Abstract: To develop effective vaccines and diagnostic agents of AIDS, reactiongenicity and antigenic specificity of the external glycoprotein gp105 and transmembrane glycoprotein gp36 of human immunodeficiency virus type 2, expressed in insect cells spodoptera frugiperda (SF9) using baculovirus expression system were determined by ELISA. The results showed that as an antigen, the expressed gp105 and gp36 showed the ability to react with HIV-2 antisera, and their reactive capacity was similar to that of the positive control (standard HIV-2 external glycoprotein or transmembrane glycoprotein), which demonstrated that the expressed gp105 and gp36 might be used as a diagnostic agent or their components and the material for immunological studies. Furthermore, the results showed that the expressed gp105 and gp36 exhibited a stronger reactiongenicity with HIV-2 antisera than with HIV-1 antisera, i.e., they exhibited a high specificity. The HIV-2 gp105 or gp36 shares approximately 40% amino acid sequence homology with that of HIV-1, and the weaker cross-reactivity is often observed. Because HIV external glycoprotein and transmembrane glycoprotein mediate the attachment and fusion of the virion to the host cell, many vaccine strategies have focused on them. Similar to native gp105 and gp36, the expressed gp105 and gp36 in this study exhibitied a good reactiongenicity and antigenic specificity, thus they can be used for the studies on its ability to induce immune responses in primate models.

Key words: human immunodeficiency virus type Ⅱ (HIV-2), external glycoprotein gp105, transmembrane glycoprotein gp36, reactiongenicity, antigenic specificity