| abstract |
The present invention relates to protamine-reactive IgM antibodies, which may be natural, non-induced antibodies. In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to a low affinity linker subset of serum protamine-reactive IgM antibodies which recognize a sequence comprising four arginile residues, including a triplet, in a sequence of six residues amino acids, the invention also relates to diagnostic methods and kits. This subset of low affinity can be detected in sera from normal individuals and individuals infected with HIV who later show a significant period of latency, but are deficient in sera from individuals diagnosed with AIDS and sera from individuals infected with HIV and who, although asymptomatic at the time of the sample, develop AIDS in a relatively short period. |