CD4 peptide-protein conjugates, but not recombinant human CD4, bind to recombinant gp120 from the human immunodeficiency virus in the presence of serum from AIDS patients

Sera from human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV⁺; Walter Reed stage 6) individuals inhibit the interaction between recombinant human CD4 and recombinant gp110 from HIV (rCD4 and rgp120, respectively), thereby interfering with the ability of soluble rCD4 to block infection with HIV or rCD4-toxin conjugates to kill HIV-infected cells. In this report we demonstrate that the inhibitory activity of such sera is caused primarily by anti-gp120 antibodies that do not recognize the CD4 interaction site on gp120. To circumvent the problem of inhibition, we have generated a construct containing a peptide of CD4 (residues 41-84) conjugated to ovalbumin (three to five peptides per molecule). This multivalent conjugate binds to rgp120 and binding is not inhibited by antibodies in HIV⁺ sera.