A method for diagnosing hepatitis virus infection or a hepatitis disease condition in a subject based on hepatitis virus-associated biomarkers present on exosomes in a bodily fluid sample from the subject is disclosed. Also disclosed are a method for monitoring the course of a hepatitis virus infection or a hepatitis disease condition in a subject and a method for monitoring effectiveness of treatment to a subject with an anti-hepatitis virus agent based on hepatitis virus-associated biomarkers present on exosomes in bodily fluid samples from the subject, as well as a kit for diagnosing hepatitis virus infection and/or a hepatitis disease condition in a subject based on hepatitis virus-associated biomarkers on exosomes in bodily fluid samples from the subject.

A method of reducing or inhibiting migration of HIV-infected CD4+ T cells to tissues comprises contacting the infected cells with a ligand that prevents or inhibits the interaction between a T cell-surface fucosylated glycan and its glycan-binding protein or with a molecule that metabolically inhibits glycosylation or fucosylation in said cell. In vitro and in vivo methods are described. Also described is a diagnostic method employing labeled ligands that bind a fucosylated glycan and provide a signal detectable by non-invasive imaging.

Polyclonal Antibodies produced using HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoprotein Subunits (TEGS) are provided. TEGS are comprised of non-infectious complexes comprising a trimeric envelope glycoprotein subunit comprising gp120 bound to membrane-anchored trimeric native gp41. The gp120 and gp41 present in the TEGS are not chemically fixed or cross-linked. Immunization with the TEGS elicits polyclonal antibodies that neutralize diverse viruses in HIV infection assay using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The present invention relates to a method for reducing the occurrence and/or severity of HIV infections.

Described are methods for estimating the cross-sectional incidence or duration of infection of a virus. Method steps include obtaining a biological sample with antibodies from a subject having a viral infection. The biological sample is mixed with two or more epitopes or peptides from the proteins of a vims responsible for the viral infection. The amount of antibody binding to the epitopes or peptides is quantified and the cross-sectional incidence or duration of infection of a virus is estimated.

The subject invention pertains to materials and methods for detecting, preventing and treating retroviral infections in humans and other animals susceptible to infection by retrovirus. It has been discovered that FIV can be transmitted from cats to humans and that the FIV can infect human cells in vivo and that antibodies generated by the infected person cross-react with HIV antigens. Thus, the methods and compositions of the subject invention can be used to detect, prevent and treat FIV infection in humans and other non-feline animals that are susceptible to FIV infection. The methods and compositions of the invention can also be used to prevent and treat infection by HIV in humans.

The present invention relates to broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies and isolated antigens. Also disclosed are related methods and compositions.

Antibodies and antigen binding fragments that specifically bind to gp120 and neutralize HIV-1 are disclosed. Nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, vectors and host cells are also provided. Methods for detecting HIV-1 using these antibodies are disclosed. In addition, the use of these antibodies, antigen binding fragment, nucleic acids and vectors to prevent and/or treat an HIV-1 infection is disclosed.

The present invention provides methods of making engineered viral proteins and protein complexes that are useful as vaccine immunogens, engineered viral proteins and protein complexes made using such methods, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such engineered viral proteins and protein complexes. Such engineered viral proteins and protein complexes may comprise one or more cross-links that stabilize the conformation of an antibody epitope, such as a quaternary neutralizing antibody, and may exhibit an enhanced ability to elicit a protective immune response when administered to a subject as a component of a vaccine.

The present application relates to epitope-targeted SIV and HIV vaccines. The invention provides novel envelope glycoproteins which may be utilized as HIV-1 vaccine immunogens, antigens for crystallization, and for identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies. The invention encompasses preparation and purification of immunogenic compositions which are formulated into vaccines of the present invention.

A method for the evaluation of the efficacy of a drug aiming to eradicate a cellular reservoir of mammalian cells infected with a mammalian immunodeficiency virus, the method including: a) quantifying, the presence of lymphocyte cells expressing a CD89 differentiation marker on their surface; and b) concluding that the drug is efficient to eradicate the cellular reservoir of mammalian cells infected with the mammalian immunodeficiency virus when lymphocyte cells expressing a CD89 differentiation marker are absent.