scholarly journals Molecular Basis of Unusually High Neutralization Resistance in Tier 3 HIV-1 Strain 253-11

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thandeka Moyo ◽  
June Ereño-Orbea ◽  
Rajesh Abraham Jacob ◽  
Clara E. Pavillet ◽  
Samuel Mundia Kariuki ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Understanding the mechanisms used by HIV-1 to evade antibody neutralization may contribute to the design of a high-coverage vaccine. The tier 3 virus 253-11 is poorly neutralized by subtype-matched and subtype C sera, even compared to other tier 3 viruses, and is also recognized poorly by V3/glycan-targeting monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). We found that sequence polymorphisms in the V3 loop and N-linked glycosylation sites contribute only minimally to the high neutralization resistance of 253-11. Interestingly, the 253-11 membrane-proximal external region (MPER) is rarely recognized by sera in the context of the wild-type virus but is commonly recognized in the context of an HIV-2 chimera, suggesting steric or kinetic hindrance of binding to MPER in the native envelope (Env). Mutations in the 253-11 MPER, which were previously reported to increase the lifetime of the prefusion Env conformation, affected the resistance of 253-11 to antibodies targeting various epitopes on HIV-1 Env, presumably destabilizing its otherwise stable, closed trimer structure. To gain insight into the structure of 253-11, we constructed and crystallized a recombinant 253-11 SOSIP trimer. The resulting structure revealed that the heptad repeat helices in gp41 are drawn in close proximity to the trimer axis and that gp120 protomers also showed a relatively compact disposition around the trimer axis. These observations give substantial insight into the molecular features of an envelope spike from a tier 3 virus and into possible mechanisms that may contribute to its unusually high neutralization resistance. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 isolates that are highly resistant to broadly neutralizing antibodies could limit the efficacy of an antibody-based vaccine. We studied 253-11, which is highly resistant to commonly elicited neutralizing antibodies. To further understand its resistance, we made mutations that are known to delay fusion and thus increase the time that the virus spends in the open conformation following CD4 binding. Interestingly, we found that these mutations affect the 253-11 envelope (Env) spike before CD4 binding, presumably by destabilizing the trimer structure. To gain further information about the structure of the 253-11 Env trimer, we generated a recombinant 253-11 SOSIP trimer. The crystal structure of the SOSIP trimer revealed that the gp41 helices and the gp120 protomers were drawn in toward the center of the molecule compared to most solved HIV-1 Env structures. These observations provide insight into the distinct molecular features of a tier 3 envelope spike.

2017 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakiya M. Qualls ◽  
Alok Choudhary ◽  
William Honnen ◽  
Raja Prattipati ◽  
James E. Robinson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe subtype C HIV-1 isolate MW965.26 is a highly neutralization-sensitive tier 1a primary isolate that is widely used in vaccine studies, but the basis for the sensitive neutralization phenotype of this isolate is not known. Substituting the MW965.26 V1/V2 domain into a neutralization-sensitive SF162 Env clone resulted in high resistance to standard anti-V3 monoclonal antibodies, demonstrating that this region possesses strong masking activity in a standard Env backbone and indicating that determinants elsewhere in MW965.26 Env are responsible for its unusual neutralization sensitivity. Key determinants for this phenotype were mapped by generating chimeric Envs between MW965.26 Env and a typical resistant Env clone, the consensus C (ConC) clone, and localized to two residues, Cys384 in the C3 domain and Asn502 in the C5 domain. Substituting the sensitizing mutations Y384C and K502N at these positions into several resistant primary Envs resulted in conversion to neutralization-sensitive phenotypes, demonstrating the generalizability of this effect. In contrast to the sensitizing effects of these substitutions on normally masked epitopes, these mutations reduced the sensitivity of VRC01-like epitopes overlapping the CD4-binding domain, while they had no effect on several other classes of broadly neutralizing epitopes, including members of several lineages of V2-dependent quaternary epitopes and representatives of N332 glycan-dependent epitopes (PGT121) and quaternary, cleavage-dependent epitopes centered at the gp41-gp120 interface on intact HIV-1 Env trimers (PGT151). These results identify novel substitutions in gp120 that regulate the expression of alternative conformations of Env and differentially affect the exposure of different classes of epitopes, thereby influencing the neutralization phenotype of primary HIV-1 isolates.IMPORTANCEA better understanding of the mechanisms that determine the wide range of neutralization sensitivity of circulating primary HIV-1 isolates would provide important information about the natural structural and conformational diversity of HIV-1 Env and how this affects the neutralization phenotype. A useful way of studying this is to determine the molecular basis for the unusually high neutralization sensitivities of the limited number of available tier 1a viruses. This study localized the neutralization sensitivity of MW965.26, an extremely sensitive subtype C-derived primary isolate, to two rare substitutions in the C3 and C5 domains and demonstrated that the sequences at these positions differentially affect the presentation of epitopes recognized by different classes of standard and conformation-dependent broadly neutralizing antibodies. These results provide novel insight into how these regions regulate the neutralization phenotype and provide tools for controlling the Env conformation that could have applications both for structural studies and in vaccine design.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonu Kumar ◽  
Xiaohe Lin ◽  
Timothy Ngo ◽  
Benjamin Shapero ◽  
Cindy Sou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAntigen-specific B-cell sorting and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were combined to isolate HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) from mice and rabbits immunized with BG505 trimers and nanoparticles. Three mouse NAbs potently neutralize BG505.T332N and recognize a glycan epitope centered at the C3/V4 region, as revealed by electron microscopy (EM), x-ray crystallography, and epitope mapping. Three potent NAbs were sorted from rabbit B cells that target glycan holes on the BG505 envelope glycoprotein (Env) and account for a significant portion of autologous NAb response. We then determined a 3.4Å-resolution crystal structure for the clade C transmitted/founder Du172.17 Env with a redesigned heptad repeat 1 (HR1) bend. This clade C Env, as a soluble trimer and attached to a ferritin nanoparticle, along with a clade A Q482-d12 Env trimer, elicited distinct NAb responses in rabbits. Our study demonstrates that nanoparticles presenting gp41-stabilized trimers can induce potent NAb responses in mice and rabbits with Env-dependent breadth.TEASERMouse and rabbit NAbs elicited by gp41-stabilized trimers and nanoparticles neutralize autologous HIV-1 by targeting different epitopes


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (12) ◽  
pp. 6187-6196 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Gray ◽  
P. L. Moore ◽  
I. A. Choge ◽  
J. M. Decker ◽  
F. Bibollet-Ruche ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The study of the evolution and specificities of neutralizing antibodies during the course of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection may be important in the discovery of possible targets for vaccine design. In this study, we assessed the autologous and heterologous neutralization responses of 14 HIV-1 subtype C-infected individuals, using envelope clones obtained within the first 2 months postinfection. Our data show that potent but relatively strain-specific neutralizing antibodies develop within 3 to 12 months of HIV-1 infection. The magnitude of this response was associated with shorter V1-to-V5 envelope lengths and fewer glycosylation sites, particularly in the V1-V2 region. Anti-MPER antibodies were detected in 4 of 14 individuals within a year of infection, while antibodies to CD4-induced (CD4i) epitopes developed to high titers in 12 participants, in most cases before the development of autologous neutralizing antibodies. However, neither anti-MPER nor anti-CD4i antibody specificity conferred neutralization breadth. These data provide insights into the kinetics, potency, breadth, and epitope specificity of neutralizing antibody responses in acute HIV-1 subtype C infection.


Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1210
Author(s):  
Christophe Caillat ◽  
Delphine Guilligay ◽  
Guidenn Sulbaran ◽  
Winfried Weissenhorn

HIV-1 vaccine research has obtained an enormous boost since the discovery of many broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting all accessible sites on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env). This in turn facilitated high-resolution structures of the Env glycoprotein in complex with bnAbs. Here we focus on gp41, its highly conserved heptad repeat region 1 (HR1), the fusion peptide (FP) and the membrane-proximal external region (MPER). Notably, the broadest neutralizing antibodies target MPER. Both gp41 HR1 and MPER are only fully accessible once receptor-induced conformational changes have taken place, although some studies suggest access to MPER in the close to native Env conformation. We summarize the data on the structure and function of neutralizing antibodies targeting gp41 HR1, FP and MPER and we review their access to Env and their complex formation with gp41 HR1, MPER peptides and FP within native Env. We further discuss MPER bnAb binding to lipids and the role of somatic mutations in recognizing a bipartite epitope composed of the conserved MPER sequence and membrane components. The problematic of gp41 HR1 access and MPER bnAb auto- and polyreactivity is developed in the light of inducing such antibodies by vaccination.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (45) ◽  
pp. 22556-22566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wang ◽  
Pavanjeet Kaur ◽  
Zhen-Yu J. Sun ◽  
Mostafa A. Elbahnasawy ◽  
Zahra Hayati ◽  
...  

