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Incorporation of soluble antigens into ISCOMs: HIV gp120 ISCOMs induce virus neutralizing antibodies
M Browning1, G Reid, R Osborne
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Glasgow, Bearsden, UK.
Through a process of covalent attachment of palmitic acid, we have incorporated recombinant gp120 of HIV strain IIIB into ISCOMs. Rabbits immunized with ISCOMs incorporating 10 micrograms gp120 produced high levels of gp120-specific antibody, comparable to the response to ten times as much antigen in complete Freund's adjuvant. The ISCOM-induced antisera showed virus neutralizing activity against the homologous strain, but failed to neutralize two heterologous strains of HIV-1. The antisera recognized non-conformationally determined epitopes on gp120, and antibody binding to gp120 was affected by glycosylation of the viral glycoprotein.
Through a process of covalent attachment of palmitic acid, we have incorporated recombinant gp120 of HIV strain IIIB into ISCOMs. Rabbits immunized with ISCOMs incorporating 10 micrograms gp120 produced high levels of gp120-specific antibody, comparable to the response to ten times as much antigen in complete Freund's adjuvant. The ISCOM-induced antisera showed virus neutralizing activity against the homologous strain, but failed to neutralize two heterologous strains of HIV-1. The antisera recognized non-conformationally determined epitopes on gp120, and antibody binding to gp120 was affected by glycosylation of the viral glycoprotein.