PubMed1993
The study was made to develop an immunodiagnostic test system based on synthetic peptides able to detect in the same assay the total concentration of heterospecific antibodies against human retroviruses HTLV-1 and HIV-1. Three panels of reference-sera contained antibodies to HTLV-1 (70 specimens), HIV-1 (50 and 16 specimens) and 4 synthetic peptides corresponding to protein fragments p19 gag and gp46 env HTLV-1, gp120 and gp41 env HIV-1. Immune reactivity of the peptides with reference sera was measured in the immunoassay. It is established that relevant peptides mimic immunodominant B-epitopes of structural proteins HTLV-1 and HIV-1 and are recognized specifically by relevant antiviral antibodies. The enzyme immunoassay test system has been designed using a peptide combination in a single antigen complex. The system showed high diagnostic sensitivity.