CELL LINE PRODUCING AIDS VIRAL ANTIGENS WITHOUT PRODUCING INFECTIOUS VIRUS PARTICLES

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURELeu-3- cells surviving infection with the AIDSretrovirus can be induced with IUdR to express infectiousvirus. A cellular clone (8E5), isolated by limitingdilution of a mass culture of survivor cells, was foundto contain a single, integrated, defective provirus thatwas constitutively expressed. Although IUdR treatment of8E5 cells failed to induce infectious virus, cocultiva-tion with Leu-3+ cells generated the characteristicsyncytia associated with acute AIDS retrovirus infec-tion. The single integrated copy of proviral DNA directsthe synthesis of all major viral structural proteinsexcept p64 and p34 as monitored by immunoblotting. Diag-nostic reagents and kits in accordance with the presentinvention are also described.