Evaluation of the potency of the anti-idiotypic antibody Ab2/3H6 mimicking gp41 as an HIV-1 vaccine in a rabbit prime/boost study.

ABSTRACT: The HIV-1 envelope protein harbors several conserved epitopes that are recognized by broadly neutralizing antibodies. One of these neutralizing sites, the MPER region of gp41, is targeted by one of the most potent and broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody, 2F5. Different vaccination strategies and a lot of efforts have been undertaken to induce MPER neutralizing antibodies but little success has been achieved so far. We tried to consider the alternative anti-idiotypic vaccination approach for induction of 2F5-like antibodies. The previously developed and characterized anti-idiotypic antibody Ab2/3H6 was expressed as antibody fragment fusion protein with C-terminally attached immune-modulators and used for immunization of rabbits to induce antibodies specific for HIV-1. Only those rabbit

SUBMITTER: Mader A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3376109 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature