Cell lines secreting IgG1 human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the envelope glycoprotein, gpl2O, of human immunodeficiency virus (IRV) have been produced by transformation of peripheral blood cells front IIV-infected individuals and by fusion of transformed cells to a humanmouse heteromyeloma cell line (SHM-D33). Two human mAbs were site-selected by means of a 23-mer synthetic peptide spanning a portion of the third variable domain of gpI20 from the MN strain of HIV. The two heterohybridomas produce three times more IgG than do their parent lymphoblastoid cell lines. The specificities of these mAbs have been mapped to sequences near the tip of the disulfide loop of the gpl20 third variable domain, Lys-Arg-lle-His-Ile and His-Ie-Gly-Pro-GlyArg, respectively. The mAbs have dissociation constants of 3.7 x 10-6 M and 8.3 x 10-7 M, neutralize HIVMN in vitro at nanogram levels, and bear the characteristics of antibodies associated with protective immunity in vivo.