Biopolymers and cell. 2005; 21 (2): 134 - 139

Role of molecular mimicry in detection of HIV infection

N. V. Ivanskaya, S. L. Rybalko

This review deals with a role of molecular mimicry in detection of the infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The molecular mimicry is determined as the presence of either similar or completely identical primary amino acid sequence in proteins of different origin. Some HIV protein sequences are shown to be identical with several host ones, so the organism synthesizes antibodies interacting with its own structures; such situation may be a cause of false-positive results of sera testing by serological assays.

Key words: HIV, molecular mimicry, antibodies, diagnostics.