National Institutes of Health, a Component of the US Dept. of Health & Human Services

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

The United States of America

The Government of the United States of America, As Represented by the

The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary, Department

Larry O Arthur

Louis E Henderson

William G Rice

Stephen Oroszlan

Alan Rein

Robert J Gorelick

Alan R Rein

The present invention provides several classes of compounds which can be used to inactivate retroviruses, such as HIV-1, by attacking the CCHC zinc fingers of the viral nucleocapsid protein and ejecting the zinc therefrom. In addition, kits for identifying compounds that can react with CCHC zinc fingers of the nucleocapsid proteins of a large number of different retroviruses have also been developed. The kits of the present invention describe a set of specific tests and reagents that can be used to screen and identify compounds based on their ability to react with and disrupt retroviral zinc fingers in the viral NC proteins and, in turn, inactivate the retrovirus of interest.

Method for identifying and using compounds that inactivate HIV-1 and other retroviruses by attacking highly conserved zinc fingers in the viral nucleocapsid protein

Method for identifying and using compounds that inactivate HIV-1 and

An antigen capture method, and an antigen capture assay diagnostic kit, for detecting the presence or concentration of HIV in a biological sample without interference from antigen-antibody immune complexes is provided. The lysate of a biological sample obtained from an animal is contacted with a detectable mount of an antibody specifically reactive with the nucleocapsid p7 antigen or an immunoreactive fragment of the p7 antigen for a time and under conditions sufficient for p7 antigen contained in the lysate to form a p7-antibody complex. The presence or concentration of this p7-antibody complex is determined to detect or quantitate the presence of HIV in the biological sample. Uses of this assay and method include detecting the presence of HIV infection in an infant born to an HIV-infected mother, monitoring the progression of HIV infection, and evaluating the effectiveness of an anti-HIV treatment administered to an animal, such as a human. Purified antibodies specifically reactive with an immunoreactive epitope specific to p7 or an immunoreactive fragment of p7 are also provided as well as an antigen capture method for detecting the presence of a lentivirus in a biological sample involving the nucleocapsid protein of the lentivirus.

HIV nucleocapsid protein capture assay and method of use

The present invention defines a biological role for the following sequence of amino acids that is found in the nucleocapsid domain of the gag precursor polyproteins of all replication-competent retroviruses:

Design and construction of non-infectious human retroviral mutants

An antigen capture method, and an antigen capture assay diagnostic kit, for detecting the presence or concentration of HIV in a biological sample without interference from antigen-antibody immune complexes is provided. The lysate of a biological sample obtained from an animal is contacted with a detectable amount of an antibody specifically reactive with the nucleocapsid p7 antigen or an immunoreactive fragment of the p7 antigen for a time and under conditions sufficient for p7 antigen contained in the lysate to form a p7-antibody complex. The presence or concentration of this p7-antibody complex is determined to detect or quantitate the presence of HIV in the biological sample. Uses of this assay and method include detecting the presence of HIV infection in an infant born to an HIV-infected mother, monitoring the progression of HIV infection, and evaluating the effectiveness of an anti-HIV treatment administered to an animal, such as a human. Purified antibodies specifically reactive with an immunoreactive epitope specific to p7 or an immunoreactive fragment of p7 are also provided as well as an antigen capture method for detecting the presence of a lentivirus in a biological sample involving the nucleocapsid protein of the lentivirus.

HIV Nucleocapsid protein capture assay and method of use

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Walkersville, MD, United States of America

Larry O Arthur