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Published on: August 31, 2014
Recapitulation of HIV-1 Env-antibody coevolution in macaques leading to neutralization breadth
Ryan S Roark1, Hui Li1, Wilton B Williams2,3
1Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Rhesus macaques infected with simian-human immunodeficiency virus show HIV-1 envelope protein and antibody coevolution mirroring human responses. This macaque model aids in understanding broadly neutralizing antibody development for HIV-1 immunogen design.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1) coevolve with viral envelope proteins (Env).
- This coevolution can lead to broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) with significant breadth against diverse viral strains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection in rhesus macaques recapitulates human HIV-1 Env-antibody coevolution patterns.
- To understand the developmental pathways of human bNAbs using a macaque model.
Main Methods:
- Expression of primary HIV-1 envelope proteins in SHIVs used to infect rhesus macaques.
- Analysis of Env-antibody coevolution patterns, including immunogenetic, structural, and chemical aspects.
- Determination of the structural basis for antibody recognition of viral epitopes.
Main Results:
- Rhesus macaque Env-antibody coevolution mirrored human patterns, involving conserved solutions and specific Env mutations for virus persistence.
- One macaque antibody neutralized 49% of tested strains via V2 apex recognition, similar to human bNAbs.
- Another macaque antibody utilized CD4 mimicry to target the CD4 binding site, mirroring human bNAbs.
Conclusions:
- Virus-antibody coevolution in macaques effectively recapitulates key developmental features of human bNAbs.
- The macaque model provides valuable insights for guiding the design of effective HIV-1 immunogens.
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