Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 48
Filter
1.
Cell Rep ; 31(1): 107488, 2020 04 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32268107

ABSTRACT

Antibodies targeting the V1V2 apex of the HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer comprise one of the most commonly elicited categories of broadly neutralizing antibodies. Structures of these antibodies indicate diverse modes of Env recognition typified by antibodies of the PG9 class and the PGT145 class. The mode of recognition, however, has been unclear for the most potent of the V1V2 apex-targeting antibodies, CAP256-VRC26.25 (named for donor-lineage.clone and referred to hereafter as VRC26.25). Here, we determine the cryoelectron microscopy structure at 3.7 Å resolution of the antigen-binding fragment of VRC26.25 in complex with the Env trimer thought to have initiated the lineage. The 36-residue protruding loop of VRC26.25 displays recognition incorporating both strand-C interactions similar to the PG9 class and V1V2 apex insertion similar to the PGT145 class. Structural elements of separate antibody classes can thus intermingle to form a "combined" class, which in this case yields an antibody of extraordinary potency.


Subject(s)
HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Antibodies/ultrastructure , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , Amino Acid Sequence , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Cell Line , Cryoelectron Microscopy/methods , HIV Antibodies/metabolism , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Humans , Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments/metabolism , Protein Binding , Protein Multimerization
2.
Sci Rep ; 10(1): 3032, 2020 02 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32080235

ABSTRACT

The vaccine elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 is a long-sought goal. We previously reported the amino-terminal eight residues of the HIV-1-fusion peptide (FP8) - when conjugated to the carrier protein, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) - to be capable of inducing broadly neutralizing responses against HIV-1 in animal models. However, KLH is a multi-subunit particle derived from a natural source, and its manufacture as a clinical product remains a challenge. Here we report the preclinical development of recombinant tetanus toxoid heavy chain fragment (rTTHC) linked to FP8 (FP8-rTTHC) as a suitable FP-conjugate vaccine immunogen. We assessed 16 conjugates, made by coupling the 4 most prevalent FP8 sequences with 4 carrier proteins: the aforementioned KLH and rTTHC; the H. influenzae protein D (HiD); and the cross-reactive material from diphtheria toxin (CRM197). While each of the 16 FP8-carrier conjugates could elicit HIV-1-neutralizing responses, rTTHC conjugates induced higher FP-directed responses overall. A Sulfo-SIAB linker yielded superior results over an SM(PEG)2 linker but combinations of carriers, conjugation ratio of peptide to carrier, or choice of adjuvant (Adjuplex or Alum) did not significantly impact elicited FP-directed neutralizing responses in mice. Overall, SIAB-linked FP8-rTTHC appears to be a promising vaccine candidate for advancing to clinical assessment.


Subject(s)
AIDS Vaccines/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Peptides/immunology , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/immunology , Adjuvants, Immunologic , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Cross Reactions/immunology , Female , Immunization , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neutralization Tests , Peptides/chemistry
3.
Immunity ; 50(3): 677-691.e13, 2019 03 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30876875

ABSTRACT

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.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , AIDS Vaccines/immunology , Amino Acid Sequence , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Cell Line , HEK293 Cells , HIV Infections/immunology , Humans , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Longitudinal Studies
4.
Nat Commun ; 10(1): 47, 2019 01 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30604750

ABSTRACT

Diverse entry inhibitors targeting the gp120 subunit of the HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer have been developed including BMS-626529, also called temsavir, a prodrug version of which is currently in phase III clinical trials. Here we report the characterization of a panel of small-molecule inhibitors including BMS-818251, which we show to be >10-fold more potent than temsavir on a cross-clade panel of 208-HIV-1 strains, as well as the engineering of a crystal lattice to enable structure determination of the interaction between these inhibitors and the HIV-1 Env trimer at higher resolution. By altering crystallization lattice chaperones, we identify a lattice with both improved diffraction and robust co-crystallization of HIV-1 Env trimers from different clades complexed to entry inhibitors with a range of binding affinities. The improved diffraction reveals BMS-818251 to utilize functional groups that interact with gp120 residues from the conserved ß20-ß21 hairpin to improve potency.


