RESUMO
Alphaviruses are RNA viruses that represent emerging public health threats. To identify protective antibodies, we immunized macaques with a mixture of western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus-like particles (VLPs), a regimen that protects against aerosol challenge with all three viruses. Single- and triple-virus-specific antibodies were isolated, and we identified 21 unique binding groups. Cryo-EM structures revealed that broad VLP binding inversely correlated with sequence and conformational variability. One triple-specific antibody, SKT05, bound proximal to the fusion peptide and neutralized all three Env-pseudotyped encephalitic alphaviruses by using different symmetry elements for recognition across VLPs. Neutralization in other assays (e.g., chimeric Sindbis virus) yielded variable results. SKT05 bound backbone atoms of sequence-diverse residues, enabling broad recognition despite sequence variability; accordingly, SKT05 protected mice against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, chikungunya virus, and Ross River virus challenges. Thus, a single vaccine-elicited antibody can protect in vivo against a broad range of alphaviruses.
Assuntos
Alphavirus , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana , Vacinas Virais , Animais , Camundongos , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/genética , Anticorpos Antivirais , MacacaRESUMO
The vaccine-mediated elicitation of antibodies (Abs) capable of neutralizing diverse HIV-1 strains has been a long-standing goal. To understand how broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) can be elicited, we identified, characterized, and tracked five neutralizing Ab lineages targeting the HIV-1-fusion peptide (FP) in vaccinated macaques over time. Genetic and structural analyses revealed two of these lineages to belong to a reproducible class capable of neutralizing up to 59% of 208 diverse viral strains. B cell analysis indicated each of the five lineages to have been initiated and expanded by FP-carrier priming, with envelope (Env)-trimer boosts inducing cross-reactive neutralization. These Abs had binding-energy hotspots focused on FP, whereas several FP-directed Abs induced by immunization with Env trimer-only were less FP-focused and less broadly neutralizing. Priming with a conserved subregion, such as FP, can thus induce Abs with binding-energy hotspots coincident with the target subregion and capable of broad neutralization.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra a AIDS/imunologia , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/imunologia , Peptídeos/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/química , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/classificação , Linfócitos B/citologia , Linfócitos B/metabolismo , Cristalografia por Raios X , Feminino , Células HEK293 , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/química , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/classificação , HIV-1/metabolismo , Humanos , Macaca mulatta , Masculino , Peptídeos/química , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Produtos do Gene env do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana/química , Produtos do Gene env do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana/imunologia , Produtos do Gene env do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana/metabolismoRESUMO
Antibodies capable of neutralizing divergent influenza A viruses could form the basis of a universal vaccine. Here, from subjects enrolled in an H5N1 DNA/MIV-prime-boost influenza vaccine trial, we sorted hemagglutinin cross-reactive memory B cells and identified three antibody classes, each capable of neutralizing diverse subtypes of group 1 and group 2 influenza A viruses. Co-crystal structures with hemagglutinin revealed that each class utilized characteristic germline genes and convergent sequence motifs to recognize overlapping epitopes in the hemagglutinin stem. All six analyzed subjects had sequences from at least one multidonor class, and-in half the subjects-multidonor-class sequences were recovered from >40% of cross-reactive B cells. By contrast, these multidonor-class sequences were rare in published antibody datasets. Vaccination with a divergent hemagglutinin can thus increase the frequency of B cells encoding broad influenza A-neutralizing antibodies. We propose the sequence signature-quantified prevalence of these B cells as a metric to guide universal influenza A immunization strategies.