The membrane proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (gp) 41 is an attractive vaccine target for elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) by vaccination. However, current details regarding the quaternary structural organization of the MPER within the native prefusion trimer [(gp120/41)3] are elusive and even contradictory, hindering rational MPER immunogen design. To better understand the structural topology of the MPER on the lipid bilayer, the adjacent transmembrane domain (TMD) was appended (MPER-TMD) and studied. Membrane insertion of the MPER-TMD was sensitive both to the TMD sequence and cytoplasmic residues. Antigen binding of MPER-specific bNAbs, in particular 10E8 and DH511.2_K3, was significantly impacted by the presence of the TMD. Furthermore, MPER-TMD assembly into 10-nm diameter nanodiscs revealed a heterogeneous membrane array comprised largely of monomers and dimers, as enumerated by bNAb Fab binding using single-particle electron microscopy analysis, arguing against preferential trimeric association of native MPER and TMD protein segments. Moreover, introduction of isoleucine mutations in the C-terminal heptad repeat to induce an extended MPER α-helical bundle structure yielded an antigenicity profile of cell surface-arrayed Env variants inconsistent with that found in the native prefusion state. In line with these observations, electron paramagnetic resonance analysis suggested that 10E8 inhibits viral membrane fusion by lifting the MPER N-terminal region out of the viral membrane, mandating the exposure of residues that would be occluded by MPER trimerization. Collectively, our data suggest that the MPER is not a stable trimer, but rather a dynamic segment adapted for structural changes accompanying fusion.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (17) ◽  
pp. 9268-9278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin E. Verity ◽  
Dimitra Zotos ◽  
Kim Wilson ◽  
Catherine Chatfield ◽  
Victoria A. Lawson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Sydney Blood Bank Cohort (SBBC) consists of eight blood transfusion recipients infected with nef-attenuated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquired from a single donor. Here, we show that viral phenotypes and antibody responses differ considerably between individual cohort members, despite the single source of infection. Replication of isolated virus varied from barely detectable to similar to that of the wild-type virus, and virus isolated from five SBBC members showed coreceptor usage signatures unique to each individual. Higher viral loads and stronger neutralizing antibody responses were associated with better-replicating viral strains, and detectable viral replication was essential for the development of strong and sustained humoral immune responses. Despite the presence of strong neutralizing antibodies in a number of SBBC members, disease progression was not prevented, and each cohort member studied displayed a unique outcome of infection with nef-attenuated HIV-1.


2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manickam Ashokkumar ◽  
Shambhu G. Aralaguppe ◽  
Srikanth P. Tripathy ◽  
Luke Elizabeth Hanna ◽  
Ujjwal Neogi

ABSTRACT Adequate information on the precise molecular and biological composition of the viral strains that establish HIV infection in the human host will provide effective means of immunization against HIV infection. In an attempt to identify the transmitted founder (TF) virus and differentiate the biological properties and infectious potential of the TF virus from those of the population of the early transmitted viruses, 250 patient-derived gp120 envelope glycoproteins were cloned in pMN-K7-Luc-IRESs-NefΔgp120 to obtain chimeric viruses. Samples were obtained from eight infants who had recently become infected with HIV through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) and two adults who acquired infection through the heterosexual route and were in the chronic stage of infection. Among the 250 clones tested, 65 chimeric viruses were infectious, and all belonged to HIV-1 subtype C. The 65 clones were analyzed for molecular features of the envelope, per-infectious-particle infectivity, coreceptor tropism, drug sensitivity, and sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Based on genotypic and phenotypic analysis of the viral clones, we identified 10 TF viruses from the eight infants. The TF viruses were characterized by shorter V1V2 regions, a reduced number of potential N-linked glycosylation sites, and a higher infectivity titer compared to the virus variants from the adults in the chronic stage of infection. CXCR6 coreceptor usage, in addition to that of the CCR5 coreceptor, which was used by all 65 chimeric viruses, was identified in 13 viruses. The sensitivity of the TF variants to maraviroc and a standard panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (VRC01, PG09, PG16, and PGT121) was found to be much lower than that of the virus variants from the adults in the chronic stage of infection. IMPORTANCE Tremendous progress has been made during the last three and half decades of HIV research, but some significant gaps continue to exist. One of the frontier areas of HIV research which has not seen a breakthrough yet is vaccine research, which is because of the enormous genetic diversity of HIV-1 and the unique infectious fitness of the virus. Among the repertoire of viral variants, the virus that establishes successful infection (transmitted founder [TF] virus) has not been well characterized yet. An insight into the salient features of the TF virus would go a long way toward helping with the design of an effective vaccine against HIV. Here we studied the biological properties of recently transmitted viruses isolated from infants who acquired infection from the mother and have come up with unique characterizations for the TF virus that establishes infection in the human host.


