Objective The objectives of this Concerted Action were to assist and support European AIDS research through the production, evaluation and provision of specific high quality laboratory reagents such as virus isolates, recombinant DNA clones, purified HIV proteins and monoclonal antibodies. The availability of standardized and well characterized reagents was deemed particularly useful in the areas of serological diagnosis and vaccine development.The objective of this Concerted Action was to assist and support European acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) research through the production, evaluation and provision of high quality specific reagents such as virus isolates, recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) clones, purified human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) proteins and monoclonal antibodies. The availability of standardized and well characterized reagents was deemed particularly useful in the areas of serological diagnosis and vaccine development. An inquiry was made to all European Community (EC) laboratories with an interest in AIDS research as to their requirements for purified reagents on the one hand and as to the availability to others of reagents prepared in these laboratories. A number of requests for several HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains established in our laboratory, as well as for recombinant viral DNA clones were received. These reagents were provided, subject to the usual conditions that they be used solely for research purposes, that they be not distributed without the consent of the donor laboratory, and that their source be acknowledged in any publication by the recipient. Other requests were for monoclonal antibodies and for recombinant proteins and these requests were addressed to the relevant laboratories. Requests for recombinant proteins and these requests were addressed to the relevant laboratories. Requests for recombinant proteins were usually for gp160, gp120 or nef. gp160 and gp120 are produced from cells infected with recombinant vaccinia viruses. The nef protein is produced from a recombinant Escherichia coli. It is used not only for basic research purposes, but also for detection of antibodies against nef by Western blot and radioimmunoassay techniques. This Concerted Action was the first EC sponsored AIDS reagent programme. It was useful as a forerunner but has been replaced by more recent programmes.Methods1 InventoryA first step in the achievement of the objectives was an inquiry among EC laboratories with an interest in AIDS research as to their requirements for purified reagents on the one hand and as to the availability to others of reagents prepared in these laboratories.For this purpose, we had sent in 1988 a questionnaire to all laboratories participating to the EC Programme for AIDS Research, especially in Immunology and Virology. However, the rate of response to this questionnaire was poor.2 Supply of reagentsNevertheless, we received a number of requests for several HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains established in our laboratory, as well as for recombinant viral DNA clones. These reagents were provided, subject to the usual conditions that they be used solely for research purposes, that they be not distributed without the consent of the donor laboratory, and that their source be acknowledged in any publication by the recipient.Other requests were for monoclonal antibodies and for recombinant proteins and these requests were addressed to the relevant laboratories. Requests for recombinant proteins were usually for gp160, gp120 or nef.gp160 and gp120 are produced by Pasteur-Merieux (Paris and Lyon) and by Transgene (Strasbourg) from cells infected with recombinant vaccinia viruses. The nef protein is produced by Transgene from a recombinant E. coli. It is used not only for basic research purposes, but also for detection of antibodies against nef by Western blot and radio-immuno assay techniques. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIVmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines Programme(s) FP2-MHR 4C - Research and development coordination programme (EEC) in the field of medical and health research, 1987-1991 Topic(s) 1.2 - Viro-immunological research (basic research) Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CON - Coordination of research actions Coordinator INSTITUT PASTEUR EU contribution No data Address Rue du Docteur Roux 25 75724 PARIS France See on map Total cost No data
