Abstract
The results of the RV144 vaccine clinical trial showed a correlation between high level of anti-V1V2 antibodies (Abs) and a decreased risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection. This turned the focus of HIV vaccine design to the induction of elevated levels of anti-V2 Abs to increase vaccine efficacy. In plasma samples from HIV-1 infected Cameroonian individuals, we observed broad variations in levels of anti-V2 Abs, and 6 of the 79 plasma samples tested longitudinally displayed substantial deficiency of V2 Abs. Sequence analysis of the V2 region from plasma viruses and multivariate analyses of V2 characteristics showed a significant difference in several features between V2-deficient and V2-reactive plasma Abs. These results suggest that HIV vaccine immunogens containing a shorter V2 region with fewer glycosylation sites and higher electrostatic charges can be beneficial for induction of a higher level of anti-V2 Abs and thus contribute to HIV vaccine efficacy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 57-64 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Virology |
Volume | 529 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2019 |
Keywords
- HIV-1
- V1V2 region
- V2 antibody deficiency
- V2 conformational antibodies
- V2 linear antibodies