LOCAL SYNTHESIS OF IGG ANTIBODIES TO HIV WITHIN THE FEMALE AND MALE GENITAL TRACTS DURING ASYMPTOMATIC AND PRE-AIDS STAGES OF HIV-INFECTION

Paired sera and cervicovaginal secretions or seminal fluids, obtained from HIV-1-infected, clinically asymptomatic women (n = 41) and men (n = 12), were investigated in order to test the hypothesis of a local s ynthesis of IgG to HIV in the female and male reproductive tracts, Ant i-gp41+p24 IgG was evaluated by an IgG immunocapture assay, and anti-g p160 IgG by an indirect ELISA, Estimation of anti-HIV IgG-specific act ivities was carried out after ponderal determination of total IgG and evaluation of anti-HIV IgG activity, IgG to gp41+p24, as well as IgG t o gp160, were specifically detected in all sera, cervicovaginal secret ions, and seminal fluid samples from all tested HIV-1-infected subject s, The mean specific activities of IgG to gp41+p24 in cervicovaginal s ecretions and in seminal fluids were about 33-fold (in women) and 16-f old (in men) that of the corresponding sera; similarly, the mean speci fic activities of IgG to gp160 in genital secretions were about 17-fol d (in women) and 10-fold (in men) that of the corresponding sera, IgGs to HIV are constantly detected in genital secretions from HIV-1-infec ted subjects, and appear to be largely synthesized in situ within the genital tract of both genders.