in Hemophiliacs

Sera from hemophiliacs were analyzed for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-l) by using radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP), western blotting (WB)with non-reducing buffer (NR), and WB with reducing buffer (R). We analyzed envelope gp160, gp120, and gp41;pol gene proteins p64, p53, and p34; and gag gene protein p24. Of 215 samples positive for reactivity to gpl60 and gpI20(RIP), antibodies to p24 wereundetect-able in 2 (0.9070), to gp41 in 9 (4.2%), to the pol antigens in 5 (2.3%), to gpI20(NR) in 3 (1.4%), and to gpI20(R) in 55 (25.6%). By sequential analysis of samples, antibodies to gpI20(NR), gpI20(R), p24, gp41, pM/53, and p34 were observed later in the course of infection than were antibodies to gpI20(RIP) or gp160. This result suggests caution against reliance on WB as the "gold standard. " A significantly higher rate of progression to AIDS-related complex was found for individuals lacking antibodies to gpI20(R). It is possible that antigenic domains represented by gpI20(R) may playa role in the patho-genesis of HIV-l infection. The presence of antibodies to human immunodefi-ciency virus type 1 (HIV-l; formerly termed HTLV