Figure 3

Aquateric causes the disintegration of HIV-1 IIIB and BaL virus particles and induces the formation of gp41 six-helix bundles. Equal volumes of HIV-1 IIIB and BaL virus preparations (6.8 × 10¹⁰ and 2.47 × 10¹⁰ virus particles, respectively, per ml) and the Aquateric formulation (see legend to Fig. 2) were mixed and incubated for 5 min at 37°C. Aquateric was pelletted by centrifugation at 10,000 rpm for 10 min and the supernatant fluids were neutralized by addition of 1 M Na₂HPO₄and filtered through 0.45 μ filters. The pellets containing Aquateric and adsorbed virus antigens were resuspended and brought to pH 7.0 by addition of 1 M Na₃HPO₄. The supernatant fluids and the resuspended pellets, respectively, were mixed with a solution of PEG 6000 (final concentration 3%). The supernatant fluids and the resuspended pellets after PEG precipitation were mixed with NP40 (final concentration 1%). After incubation for 30 min at 37°C and 20°C, respectively, p24 antigen and six-helix bundles in the supernatant fluids and resuspended pellets were measured by ELISA.