Subject(s)
Chemical Engineering/methods , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/antagonists & inhibitors , HIV Fusion Inhibitors/pharmacology , HIV-1/drug effects , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Crystallography, X-Ray , Drug Design , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/metabolism , HIV Fusion Inhibitors/chemistry , HIV-1/physiology , HeLa Cells , Humans , Molecular Docking Simulation , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Piperazines/chemistry , Piperazines/pharmacology , Protein Binding , Protein Conformation , Protein Multimerization , Triazoles/chemistry , Triazoles/pharmacology
5.
Pathog Immun ; 4(2): 294-323, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31893251

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) subtypes, A and B, co-circulate in annual epidemics and alternate in dominance. We have shown that a subtype A RSV fusion (F) glycoprotein, stabilized in its prefusion conformation by DS-Cav1 mutations, is a promising RSV-vaccine immunogen, capable of boosting RSV-neutralizing titers in healthy adults. In both humans and vaccine-tested animals, neutralizing titers elicited by this subtype A DS-Cav1 immunogen were ~ 2- to 3-fold higher against the homologous subtype A virus than against the heterologous subtype B virus. METHODS: To understand the molecular basis for this subtype difference, we introduced DS-Cav1 mutations into RSV strain B18537 F, determined the trimeric crystal structure, and carried out immunogenicity studies. RESULTS: The B18537 DS-Cav1 F structure at 2-Å resolution afforded a precise delineation of prefusion F characteristics, including those of antigenic site Ø, a key trimer-apex site. Structural comparison with the subtype A prefusion F indicated 11% of surface residues to be different, with an alpha-carbon root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 1.2 Å; antigenic site Ø, however, differed in 23% of its surface residues and had an alpha-carbon RMSD of 2.2 Å. Immunization of vaccine-tested animals with DS-Cav1-stabilized B18537 F induced neutralizing responses ~100-fold higher than with postfusion B18537 F. Notably, elicited responses neutralized RSV subtypes A and B at similar levels and were directed towards both conserved equatorial and diverse apical regions. CONCLUSION: We propose that structural differences in apical and equatorial sites-coupled to differently focused immune responses-provide a molecular explanation for observed differences in elicited subtype A and B neutralizing responses.

6.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 115(48): 12265-12270, 2018 11 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30420505

ABSTRACT

Parainfluenza virus types 1-4 (PIV1-4) are highly infectious human pathogens, of which PIV3 is most commonly responsible for severe respiratory illness in newborns, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. To obtain a vaccine effective against all four PIV types, we engineered mutations in each of the four PIV fusion (F) glycoproteins to stabilize their metastable prefusion states, as such stabilization had previously enabled the elicitation of high-titer neutralizing antibodies against the related respiratory syncytial virus. A cryoelectron microscopy structure of an engineered PIV3 F prefusion-stabilized trimer, bound to the prefusion-specific antibody PIA174, revealed atomic-level details for how introduced mutations improved stability as well as how a single PIA174 antibody recognized the trimeric apex of prefusion PIV3 F. Nine combinations of six newly identified disulfides and two cavity-filling mutations stabilized the prefusion PIV3 F immunogens and induced 200- to 500-fold higher neutralizing titers in mice than were elicited by PIV3 F in the postfusion conformation. For PIV1, PIV2, and PIV4, we also obtained stabilized prefusion Fs, for which prefusion versus postfusion titers were 2- to 20-fold higher. Elicited murine responses were PIV type-specific, with little cross-neutralization of other PIVs. In nonhuman primates (NHPs), quadrivalent immunization with prefusion-stabilized Fs from PIV1-4 consistently induced potent neutralizing responses against all four PIVs. For PIV3, the average elicited NHP titer from the quadrivalent immunization was more than fivefold higher than any titer observed in a cohort of over 100 human adults, highlighting the ability of a prefusion-stabilized immunogen to elicit especially potent neutralization.


Subject(s)
Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human/immunology , Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human/immunology , Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human/immunology , Parainfluenza Virus 4, Human/immunology , Respirovirus Infections/immunology , Viral Fusion Proteins/chemistry , Viral Vaccines/chemistry , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Cryoelectron Microscopy , Female , Humans , Macaca mulatta , Male , Mice , Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human/chemistry , Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human/genetics , Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human/chemistry , Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human/genetics , Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human/chemistry , Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human/genetics , Parainfluenza Virus 4, Human/chemistry , Parainfluenza Virus 4, Human/genetics , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections , Respirovirus Infections/prevention & control , Respirovirus Infections/virology , Viral Fusion Proteins/administration & dosage , Viral Fusion Proteins/genetics , Viral Fusion Proteins/immunology , Viral Vaccines/administration & dosage , Viral Vaccines/genetics , Viral Vaccines/immunology
7.
Nat Med ; 24(6): 857-867, 2018 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29867235