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Vírus da Influenza A/imunologia , Vacinas contra Influenza/imunologia , Adulto , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/química , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/genética , Anticorpos Antivirais/química , Anticorpos Antivirais/genética , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Epitopos de Linfócito B , Feminino , Rearranjo Gênico de Cadeia Pesada de Linfócito B , Humanos , Memória Imunológica , Virus da Influenza A Subtipo H5N1/imunologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Modelos Moleculares , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Vaccine elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) is a key HIV-research goal. The VRC01 class of bnAbs targets the CD4-binding site on the HIV-envelope trimer and requires extensive somatic hypermutation (SHM) to neutralize effectively. Despite substantial progress, vaccine-induced VRC01-class antibodies starting from unmutated precursors have exhibited limited neutralization breadth, particularly against viruses bearing glycan on loop D residue N276 (glycan276), present on most circulating strains. Here, using sequential immunization of immunoglobulin (Ig)-humanized mice expressing diverse unmutated VRC01-class antibody precursors, we elicited serum responses capable of neutralizing viruses bearing glycan276 and isolated multiple lineages of VRC01-class bnAbs, including two with >50% breadth on a 208-strain panel. Crystal structures of representative bnAbs revealed the same mode of recognition as known VRC01-class bnAbs. Structure-function studies further pinpointed key mutations and correlated their induction with specific immunizations. VRC01-class bnAbs can thus be matured by sequential immunization from unmutated ancestors to >50% breadth, and we delineate immunogens and regimens inducing key SHM.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra a AIDS/imunologia , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Anticorpos Amplamente Neutralizantes/metabolismo , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/metabolismo , Infecções por HIV/imunologia , HIV-1/fisiologia , Mutação/genética , Animais , Anticorpos Amplamente Neutralizantes/genética , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Células HEK293 , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/genética , Humanos , Ativação Linfocitária , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Hipermutação Somática de Imunoglobulina , VacinaçãoRESUMO
Repeat antigens, such as the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), use both sequence degeneracy and structural diversity to evade the immune response. A few PfCSP-directed antibodies have been identified that are effective at preventing malaria infection, including CIS43, but how these repeat-targeting antibodies might be improved has been unclear. Here, we engineered a humanized mouse model in which B cells expressed inferred human germline CIS43 (iGL-CIS43) B cell receptors and used both vaccination and bioinformatic analysis to obtain variant CIS43 antibodies with improved protective capacity. One such antibody, iGL-CIS43.D3, was significantly more potent than the current best-in-class PfCSP-directed antibody. We found that vaccination with a junctional epitope peptide was more effective than full-length PfCSP at recruiting iGL-CIS43 B cells to germinal centers. Structure-function analysis revealed multiple somatic hypermutations that combinatorically improved protection. This mouse model can thus be used to understand vaccine immunogens and to develop highly potent anti-malarial antibodies.
Assuntos
Subpopulações de Linfócitos B/imunologia , Epitopos/imunologia , Vacinas Antimaláricas/imunologia , Malária/imunologia , Plasmodium falciparum/fisiologia , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Vacinas de DNA/imunologia , Transferência Adotiva , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/metabolismo , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Epitopos/genética , Engenharia Genética , Humanos , Evasão da Resposta Imune , Imunogenicidade da Vacina , Camundongos , Camundongos SCID , Proteínas de Protozoários/genética , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , VacinaçãoRESUMO
An effective vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an unrealized public health goal. A single dose of the prefusion-stabilized fusion (F) glycoprotein subunit vaccine (DS-Cav1) substantially increases serum-neutralizing activity in healthy adults. We sought to determine whether DS-Cav1 vaccination induces a repertoire mirroring the pre-existing diversity from natural infection or whether antibody lineages targeting specific epitopes predominate. We evaluated RSV F-specific B cell responses before and after vaccination in six participants using complementary B cell sequencing methodologies and identified 555 clonal lineages. DS-Cav1-induced lineages recognized the prefusion conformation of F (pre-F) and were genetically diverse. Expressed antibodies recognized all six antigenic sites on the pre-F trimer. We identified 34 public clonotypes, and structural analysis of two antibodies from a predominant clonotype revealed a common mode of recognition. Thus, vaccination with DS-Cav1 generates a diverse polyclonal response targeting the antigenic sites on pre-F, supporting the development and advanced testing of pre-F-based vaccines against RSV.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Formação de Anticorpos/imunologia , Infecções por Vírus Respiratório Sincicial/imunologia , Vacinas contra Vírus Sincicial Respiratório/imunologia , Vírus Sincicial Respiratório Humano/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Linhagem Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Epitopos/imunologia , Feminino , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Vacinação/métodos , Proteínas Virais de Fusão/imunologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Lineage-based vaccine design is an attractive approach for eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV-1. However, most bNAb lineages studied to date have features indicative of unusual recombination and/or development. From an individual in the prospective RV217 cohort, we identified three lineages of bNAbs targeting the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the HIV-1 envelope. Antibodies RV217-VRC42.01, -VRC43.01, and -VRC46.01 used distinct modes of recognition and neutralized 96%, 62%, and 30%, respectively, of a 208-strain virus panel. All three lineages had modest levels of somatic hypermutation and normal antibody-loop lengths and were initiated by the founder virus MPER. The broadest lineage, VRC42, was similar to the known bNAb 4E10. A multimeric immunogen based on the founder MPER activated B cells bearing the unmutated common ancestor of VRC42, with modest maturation of early VRC42 intermediates imparting neutralization breadth. These features suggest that VRC42 may be a promising template for lineage-based vaccine design.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/imunologia , HIV-1/imunologia , Vacinas contra a AIDS/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Linhagem Celular , Células HEK293 , Infecções por HIV/imunologia , Humanos , Leucócitos Mononucleares , Estudos LongitudinaisRESUMO
Virtually the entire surface of the HIV-1-envelope trimer is recognized by neutralizing antibodies, except for a highly glycosylated region at the center of the "silent face" on the gp120 subunit. From an HIV-1-infected donor, #74, we identified antibody VRC-PG05, which neutralized 27% of HIV-1 strains. The crystal structure of the antigen-binding fragment of VRC-PG05 in complex with gp120 revealed an epitope comprised primarily of N-linked glycans from N262, N295, and N448 at the silent face center. Somatic hypermutation occurred preferentially at antibody residues that interacted with these glycans, suggesting somatic development of glycan recognition. Resistance to VRC-PG05 in donor #74 involved shifting of glycan-N448 to N446 or mutation of glycan-proximal residue E293. HIV-1 neutralization can thus be achieved at the silent face center by glycan-recognizing antibody; along with other known epitopes, the VRC-PG05 epitope completes coverage by neutralizing antibody of all major exposed regions of the prefusion closed trimer.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/imunologia , Proteína gp120 do Envelope de HIV/imunologia , Infecções por HIV/imunologia , HIV-1/imunologia , Polissacarídeos/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/química , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/genética , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/metabolismo , Antígenos Virais/química , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Sítios de Ligação , Mapeamento de Epitopos , Epitopos/química , Epitopos/imunologia , Epitopos/metabolismo , Glicopeptídeos/química , Glicopeptídeos/imunologia , Glicosilação , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/química , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/genética , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/metabolismo , Proteína gp120 do Envelope de HIV/química , Proteína gp120 do Envelope de HIV/metabolismo , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Conformação Molecular , Polissacarídeos/química , Ligação Proteica/imunologia , Hipermutação Somática de Imunoglobulina/imunologia , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
While neutralizing antibodies that target the HIV-1 fusion peptide have been elicited in mice by vaccination, antibodies reported thus far have been from only a single antibody class that could neutralize ~30% of HIV-1 strains. To explore the ability of the murine immune system to generate cross-clade neutralizing antibodies and to investigate how higher breadth and potency might be achieved, we tested 17 prime-boost regimens that utilized diverse fusion peptide-carrier conjugates and HIV-1 envelope trimers with different fusion peptides. We observed priming in mice with fusion peptide-carrier conjugates of variable peptide length to elicit higher neutralizing responses, a result we confirmed in guinea pigs. From vaccinated mice, we isolated 21 antibodies, belonging to 4 distinct classes of fusion peptide-directed antibodies capable of cross-clade neutralization. Top antibodies from each class collectively neutralized over 50% of a 208-strain panel. Structural analyses - both X-ray and cryo-EM - revealed each antibody class to recognize a distinct conformation of fusion peptide and to have a binding pocket capable of accommodating diverse fusion peptides. Murine vaccinations can thus elicit diverse neutralizing antibodies, and altering peptide length during prime can improve the elicitation of cross-clade responses targeting the fusion peptide site of HIV-1 vulnerability. IMPORTANCE The HIV-1 fusion peptide has been identified as a site for elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies, with prior studies demonstrating that priming with fusion peptide-based immunogens and boosting with soluble envelope (Env) trimers can elicit cross-clade HIV-1-neutralizing responses. To improve the neutralizing breadth and potency of fusion peptide-directed responses, we evaluated vaccine regimens that incorporated diverse fusion peptide-conjugates and Env trimers with variation in fusion peptide length and sequence. We found that variation in peptide length during prime elicits enhanced neutralizing responses in mice and guinea pigs. We identified vaccine-elicited murine monoclonal antibodies from distinct classes capable of cross-clade neutralization and of diverse fusion peptide recognition. Our findings lend insight into improved immunogens and regimens for HIV-1 vaccine development.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra a AIDS , Infecções por HIV , Soropositividade para HIV , HIV-1 , Animais , Cobaias , Camundongos , Anticorpos Anti-HIV , Isotipos de Imunoglobulinas , Vacinação , Peptídeos , Anticorpos Neutralizantes , Anticorpos Amplamente Neutralizantes , Produtos do Gene env do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controleRESUMO
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a major cause of respiratory disease worldwide, particularly among children and the elderly. Although there is no licensed HMPV vaccine, promising candidates have been identified for related pneumoviruses based on the structure-based stabilization of the fusion (F) glycoprotein trimer, with prefusion-stabilized F glycoprotein trimers eliciting significantly higher neutralizing responses than their postfusion F counterparts. However, immunization with HMPV F trimers in either prefusion or postfusion conformations has been reported to elicit equivalent neutralization responses. Here we investigate the impact of stabilizing disulfides, especially interprotomer disulfides (IP-DSs) linking protomers of the F trimer, on the elicitation of HMPV-neutralizing responses. We designed F trimer disulfides, screened for their expression, and used electron microscopy (EM) to confirm their formation, including that of an unexpected postfusion variant. In mice, IP-DS-stabilized prefusion and postfusion HMPV F elicited significantly higher neutralizing responses than non-IP-DS-stabilized HMPV Fs. In macaques, the impact of IP-DS stabilization was more measured, although IP-DS-stabilized variants of either prefusion or postfusion HMPV F induced neutralizing responses many times the average titers observed in a healthy human cohort. Serological and absorption-based analyses of macaque responses revealed elicited HMPV-neutralizing responses to be absorbed differently by IP-DS-containing and by non-IP-DS-containing postfusion Fs, suggesting IP-DS stabilization to alter not only the immunogenicity of select epitopes but their antigenicity as well. We speculate the observed increase in immunogenicity by IP-DS trimers to be related to reduced interprotomer flexibility within the HMPV F trimer.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Dissulfetos/química , Epitopos/imunologia , Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Metapneumovirus/imunologia , Mutação , Animais , Glicoproteínas/genética , Humanos , Imunização , Macaca , Metapneumovirus/genética , Camundongos , Regiões Promotoras GenéticasRESUMO
Transmission to chimpanzees of a precore hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutant implicated in acute liver failure (ALF) in humans did not cause ALF nor the classic form of acute hepatitis B (AHB) seen upon infection with the wild-type HBV strain, but rather a severe AHB with distinct disease features. Here, we investigated the viral and host immunity factors responsible for the unusual severity of AHB associated with the precore HBV mutant in chimpanzees. Archived serial serum and liver specimens from two chimpanzees inoculated with a precore HBV mutant implicated in ALF and two chimpanzees inoculated with wild-type HBV were studied. We used phage-display library and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to characterize the liver antibody response. The results obtained in severe AHB were compared with those in classic AHB and HBV-associated ALF in humans. Severe AHB was characterized by: (i) the highest alanine aminotransferase (ALT) peaks ever seen in HBV transmission studies with a significantly shorter incubation period, compared to classic AHB; (ii) earlier HBsAg clearance and anti-HBs seroconversion with transient or undetectable hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg); (iii) limited inflammatory reaction relative to hepatocellular damage at the ALT peak with B-cell infiltration, albeit less extensive than in ALF; (iv) detection of intrahepatic germline antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) by phage-display libraries in the earliest disease phase, as seen in ALF; (v) lack of intrahepatic IgM anti-HBcAg Fab, as seen in classic AHB, but at variance with ALF; and (vi) higher proportion of antibodies in germline configuration detected by NGS in the intrahepatic antibody repertoire compared to classic AHB, but lower than in ALF. This study identifies distinct outcome-specific features associated with severe AHB caused by a precore HBV mutant in chimpanzees, which bear closer resemblance to HBV ALF than to classic AHB. Our data suggest that precore HBV mutants carry an inherently higher pathogenicity that, in addition to specific host factors, may play a critical role in determining the severity of acute HBV disease.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite B/metabolismo , Vírus da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Hepatite B/metabolismo , Imunoglobulina M/metabolismo , Falência Hepática Aguda/metabolismo , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Hepatite B/patologia , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Humanos , Falência Hepática Aguda/patologia , Pan troglodytesRESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated acute liver failure (ALF) is a dramatic clinical syndrome leading to death or liver transplantation in 80% of cases. Due to the extremely rapid clinical course, the difficulties in obtaining liver specimens, and the lack of an animal model, the pathogenesis of ALF remains largely unknown. Here, we performed a comprehensive genetic and functional characterization of the virus and the host in liver tissue from HBV-associated ALF and compared the results with those of classic acute hepatitis B in chimpanzees. In contrast with acute hepatitis B, HBV strains detected in ALF livers displayed highly mutated HBV core antigen (HBcAg), associated with increased HBcAg expression ex vivo, which was independent of viral replication levels. Combined gene and miRNA expression profiling revealed a dominant B cell disease signature, with extensive intrahepatic production of IgM and IgG in germline configuration exclusively targeting HBcAg with subnanomolar affinities, and complement deposition. Thus, HBV ALF appears to be an anomalous T cell-independent, HBV core-driven B cell disease, which results from the rare and unfortunate encounter between a host with an unusual B cell response and an infecting virus with a highly mutated core antigen.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/imunologia , Vírus da Hepatite B/imunologia , Imunidade Humoral , Falência Hepática Aguda/imunologia , Adulto , Animais , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Feminino , Hepatite B/imunologia , Hepatite B/patologia , Hepatite B/virologia , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Humanos , Fígado/imunologia , Fígado/virologia , Falência Hepática Aguda/patologia , Falência Hepática Aguda/virologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pan troglodytes , Linfócitos T/imunologiaRESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of acute liver failure (ALF) worldwide. While liver damage in classic acute hepatitis B is believed to be T-cell mediated, the pathogenesis of HBV-associated ALF remains largely unknown. Access to liver specimens from well-characterized patients with HBV-associated ALF provided us with the opportunity to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the entire VH repertoires of IgM and IgG from the livers of four ALF patients, a control liver donor and a patient with chronic HBV infection. We found that ALF is not associated with expansion of specific B-cell lineages. However, NGS showed that the intrahepatic VH repertoires from ALF patients were characterized by the abundant presence of antibodies in germline configuration in contrast to their marginal prevalence in controls. Moreover, NGS identified a large number of VH genes in germline configuration with identical VDJ sequences in the IgM and IgG repertoires in all four ALF patients, indicating that isotype switch from IgM to IgG had occurred without somatic hypermutation. The results of this study indicate that the presence of intrahepatic antibodies in unmutated germline configuration is a broad phenomenon in the global antibody repertoire generated from total RNA derived from whole-liver tissue that is strongly associated with ALF, suggesting a major role of T cell-independent humoral immunity in the pathogenesis of ALF.
