TSG101 exposure on the surface of HIV-1 infected cells: implications for monoclonal antibody therapy for HIV/AIDS.

HIV infection remains a major global public health problem, in part because of the ability of the virus to elude antiretroviral therapies. Most conventional drugs were designed to directly target virus-encoded mechanisms. However, there is increasing appreciation that certain host-encoded molecules are comparably important for the viral life cycle and could therefore represent potential antiviral targets. Prominent among these is TSG101, a cytoplasmic molecule that is "hijacked" by HIV and used to facilitate viral budding and release. In our present report, we demonstrate that TSG101 is uniquely exposed on the surface of HIV-infected cells and is available to antibody-based therapies. We also characterize the development of a monoclonal antibody, CB8-2, which reduces virus production from infected cells. These studies demonstrate the potential of TSG101-directed antibodies to combat HIV/AIDS.