Centralized HIV-1 Envelope Immunogens and Neutralizing Antibodies

Title: Centralized HIV-1 Envelope Immunogens and Neutralizing Antibodies

Volume: 5 Issue: 6

Author(s): Feng Gao, Hua-Xin Liao, Beatrice H. Hahn, Norman L. Letvin, Bette T. Korber and Barton F. Haynes

Affiliation:

Keywords: Consensus, ancestor, vaccine, neutralizing antibodies, variation

Abstract: Centralized HIV-1 genes (consensus, most recent common ancestor and center of the tree) have recently been explored for induction of broadly reactive immune responses to overcome the extraordinary genetic diversity among HIV- 1 strains. Although all of these strategies are based on artificial sequences predicted by computer programs, they retain biological function, and use the CCR5 co-receptor for entry into target cells as transmitted HIV-1 Envs. Results from laboratory animals indicate that centralized immunogens are superior to many wild-type immunogens for inducing crosssubtype T and B cell immune responses. Structural modifications have improved the ability of consensus Envs to elicit antibody responses that neutralize a spectrum of HIV-1 Env pseudoviruses. However, the more difficult to neutralize tier 2 Env pseudoviruses are generally not neutralized well by anti-consensus Env antibodies, indicating the need for further modifications, new formulations, or additional strategies to generate antibodies that neutralize a full spectrum of transmitted HIV-1 strains.

Cite this article as:

Gao Feng, Liao Hua-Xin, Hahn H. Beatrice, Letvin L. Norman, Korber T. Bette and Haynes F. Barton, Centralized HIV-1 Envelope Immunogens and Neutralizing Antibodies, Current HIV Research 2007; 5 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016207782418498