ABSTRACT

A central goal of HIV-1 vaccine research is the elicitation of antibodies capable of neutralizing diverse primary isolates of HIV-1. Here we show that focusing the immune response to exposed N-terminal residues of the fusion peptide, a critical component of the viral entry machinery and the epitope of antibodies elicited by HIV-1 infection, through immunization with fusion peptide-coupled carriers and prefusion stabilized envelope trimers, induces cross-clade neutralizing responses. In mice, these immunogens elicited monoclonal antibodies capable of neutralizing up to 31% of a cross-clade panel of 208 HIV-1 strains. Crystal and cryoelectron microscopy structures of these antibodies revealed fusion peptide conformational diversity as a molecular explanation for the cross-clade neutralization. Immunization of guinea pigs and rhesus macaques induced similarly broad fusion peptide-directed neutralizing responses, suggesting translatability. The N terminus of the HIV-1 fusion peptide is thus a promising target of vaccine efforts aimed at eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies.


Subject(s)
AIDS Vaccines/immunology , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Epitopes/immunology , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Peptides/pharmacology , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/pharmacology , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Female , Guinea Pigs , HIV-1/drug effects , Immunization , Macaca mulatta , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Models, Molecular , Neutralization Tests , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/chemistry , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism
8.
ACS Infect Dis ; 4(5): 788-796, 2018 05 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29451984

ABSTRACT

Antigen multimerization on a nanoparticle can result in improved neutralizing antibody responses. A platform that has been successfully used for displaying antigens from a number of different viruses is ferritin, a self-assembling protein nanoparticle that allows the attachment of multiple copies (24 monomers or 8 trimers) of a single antigen. Here, we design two-component ferritin variants that allow the attachment of two different antigens on a single particle in a defined ratio and geometric pattern. The two-component ferritin was specifically designed for trimeric antigens, accepting four trimers per particle for each antigen, and was tested with antigens derived from HIV-1 envelope (Env) and influenza hemagglutinin (HA). Particle formation and the presence of native-like antigen conformation were confirmed through negative-stain electron microscopy and antibody-antigen binding analysis. Immunizations in guinea pigs with two-component ferritin particles, displaying diverse Env, HA, or both antigens, elicited neutralizing antibody responses against the respective viruses. The results provide proof-of-principle for the self-assembly of a two-component nanoparticle as a general technology for multimeric presentation of trimeric antigens.


Subject(s)
Antigens/chemistry , Ferritins , Nanoparticles , Protein Multimerization , Antigens/immunology , Epitopes/chemistry , Ferritins/chemistry , Gene Products, env/chemistry , Gene Products, env/immunology , HIV Antibodies/chemistry , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Humans , Models, Molecular , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Nanoparticles/ultrastructure , Protein Conformation , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/immunology
9.
Cell Rep ; 21(10): 2992-3002, 2017 Dec 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29212041

ABSTRACT

The elicitation of autologous neutralizing responses by immunization with HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimers conformationally stabilized in a prefusion closed state has generated considerable interest in the HIV-1 vaccine field. However, soluble prefusion closed Env trimers have been produced from only a handful of HIV-1 strains, limiting their utility as vaccine antigens and B cell probes. Here, we report the engineering from 81 HIV-1 strains of soluble, fully cleaved, prefusion Env trimers with appropriate antigenicity. We used a 96-well expression-screening format to assess the ability of artificial disulfides and Ile559Pro substitution (DS-SOSIP) to produce soluble cleaved-Env trimers; from 180 Env strains, 20 yielded prefusion closed trimers. We also created chimeras, by utilizing structure-based design to incorporate select regions from the well-behaved BG505 strain; from 180 Env strains, 78 DS-SOSIP-stabilized chimeras, including 61 additional strains, yielded prefusion closed trimers. Structure-based design thus enables the production of prefusion closed HIV-1-Env trimers from dozens of diverse strains.


