Rationally Designed Vaccines Targeting the V2 Region of HIV-1 gp120 Induce a Focused, Cross-Clade-Reactive, Biologically Functional Antibody Response.

ABSTRACT: Strong antibody (Ab) responses against V1V2 epitopes of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 envelope (Env) correlated with reduced infection rates in studies of HIV, simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). In order to focus the Ab response on V1V2, we used six V1V2 sequences and nine scaffold proteins to construct immunogens which were tested using various immunization regimens for their ability to induce cross-reactive and biologically active V2 Abs in rabbits. A prime/boost immunization strategy was employed using gp120 DNA and various V1V2-scaffold proteins. The rabbit polyclonal Ab responses (i) were successfully focused on the V1V2 region, with weak or only transient responses to other Env epitopes, (ii) displayed broad cr

SUBMITTER: Zolla-Pazner S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5126359 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature