The present study reported a new immunoblot assay, with revelation by R5- or X4-whole free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) particles or recombinant gp160.
The assay was optimized to identify cell proteins interacting with HIV. Whole cell lysates were prepared from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs), dendritic cells (DC), monocyte-derived macrophage (MDM), and Henrietta Lacks (Hela, wild-type or transfected with DC-specific intracellular adhesion molecule-3-Grabbing Non-Integrin, HeLa) and Human endometrial cells (HEC-1A) lines; HIV particles used were the R5-tropic HIV-1 JRCSF and the X4-tropic HIV-1 NDK.
Experiments with PBL lysates and both viruses demonstrated different bands, including a unique band at 105–117 kDa in addition to nonspecific bands. The 105–117 kDa band migrated at the same level of that observed in controls using total PBL lysate and anti-CD4 mAb for detection and thus likely corresponds to the cluster difference (CD) 4 complex. Blots using lysates of DCs, MDM, HeLa cell line, and HEC-1A cell line allowed identifying several bands that positions were similar to that seen by recombinant gp160 or whole R5- or X4-HIV particles.