Subject(s)
HIV-1/immunology , HIV-1/metabolism , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism , AIDS Vaccines/immunology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Microscopy, Electron
10.
NPJ Vaccines ; 2: 7, 2017 Mar 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29021918

ABSTRACT

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus, a major cause of respiratory disease in calves, is closely related to human RSV, a leading cause of respiratory disease in infants. Recently, promising human RSV-vaccine candidates have been engineered that stabilize the metastable fusion (F) glycoprotein in its prefusion state; however, the absence of a relevant animal model for human RSV has complicated assessment of these vaccine candidates. Here, we use a combination of structure-based design, antigenic characterization, and X-ray crystallography to translate human RSV F stabilization into the bovine context. A "DS2" version of bovine respiratory syncytial virus F with subunits covalently fused, fusion peptide removed, and pre-fusion conformation stabilized by cavity-filling mutations and intra- and inter-protomer disulfides was recognized by pre-fusion-specific antibodies, AM14, D25, and MPE8, and elicited bovine respiratory syncytial virus-neutralizing titers in calves >100-fold higher than those elicited by post-fusion F. When challenged with a heterologous bovine respiratory syncytial virus, virus was not detected in nasal secretions nor in respiratory tract samples of DS2-immunized calves; by contrast bovine respiratory syncytial virus was detected in all post-fusion- and placebo-immunized calves. Our results demonstrate proof-of-concept that DS2-stabilized RSV F immunogens can induce highly protective immunity from RSV in a native host with implications for the efficacy of prefusion-stabilized F vaccines in humans and for the prevention of bovine respiratory syncytial virus in calves.

11.
Nat Chem Biol ; 13(10): 1115-1122, 2017 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28825711

ABSTRACT

The HIV-1 envelope (Env) spike is a conformational machine that transitions between prefusion (closed, CD4- and CCR5-bound) and postfusion states to facilitate HIV-1 entry into cells. Although the prefusion closed conformation is a potential target for inhibition, development of small-molecule leads has been stymied by difficulties in obtaining structural information. Here, we report crystal structures at 3.8-Å resolution of an HIV-1-Env trimer with BMS-378806 and a derivative BMS-626529 for which a prodrug version is currently in Phase III clinical trials. Both lead candidates recognized an induced binding pocket that was mostly excluded from solvent and comprised of Env elements from a conserved helix and the ß20-21 hairpin. In both structures, the ß20-21 region assumed a conformation distinct from prefusion-closed and CD4-bound states. Together with biophysical and antigenicity characterizations, the structures illuminate the allosteric and competitive mechanisms by which these small-molecule leads inhibit CD4-induced structural changes in Env.


Subject(s)
HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/chemistry , Piperazines/chemistry , Small Molecule Libraries/chemistry , Triazoles/chemistry , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Crystallography, X-Ray , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/antagonists & inhibitors , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/antagonists & inhibitors , Models, Molecular , Piperazines/pharmacology , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Structure-Activity Relationship , Triazoles/pharmacology
13.
Immunity ; 46(5): 777-791.e10, 2017 05 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28514685

ABSTRACT

Most HIV-1-specific neutralizing antibodies isolated to date exhibit unusual characteristics that complicate their elicitation. Neutralizing antibodies that target the V1V2 apex of the HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer feature unusually long protruding loops, which enable them to penetrate the HIV-1 glycan shield. As antibodies with loops of requisite length are created through uncommon recombination events, an alternative mode of apex binding has been sought. Here, we isolated a lineage of Env apex-directed neutralizing antibodies, N90-VRC38.01-11, by using virus-like particles and conformationally stabilized Env trimers as B cell probes. A crystal structure of N90-VRC38.01 with a scaffolded V1V2 revealed a binding mode involving side-chain-to-side-chain interactions that reduced the distance the antibody loop must traverse the glycan shield, thereby facilitating V1V2 binding via a non-protruding loop. The N90-VRC38 lineage thus identifies a solution for V1V2-apex binding that provides a more conventional B cell pathway for vaccine design.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Peptide Fragments/immunology , Protein Conformation , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , Amino Acid Sequence , Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry , Antibodies, Neutralizing/metabolism , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , B-Lymphocytes/metabolism , Binding Sites , Complementarity Determining Regions/chemistry , Complementarity Determining Regions/immunology , HIV Antibodies/chemistry , HIV Antibodies/metabolism , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/metabolism , HIV Infections/virology , Humans , Models, Molecular , Peptide Fragments/chemistry , Peptide Fragments/metabolism , Phylogeny , Protein Binding , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , Protein Multimerization , Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/chemistry , Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/immunology , Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/metabolism
14.
Cell Rep ; 19(4): 719-732, 2017 04 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28445724

