Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1)

Retroscreen Virology Ltd has invested heavily in the development and optimisation of in-vitro antiviral assay techniques for HIV. We have a new secure category III laboratory.

Each assay is modified to produce optimum sensitivity for the testing of potential anti-HIV compounds. We can test antiviral compounds against both HIV-1 and HIV-2. The C8166 cell line is incubated for a short period of time with the test compound present. The cells are then challenged with virus at a specific infective titre.

If the test compound possesses an antiviral effect the ability of the virus to infect and/or replicate should be reduced. An appropriate control is used: the compound Zidovudine (AZT), a protease inhibitor, or a non nucleoside RT inhibitor. After incubation, virus replication is quantified. We use the detection of viral p24 antigen via ELISA.

Publications

Oxford, J.S. and Lambkin, R. (1999). AIDS vaccine development: let a thousand flowers bloom. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 10: 725-730.

Habeshaw, J.A., Wilson, S.E., Oxford, J.S. et al. (1999). How HIV-1 lentivirus causes immune deficiency disease. Medical Hypotheses, 52; 1: 59-67.

Wilson, S.E., Habeshaw, J.A. et al. (1996). Modelling HIV concentration during acute AIDS infection. Science, 272: 1960-1962.

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