Polysaccharide mimicry of the epitope of the broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibody, 2G12, induces enhanced antibody responses to self oligomannose glycans.

ABSTRACT: Immunologically, "self" carbohydrates protect the HIV-1 surface glycoprotein, gp120, from antibody recognition. However, one broadly neutralizing antibody, 2G12, neutralizes primary viral isolates by direct recognition of Manalpha1-->2Man motifs formed by the host-derived oligomannose glycans of the viral envelope. Immunogens, capable of eliciting antibodies of similar specificity to 2G12, are therefore candidates for HIV/AIDS vaccine development. In this context, it is known that the yeast mannan polysaccharides exhibit significant antigenic mimicry with the glycans of HIV-1. Here, we report that modulation of yeast polysaccharide biosynthesis directly controls the molecular specificity of cross-reactive antibodies to self oligomannose glycans. Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannans are typical

SUBMITTER: Dunlop DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2900896 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature