Patterns of antibody response in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

Immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays were conducted on 488 sera from patients with AIDS and clinically healthy individuals at risk for infection by the human immunodeficiency virus. Of these, 360 contained antiviral antibodies, and nearly all reacted with the envelope precursor glycoprotein gp160. Sera from 103 individuals for whom a complete clinical history was available were evaluated in detail. Most sera recognized both the gp160 and the p55 gag precursor protein. Because these two antigens are found primarily in infected cells, the results suggest that this association makes them more immunogenic. A high prevalence of antibodies to the polymerase gene products (p65 and p31) and to a viral protein p48, which is not yet fully defined, was also noted. Many sera, particularly those from patients with Kaposi's sarcoma or Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, lacked antibodies to both p25 and gp41. These antibody patterns could help predict the prognosis for virus-infected individuals.