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Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay
Published on: September 14, 2014
HIV-1 vaccine design through minimizing envelope metastability
Linling He1, Sonu Kumar2,3,4, Joel D Allen5
1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Minimizing HIV-1 envelope metastability using optimized gp41 ectodomain stabilizes trimers. This strategy enhances nanoparticle vaccine immunogenicity, inducing potent neutralizing antibody responses against HIV-1.
Area of Science:
- Structural biology
- Immunology
- Vaccine development
Background:
- HIV-1 envelope metastability poses challenges for trimer-based vaccine design.
- The gp41 ectodomain (gp41ECTO) is identified as a primary source of this metastability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a vaccine strategy that minimizes HIV-1 envelope metastability.
- To investigate the role of gp41ECTO in envelope metastability and its impact on vaccine immunogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Replacing wild-type gp41ECTO with BG505 gp41ECTO from an uncleaved prefusion-optimized (UFO) design in HIV-1 trimers.
- Production of gp41ECTO-swapped trimers in CHO cells and structural analysis via crystallography.
- Displaying stabilized trimers on nanoparticles and evaluating immunogenicity in mice and rabbits.
Main Results:
- gp41ECTO-swapped trimers were produced with high yield and purity.
- Crystal structure revealed mechanisms of antibody evasion by neutralization-resistant viruses.
- Nanoparticle vaccines induced superior tier 2 neutralizing antibody responses compared to soluble trimers.
Conclusions:
- Minimizing envelope metastability by optimizing gp41ECTO is a viable HIV-1 vaccine strategy.
- Stabilized trimers displayed on nanoparticles enhance immunogenicity and neutralizing antibody induction.
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11:45Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers
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