Virus-Like Particle Based Vaccines Elicit Neutralizing Antibodies against the HIV-1 Fusion Peptide.

ABSTRACT: Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) isolated from HIV-infected individuals delineate vulnerable sites on the HIV envelope glycoprotein that are potential vaccine targets. A linear epitope within the N-terminal region of the HIV-1 fusion peptide (FP8) is the primary target of VRC34.01, a bnAb that neutralizes ~50% of primary HIV isolates. FP8 has attracted attention as a potential HIV vaccine target because it is a simple linear epitope. Here, platform technologies based on RNA bacteriophage virus-like particles (VLPs) were used to develop multivalent vaccines targeting the FP8 epitope. Both recombinant MS2 VLPs displaying the FP8 peptide and Qβ VLPs displaying chemically conjugated FP8 peptide induced high titers of FP8-specific antibodies in mice. Moreover, a heterologous prime-boost-

SUBMITTER: Mogus AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7765226 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature