Binding of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) to partially purified membrane vesicles of lymphoblastoid cell line CEM.
Binding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to membrane of its target cells was studied by a quantitative and non-isotopic method called the viral membrane trapping method (VMTM). Membranes prepared from the CD4 positive lymphoblastoid cell line CEM and adsorbed to a solid support retained the ability to bind HIV-1. Similar results were obtained by Western dot blot and ELISA modification of VMTM, when membrane fraction was bound to nitrocellulose or polystyrene, respectively. In ELISA modification, viral association with 1 microgram of membranes coated on 96-well microplate was linear within a range of 3.75 micrograms to 60 micrograms of p24gag protein. The use of anti-CD4 mAbs, OKT4A and 13B8.2, identified CD4 molecule as a major HIV-1 binding component of membrane fraction. The procedure will allow the study of virus binding to this and to other possible additional receptor(s).