Document 2734
 DOCN  M94A2734
 TI    HIV antibodies & p24 antigen revealed in seronegative blood donors via
       mitogen stimulation in vitro.
 DT    9412
 AU    Jehuda-Cohen T; Mumo J; Bwayo J; Ndungu PT; Kiama N; Faculty of
       Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):237 (abstract no. PB0378). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369841
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To test a method for detecting HIV infected blood from
       seronegative blood donors, in areas with high prevalence of HIV and
       where the use of a questionnaire is limited. METHODS: Sixteen blood
       donors from Kenyata Hospital (Kenya) were tested in a preliminary study.
       Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from heparinized
       blood samples, and cultured with Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) for 5 days. The
       supernatant fluids (SF) were tested for HIV specific antibodies and for
       p24 antigen by ELISA. RESULTS: All 16 were seronegative for HIV-1 and
       HIV-2 by conventional serum ELISA. In 4/16, HIV-1 specific antibodies
       were detected in the SF of the PWM culture. In 2 of these 4 SF samples
       p24 antigen was detected too. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS: In vitro
       stimulation of PBMC with PWM can drive B cells of HIV exposed
       individuals to secrete detectable levels of HIV antibodies into the SF.
       Furthermore, the activation of the lymphocytes might stimulate the virus
       to replicate at an enhanced rate leading to the production of p24
       detectable in the SF. While the study is currently being expanded to
       include larger numbers, it is suggested here that this in vitro assay
       could supplement HIV detection in such populations, leading to improved
       donor-blood screening.
 DE    B-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY  *Blood Donors  Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent
       Assay  Human  HIV Antibodies/*BLOOD  HIV Core Protein p24/*BLOOD  HIV
       Seronegativity/*IMMUNOLOGY  HIV Seropositivity/*DIAGNOSIS/IMMUNOLOGY
       HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY  HIV-2/*IMMUNOLOGY  Kenya  Lymphocyte
       Transformation/*IMMUNOLOGY  Reproducibility of Results  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).