Studies with canine sera that contain antibodies which recognize human immunodeficiency virus structural proteins.

In a serological survey, using the immunoblotting technique, we found that substantial numbers of dog sera from both normal and diseased dogs, including dogs with neoplasia, reacted with one or more human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) recombinant proteins. A total of 144 dog sera were tested, and 72 (50%) of them reacted with one or more HIV recombinant structural proteins. Ten dog sera were also tested for reactivity with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV). Six dog sera reacted with at least the major core protein of HIV, while one of the dog sera tested reacted with SIV core protein, and there were no reactions with the viral proteins of either FIV or CAEV. Cell extracts from canine peripheral blood lymphocytes cocultivated with human cells and an extract of human cells infected with HIV were immunoblotted against dog sera which previously tested positive or negative on HIV recombinant protein commercially available Western blot strips. Two lymphocyte lysates and the HIV-infected Hut cell lysate reacted with the Western blot strip-positive dog serum; however, no reactions were seen with the Western blot strip-negative dog serum.