Random Expression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) pl7 (Epitopes) on the Surface of the HIV-1-Infected Cell

Abstract
Twenty monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were obtained by immunizing Balb/c mice with recombinant pl7 (rpl7) of HIV-1. Epitope specificity of each MAb was determined using six peptides that cover the entire region of pl7. We found that each MAb reacts with only one of the peptides, residues 12–29, 30–52, 53–87, and 87–115 (P12–29, P30–52, P53–87, P87–115) of pl7 with the exception of one MAb. Three kinds of MAbs that recognize P30–52, P87–115, and a conformational epitope, suppressed the infectivity of HIV-1 (JMH-1) when they added in the culture of MT-4 cells infected by HIV-1 within 24 h of the infection.