Synthetic env gp41 peptide as a sensitive and specific diagnostic reagent in different stages of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

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Abstract
An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for serum antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1), based on the synthetic pentadecapeptide SGKLICTTAVPWNAS, a segment of the transmembrane glycoprotein (gp41) of the virus, was developed and tested for sensitivity and specificity. Sera of 152 individuals at various stages of HIV‐1 infection, including two prospectively and six retrospectively studied patients exposed to HIV‐1 but seronegative on initial testing in whole‐virus EIA and immunoblotting, were screened with the gp41 peptide antibody EIA. The reference population consisted of 1,000 healthy HIV‐1 antibody‐negative blood donors. In addition, five individuals with antibodies to HIV‐2 were studied. Antibodies to the synthetic peptide were detected in 100% of those with asymptomatic infection. Only one patient with LAS failed to react in the peptide EIA. Patients with HIV‐2 infection did not react in this test. The peptide antibodies appeared rapidly after infection, were detectable at the time when seroconversion was observed by immunoblotting, and preceded reactivity in whole‐virus EIA. Sera of seven patients with verified HIV‐1 infection did not react with gp41 in immunoblotting, although antibodies were readily detectable in the gp41 peptide EIA.