A monoclonal antibody directed against a conformational epitope of the HIV-1 trans-activator (Tat) protein neutralizes cross-clade.

ABSTRACT: The identification of a neutralizing mAb against extracellular HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) is important for the development of an efficient HIV-1 treatment. Tat plays an essential role in HIV-1 pathogenesis, not only for HIV-1 replication but also as an extracellular toxin able to disrupt the immune system. We showed previously that immunization of rabbits with Tat Oyi, a variant cloned from an African woman who did not develop AIDS following HIV-1 infection, raised antibodies able to recognize different Tat variants. We carried out mice immunization with Tat Oyi and selected a mAb named 7G12, which had the capacity to cross-recognize heterologous Tat variants by a common three-dimensional epitope. These results highlighted that Tat variants were able to acquire a structure

SUBMITTER: Mediouni S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3320942 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature