Open AccessIdentification and characterization of broadly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies in patients infected with HIV-1 B'/C recombinant (CRF07_BC)
Author(s) -
Mingjia Bao,
Wenqing Geng,
Hu Cui,
Zi-ning Zhang,
Dongmei Xu,
Hua Nian,
DeZai Dai,
Yanan Wang,
Hong Shang
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
molecular medicine reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.727
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1791-3004
pISSN - 1791-2997
DOI - 10.3892/mmr.2012.790
Subject(s) - virology , antibody , neutralization , titer , epitope , biology , neutralizing antibody , recombinant dna , hiv vaccine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virus , immunology , gene , vaccine trial , genetics
The identification of broadly cross-reactive neutralizing (BCN) antibodies is essential for the development of a more universally effective vaccine for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this study, CRF07_BC serum was analyzed for cross-clade antibody reactivity and neutralization. A total of 117 HIV-1 sera (CRF07_BC) were screened for their capacity to neutralize three primary HIV-1 isolates. A total of 18 out of 117 sera cross-neutralized all three viruses, and were tested along with eight randomly selected non-BCN sera against seven primary HIV-1 isolates and two laboratory strains that represented different clades and tropisms. BCN sera neutralized eight or all nine of these primary isolates. Non-BCN sera did not display any broadly cross-reactive neutralizing responses. BCN sera neutralized with higher frequency and geometric mean titers compared to non-BCN sera. Sera from asymptomatic individuals on average neutralized a significantly greater number of the three key isolates than sera from symptomatic individuals. Our data indicate that the three HIV-1 isolated strains are sufficient to screen broad cross-neutralizing sera, and that BCN responses may contribute to protection from infection and disease progression. The neutralizing antibody response demonstrated extensive cross-neutralization, suggesting that neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccines will have a relatively low epitope diversity to overcome in patients infected with HIV-1 B'/C recombinant (CRF07_BC).