Assuntos
Linfócitos B/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/imunologia , Hepatite B , Falência Hepática Aguda , Hepatite B/imunologia , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , Humanos , Switching de Imunoglobulina , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Imunoglobulina M/imunologia , Falência Hepática Aguda/virologiaRESUMO
Motivation: Protein solubility can be a decisive factor in both research and production efficiency, and in silico sequence-based predictors that can accurately estimate solubility outcomes are highly sought. Results: In this study, we present a novel approach termed PRotein SolubIlity Predictor (PaRSnIP), which uses a gradient boosting machine algorithm as well as an approximation of sequence and structural features of the protein of interest. Based on an independent test set, PaRSnIP outperformed other state-of-the-art sequence-based methods by more than 9% in accuracy and 0.17 in Matthew's correlation coefficient, with an overall accuracy of 74% and Matthew's correlation coefficient of 0.48. Additionally, PaRSnIP provides importance scores for all features used in training. We observed higher fractions of exposed residues to associate positively with protein solubility and tripeptide stretches with multiple histidines to associate negatively with solubility. The improved prediction accuracy of PaRSnIP should enable it to predict protein solubility with greater reliability and to screen for sequence variants with enhanced manufacturability. Availability and implementation: PaRSnIP software is available for download under GitHub (https://github.com/RedaRawi/PaRSnIP). Contact: gwo-yu.chuang@nih.gov. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Assuntos
Proteínas/química , Análise de Sequência de Proteína/métodos , Software , Algoritmos , Biologia Computacional/métodos , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , SolubilidadeRESUMO
Recent studies have shown that the yield, antigenicity, and immunogenicity of an immunogen can be enhanced by stabilizing it into a specific conformation. Such stabilization often involves the engineering of proline mutations at residue positions where a proline is structurally compatible with the target conformation but not with an alternative conformation. However, there is no publicly available tool that can design proline mutations for this purpose automatically. Here we implemented an automated tool, CRISPro, that inputs structural coordinates of the target conformation and/or an alternative conformation and outputs a list of residue positions where proline mutations are predicted to stabilize the target conformation based on compatibility of phi-psi angles, secondary structure, and steric constraints. Thus, CRISPro can be used to engineer immunogens into specific conformation and to design serologic probes, capable of isolating antibodies that recognize a target shape.
Assuntos
Prolina/química , Proteínas/química , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Mutação , Prolina/genética , Conformação Proteica , Engenharia de Proteínas , Estabilidade Proteica , Estrutura Secundária de Proteína , Proteínas/genética , Software , Proteínas Virais/química , Proteínas Virais/genética , Fluxo de TrabalhoRESUMO
Neutron crystallography was used to directly locate two protons before and after a pH-induced two-proton transfer between catalytic aspartic acid residues and the hydroxy group of the bound clinical drug darunavir, located in the catalytic site of enzyme HIV-1 protease. The two-proton transfer is triggered by electrostatic effects arising from protonation state changes of surface residues far from the active site. The mechanism and pH effect are supported by quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations. The low-pH proton configuration in the catalytic site is deemed critical for the catalytic action of this enzyme and may apply more generally to other aspartic proteases. Neutrons therefore represent a superb probe to obtain structural details for proton transfer reactions in biological systems at a truly atomic level.
Assuntos
Cristalografia/métodos , Protease de HIV/metabolismo , Eletricidade Estática , Domínio Catalítico , Protease de HIV/química , Prótons , Teoria Quântica , Especificidade por SubstratoRESUMO
Lassa virus (LASV) infection is expanding outside its traditionally endemic areas in West Africa, posing a pandemic biothreat. LASV-neutralizing antibodies, moreover, have proven difficult to elicit. To gain insight into LASV neutralization, here we develop a prefusion-stabilized LASV glycoprotein trimer (GPC), pan it against phage libraries comprising single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) from shark and camel, and identify one, D5, which neutralizes LASV. Cryo-EM analyses reveal D5 to recognize a cleavage-dependent site-of-vulnerability at the trimer apex. The recognized site appears specific to GPC intermediates, with protomers lacking full cleavage between GP1 and GP2 subunits. Guinea pig immunizations with the prefusion-stabilized cleavage-intermediate LASV GPC, first as trimer and then as a nanoparticle, induce neutralizing responses, targeting multiple epitopes including that of D5; we identify a neutralizing antibody (GP23) from the immunized guinea pigs. Collectively, our findings define a prefusion-stabilized GPC trimer, reveal an apex-situated site-of-vulnerability, and demonstrate elicitation of LASV-neutralizing responses by a cleavage-intermediate LASV trimer.
