ARC patients and only 33% of the AIDS patients had antibodies to the gag proteins p24 and pr53gag.