ABSTRACT

While the HIV-1-glycan shield is known to shelter Env from the humoral immune response, its quantitative impact on antibody elicitation has been unclear. Here, we use targeted deglycosylation to measure the impact of the glycan shield on elicitation of antibodies against the CD4 supersite. We engineered diverse Env trimers with select glycans removed proximal to the CD4 supersite, characterized their structures and glycosylation, and immunized guinea pigs and rhesus macaques. Immunizations yielded little neutralization against wild-type viruses but potent CD4-supersite neutralization (titers 1: >1,000,000 against four-glycan-deleted autologous viruses with over 90% breadth against four-glycan-deleted heterologous strains exhibiting tier 2 neutralization character). To a first approximation, the immunogenicity of the glycan-shielded protein surface was negligible, with Env-elicited neutralization (ID50) proportional to the exponential of the protein-surface area accessible to antibody. Based on these high titers and exponential relationship, we propose site-selective deglycosylated trimers as priming immunogens to increase the frequency of site-targeting antibodies.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , HIV-1/metabolism , Polysaccharides/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibody Specificity , Binding Sites , CD4 Antigens/chemistry , CD4 Antigens/metabolism , Crystallography, X-Ray , Epitopes/immunology , Glycosylation , Guinea Pigs , HIV Antibodies/blood , HIV Antibodies/immunology , Humans , Immunization , Macaca mulatta , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Polysaccharides/deficiency , Polysaccharides/metabolism , Protein Structure, Quaternary , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/chemistry , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism
15.
J Virol ; 91(10)2017 05 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28275193

ABSTRACT

The HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer is a target for vaccine design as well as a conformational machine that facilitates virus entry by transitioning between prefusion-closed, CD4-bound, and coreceptor-bound conformations by transitioning into a postfusion state. Vaccine designers have sought to restrict the conformation of the HIV-1 Env trimer to its prefusion-closed state as this state is recognized by most broadly neutralizing, but not nonneutralizing, antibodies. We previously identified a disulfide bond, I201C-A433C (DS), which stabilizes Env in the vaccine-desired prefusion-closed state. When placed into the context of BG505 SOSIP.664, a soluble Env trimer mimic developed by Sanders, Moore, and colleagues, the engineered DS-SOSIP trimer showed reduced conformational triggering by CD4. Here, we further stabilize DS-SOSIP through a combination of structure-based design and 96-well-based expression and antigenic assessment. From 103 designs, we identified one, named DS-SOSIP.4mut, with four additional mutations at the interface of potentially mobile domains of the prefusion-closed structure. We also determined the crystal structures of DS-SOSIP.4mut at 4.1-Å resolution and of an additional DS-SOSIP.6mut variant at 4.3-Å resolution, and these confirmed the formation of engineered disulfide bonds. Notably, DS-SOSIP.4mut elicited a higher ratio of tier 2 autologous titers versus tier 1 V3-sensitive titers than BG505 SOSIP.664. DS-SOSIP.4mut also showed reduced recognition of CD4 and increased thermostability. The improved antigenicity, thermostability, and immunogenicity of DS-SOSIP.4mut suggest utility as an immunogen or a serologic probe; moreover, the specific four alterations identified here, M154, M300, M302, and L320 (4mut), can also be transferred to other HIV-1 Env trimers of interest to improve their properties.IMPORTANCE One approach to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 is to stabilize the structurally flexible HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimer in a conformation that displays predominantly broadly neutralizing epitopes and few to no nonneutralizing epitopes. The prefusion-closed conformation of HIV-1 Env has been identified as one such preferred conformation, and a current leading vaccine candidate is the BG505 DS-SOSIP variant, comprising two disulfides and an Ile-to-Pro mutation of Env from strain BG505. Here, we introduced additional mutations to further stabilize BG505 DS-SOSIP in the vaccine-preferred prefusion-closed conformation. In guinea pigs, our best mutant, DS-SOSIP.4mut, elicited a significantly higher ratio of autologous versus V3-directed neutralizing antibody responses than the SOSIP-stabilized form. We also observed an improvement in thermostability and a reduction in CD4 affinity. With improved antigenicity, stability, and immunogenicity, DS-SOSIP.4mut-stabilized trimers may have utility as HIV-1 immunogens or in other antigen-specific contexts, such as with B-cell probes.