Assuntos
Febre Lassa , Anticorpos de Domínio Único , Animais , Cobaias , Vírus Lassa , Anticorpos Antivirais , Anticorpos NeutralizantesRESUMO
Broadly neutralizing antibodies are proposed as therapeutic and prophylactic agents against HIV-1, but their potency and breadth are less than optimal. This study describes the immunization of a llama with the prefusion-stabilized HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer, BG505 DS-SOSIP, and the identification and improvement of potent neutralizing nanobodies recognizing the CD4-binding site (CD4bs) of vulnerability. Two of the vaccine-elicited CD4bs-targeting nanobodies, G36 and R27, when engineered into a triple tandem format with llama IgG2a-hinge region and human IgG1-constant region (G36×3-IgG2a and R27×3-IgG2a), neutralized 96% of a multiclade 208-strain panel at geometric mean IC80s of 0.314 and 0.033 µg mL-1, respectively. Cryo-EM structures of these nanobodies in complex with Env trimer revealed the two nanobodies to neutralize HIV-1 by mimicking the recognition of the CD4 receptor. To enhance their neutralizing potency and breadth, nanobodies are linked to the light chain of the V2-apex-targeting broadly neutralizing antibody, CAP256V2LS. The resultant human-llama bispecific antibody CAP256L-R27×3LS exhibited ultrapotent neutralization and breadth exceeding other published HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies, with pharmacokinetics determined in FcRn-Fc mice similar to the parent CAP256V2LS. Vaccine-elicited llama nanobodies, when combined with V2-apex broadly neutralizing antibodies, may therefore be able to fulfill anti-HIV-1 therapeutic and prophylactic clinical goals.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Biespecíficos , Anticorpos Neutralizantes , Camelídeos Americanos , HIV-1 , Animais , HIV-1/imunologia , Humanos , Anticorpos Biespecíficos/imunologia , Camelídeos Americanos/imunologia , Anticorpos Neutralizantes/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-HIV/imunologia , Infecções por HIV/imunologia , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , CamundongosRESUMO
Monoclonal antibody L9 recognizes the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) and is highly protective following controlled human malaria challenge. To gain insight into its function, we determined cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of L9 in complex with full-length PfCSP and assessed how this recognition influenced protection by wild-type and mutant L9s. Cryo-EM reconstructions at 3.6- and 3.7-Å resolution revealed L9 to recognize PfCSP as an atypical trimer. Each of the three L9s in the trimer directly recognized an Asn-Pro-Asn-Val (NPNV) tetrapeptide on PfCSP and interacted homotypically to facilitate L9-trimer assembly. We analyzed peptides containing different repeat tetrapeptides for binding to wild-type and mutant L9s to delineate epitope and homotypic components of L9 recognition; we found both components necessary for potent malaria protection. Last, we found the 27-residue stretch recognized by L9 to be highly conserved in P. falciparum isolates, suggesting the newly revealed complete L9 epitope to be an attractive vaccine target.
Assuntos
Antimaláricos , Vacinas Antimaláricas , Malária , Humanos , Epitopos , Microscopia Crioeletrônica , Plasmodium falciparum , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários , Proteínas de Protozoários/genética , Proteínas de Protozoários/químicaRESUMO
The amino-acid composition of the immunoglobulin variable region has been observed to impact antibody pharmacokinetics (PK). Here, we sought to improve the PK of the broad HIV-1-neutralizing VRC01-class antibodies, VRC07-523LS and N6LS, by reducing the net positive charge in their variable domains. We used a structure-guided approach to generate a panel of antibody variants incorporating select Arg or Lys substituted to Asp, Gln, Glu, or Ser. The engineered variants exhibited reduced affinity to heparin, reduced polyreactivity, and improved PK in human FcRn-transgenic mice. One variant, VRC07-523LS.v34, with three charge substitutions, had an observed in vivo half-life and an estimated human half-life of 10.8 and 60 days, respectively (versus 5.4 and 38 days for VRC07-523LS) and retained functionality, neutralizing 92% of a 208-strain panel at a geometric mean IC80 <1 µg/mL. Another variant, N6LS.C49, with two charge substitutions, had an observed in vivo half-life and an estimated human half-life of 14.5 and 80 days (versus 9.0 and 44 days for N6LS) and neutralized ~80% of 208 strains at a geometric mean IC80 <1 µg/mL. Since Arg and Lys residues are prevalent in human antibodies, we propose substitution of select Arg or Lys with Asp, Gln, Glu, or Ser in the framework region as a general means to improve PK of therapeutic antibodies.