Heat inactivation of human immunodeficiency virus in solutions of antithrombin III

Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), isolated from cultures of infected peripheral blood lymphocytes, was added to solutions of highly purifed antithrombin III (AT-III), which was stabilized with 1 M citrate and 17 percent sucrose. The efficiency of heat inactivation of HIV in AT-III at 60.degree.C was compared with that of HIV in culture medium and followed for periods from 0 to at least 10 hours. The virus added, titer 105 by ID50, was inactivated as rapidly (less than 30 minutes) and efficienctly (completely) in the stabilized AT-III as in the culture medium. Virus was determined by direct measurement of the HIV-related reverse transcriptase activity and by quantiation of virus infectivity by ID50 assay.