Subject(s)
CD4 Antigens/immunology , CD4 Antigens/metabolism , HIV Antigens/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/chemistry , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , AIDS Vaccines/chemistry , AIDS Vaccines/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Guinea Pigs , HIV Antibodies/blood , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Antigens/chemistry , HIV Antigens/metabolism , HIV-1/genetics , Humans , Protein Multimerization , Protein Stability , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism
16.
Sci Transl Med ; 9(381)2017 03 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28298421

ABSTRACT

A goal for an HIV-1 vaccine is to overcome virus variability by inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). One key target of bnAbs is the glycan-polypeptide at the base of the envelope (Env) third variable loop (V3). We have designed and synthesized a homogeneous minimal immunogen with high-mannose glycans reflective of a native Env V3-glycan bnAb epitope (Man9-V3). V3-glycan bnAbs bound to Man9-V3 glycopeptide and native-like gp140 trimers with similar affinities. Fluorophore-labeled Man9-V3 glycopeptides bound to bnAb memory B cells and were able to be used to isolate a V3-glycan bnAb from an HIV-1-infected individual. In rhesus macaques, immunization with Man9-V3 induced V3-glycan-targeted antibodies. Thus, the Man9-V3 glycopeptide closely mimics an HIV-1 V3-glycan bnAb epitope and can be used to isolate V3-glycan bnAbs.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Epitopes/immunology , Glycopeptides/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Molecular Mimicry/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry , Antibodies, Neutralizing/isolation & purification , Antibody Specificity/immunology , B-Lymphocytes/cytology , Cell Lineage , Cell Separation , Clone Cells , Epitopes/chemistry , Glycopeptides/chemistry , HIV Antigens/immunology , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , Macaca mulatta , Protein Domains , Protein Multimerization
17.
Nat Struct Mol Biol ; 24(4): 370-378, 2017 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28218750

ABSTRACT

Binding of the gp120 envelope (Env) glycoprotein to the CD4 receptor is the first step in the HIV-1 infectious cycle. Although the CD4-binding site has been extensively characterized, the initial receptor interaction has been difficult to study because of major CD4-induced structural rearrangements. Here we used cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to visualize the initial contact of CD4 with the HIV-1 Env trimer at 6.8-Å resolution. A single CD4 molecule is embraced by a quaternary HIV-1-Env surface formed by coalescence of the previously defined CD4-contact region with a second CD4-binding site (CD4-BS2) in the inner domain of a neighboring gp120 protomer. Disruption of CD4-BS2 destabilized CD4-trimer interaction and abrogated HIV-1 infectivity by preventing the acquisition of coreceptor-binding competence. A corresponding reduction in HIV-1 infectivity occurred after the mutation of CD4 residues that interact with CD4-BS2. Our results document the critical role of quaternary interactions in the initial HIV-Env-receptor contact, with implications for treatment and vaccine design.


Subject(s)
CD4 Antigens/chemistry , CD4 Antigens/metabolism , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/chemistry , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/metabolism , HIV-1/metabolism , Protein Multimerization , Amino Acid Sequence , Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry , Antibodies, Neutralizing/metabolism , Binding Sites , CD4 Antigens/ultrastructure , Cryoelectron Microscopy , HEK293 Cells , HIV Antibodies/chemistry , HIV Antibodies/metabolism , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/ultrastructure , HIV Infections/metabolism , Humans , Kinetics , Mutagenesis , Protein Binding , Protein Stability , Protein Structure, Quaternary , Surface Plasmon Resonance
18.
PLoS Pathog ; 13(1): e1006074, 2017 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28076415

