Multiple antigenic epitopes expressed on gag proteins, p26 and p15, of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 2 as defined with a library of monoclonal antibodies.

Thirty-two hybridoma clones producing monoclonal antibody (MAb) against HIV-2[GH-1] were established from mice immunized with NP-40-disrupted purified whole virus of a Ghanaian isolate of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2), strain HIV-2[GH-1]. Of these 32 MAbs, 20 reacted with p26 and the other MAbs recognized p15 of the HIV-2[GH-1] isolate. From the results of serological characterization by these MAbs, p26 and p15 were identified as capsid proteins and matrix protein, respectively, of HIV-2[GH-1] gag products. In addition to two gag proteins, a 55-kD protein corresponding to the primary translational product of gag gene and 39-kD protein corresponding to an intermediate product of cleavage of p55 were recognized by these MAbs in the lysate of HIV-2[GH-1]-infected cells. Moreover, these MAbs were used to analyze the number of antigenic epitopes on p26 and p15 of HIV-2[GH-1] isolate. The results of cross-reactivity with different HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolates and competitive binding assay suggest that there are at least four and five antigenic epitopes in p26 and p15, respectively, of the HIV-2[GH-1] isolate. The biological activity of MAbs was studied by performing syncytium inhibition assay and infection inhibition assays. However, our MAbs could not inhibit syncytium formation and infection by cell-free virus.