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive understanding of the regions on HIV-1 envelope trimers targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies may contribute to rational design of an HIV-1 vaccine. We previously identified a participant in the CAPRISA cohort, CAP248, who developed trimer-specific antibodies capable of neutralizing 60% of heterologous viruses at three years post-infection. Here, we report the isolation by B cell culture of monoclonal antibody CAP248-2B, which targets a novel membrane proximal epitope including elements of gp120 and gp41. Despite low maximum inhibition plateaus, often below 50% inhibitory concentrations, the breadth of CAP248-2B significantly correlated with donor plasma. Site-directed mutagenesis, X-ray crystallography, and negative-stain electron microscopy 3D reconstructions revealed how CAP248-2B recognizes a cleavage-dependent epitope that includes the gp120 C terminus. While this epitope is distinct, it overlapped in parts of gp41 with the epitopes of broadly neutralizing antibodies PGT151, VRC34, 35O22, 3BC315, and 10E8. CAP248-2B has a conformationally variable paratope with an unusually long 19 amino acid light chain third complementarity determining region. Two phenylalanines at the loop apex were predicted by docking and mutagenesis data to interact with the viral membrane. Neutralization by CAP248-2B is not dependent on any single glycan proximal to its epitope, and low neutralization plateaus could not be completely explained by N- or O-linked glycosylation pathway inhibitors, furin co-transfection, or pre-incubation with soluble CD4. Viral escape from CAP248-2B involved a cluster of rare mutations in the gp120-gp41 cleavage sites. Simultaneous introduction of these mutations into heterologous viruses abrogated neutralization by CAP248-2B, but enhanced neutralization sensitivity to 35O22, 4E10, and 10E8 by 10-100-fold. Altogether, this study expands the region of the HIV-1 gp120-gp41 quaternary interface that is a target for broadly neutralizing antibodies and identifies a set of mutations in the gp120 C terminus that exposes the membrane-proximal external region of gp41, with potential utility in HIV vaccine design.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Binding Sites, Antibody/genetics , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Antigens/ultrastructure , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Immune Evasion/genetics , Antibodies, Monoclonal/isolation & purification , Antibodies, Monoclonal/ultrastructure , Antibodies, Neutralizing/isolation & purification , Binding Sites, Antibody/immunology , CD4 Antigens/pharmacology , Cell Line, Tumor , Complementarity Determining Regions/genetics , Crystallography, X-Ray , Epitopes/immunology , Glycosylation , HIV Antibodies/isolation & purification , HIV Antigens/genetics , HIV Antigens/immunology , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/genetics , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/genetics , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV-1/genetics , HeLa Cells , Humans , Immune Evasion/immunology , Neutralization Tests , Recombinant Proteins/pharmacology
19.
Immunity ; 45(5): 1108-1121, 2016 11 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27851912

ABSTRACT

Detailed studies of the broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) that underlie the best available examples of the humoral immune response to HIV are providing important information for the development of therapies and prophylaxis for HIV-1 infection. Here, we report a CD4-binding site (CD4bs) antibody, named N6, that potently neutralized 98% of HIV-1 isolates, including 16 of 20 that were resistant to other members of its class. N6 evolved a mode of recognition such that its binding was not impacted by the loss of individual contacts across the immunoglobulin heavy chain. In addition, structural analysis revealed that the orientation of N6 permitted it to avoid steric clashes with glycans, which is a common mechanism of resistance. Thus, an HIV-1-specific bNAb can achieve potent, near-pan neutralization of HIV-1, making it an attractive candidate for use in therapy and prophylaxis.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Binding Sites, Antibody/immunology , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Infections/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Antibody Specificity , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Cell Separation , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , Humans
20.
Nat Med ; 22(12): 1456-1464, 2016 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27820605

ABSTRACT

Molecular understanding of serological immunity to influenza has been confounded by the complexity of the polyclonal antibody response in humans. Here we used high-resolution proteomics analysis of immunoglobulin (referred to as Ig-seq) coupled with high-throughput sequencing of transcripts encoding B cell receptors (BCR-seq) to quantitatively determine the antibody repertoire at the individual clonotype level in the sera of young adults before and after vaccination with trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine. The serum repertoire comprised between 40 and 147 clonotypes that were specific to each of the three monovalent components of the trivalent influenza vaccine, with boosted pre-existing clonotypes accounting for ∼60% of the response. An unexpectedly high fraction of serum antibodies recognized both the H1 and H3 monovalent vaccines. Recombinant versions of these H1 + H3 cross-reactive antibodies showed broad binding to hemagglutinins (HAs) from previously circulating virus strains; several of these antibodies, which were prevalent in the serum of multiple donors, recognized the same conserved epitope in the HA head domain. Although the HA-head-specific H1 + H3 antibodies did not show neutralization activity in vitro, they protected mice against infection with the H1N1 and H3N2 virus strains when administered before or after challenge. Collectively, our data reveal unanticipated insights regarding the serological response to influenza vaccination and raise questions about the added benefits of using a quadrivalent vaccine instead of a trivalent vaccine.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/immunology , Influenza Vaccines/therapeutic use , Influenza, Human/prevention & control , Orthomyxoviridae/immunology , Adult , Animals , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Chromatography, Liquid , Cross Reactions , Epitopes , Female , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/immunology , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Immunogenicity, Vaccine , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/immunology , Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/immunology , Male , Mice , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell/genetics , Sequence Analysis, RNA , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Young Adult
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL
...