2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 5231-5245 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Sanchez-Merino ◽  
A. Fabra-Garcia ◽  
N. Gonzalez ◽  
D. Nicolas ◽  
A. Merino-Mansilla ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTA fraction of HIV-1 patients are able to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) after 2 to 4 years of infection. In rare occasions such antibodies are observed close to the first year of HIV-1 infection but never within the first 6 months. In this study, we analyzed the neutralization breadth of sera from 157 antiretroviral-naive individuals who were infected for less than 1 year. A range of neutralizing activities was observed with a previously described panel of six recombinant viruses from five different subtypes (M. Medina-Ramirez et al., J Virol85:5804–5813, 2011,http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02482-10). Some sera were broadly reactive, predominantly targeting envelope epitopes within the V2 glycan-dependent region. The neutralization breadth was positively associated with time postinfection (P= 0.0001), but contrary to what has been reported for chronic infections, no association with the viral load was observed. Notably, five individuals within the first 6 months of infection (two as early as 77 and 96 days postinfection) showed substantial cross-neutralization. This was confirmed with an extended panel of 20 Env pseudoviruses from four different subtypes (two in tier 3, 14 in tier 2, and four in tier 1). Sera from these individuals were capable of neutralizing viruses from four different subtypes with a geometric mean 50% infective dose (ID50) between 100 and 800. These results indicate that induction of cross-neutralizing responses, albeit rare, is achievable even within 6 months of HIV-1 infection. These observations encourage the search for immunogens able to elicit this kind of response in preventive HIV-1 vaccine approaches.IMPORTANCEThere are very few individuals able to mount broadly neutralizing activity (bNA) close to the first year postinfection. It is not known how early in the infection cross-neutralizing responses can be induced. In the present study, we show that bNAbs, despite being rare, can be induced much earlier than previously thought. The identification of HIV-1-infected patients with these activities within the first months of infection and characterization of these responses will help in defining new immunogen designs and neutralization targets for vaccine-mediated induction of bNAbs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (S1) ◽  
pp. A8-A8
Author(s):  
Saikat Boliar ◽  
Supratik Das ◽  
Manish Bansal ◽  
Brihaspati Narayan Shukla ◽  
Shilpa Patil ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zanele Ditse ◽  
Maximilian Muenchhoff ◽  
Emily Adland ◽  
Pieter Jooste ◽  
Philip Goulder ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that HIV-1-infected children develop broader and more potent neutralizing antibody responses than adults. This study aimed to determine the antibody specificities in 16 HIV-1 subtype C-infected children who displayed exceptional neutralization breadth on a 22-multisubtype virus panel. All children were antiretroviral treatment (ART) naive with normal CD4 counts despite being infected for a median of 10.1 years with high viral loads. The specificity of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) was determined using epitope-ablating mutants, chimeric constructs, and depletion or inhibition of activity with peptides and glycoproteins. We found that bNAbs in children largely targeted previously defined epitopes, including the V2-glycan, V3-glycan, CD4bs, and gp120-gp41 interface. Remarkably, 63% of children had antibodies targeting 2 or 3 and, in one case, 4 of these bNAb epitopes. Longitudinal analysis of plasma from a mother-child pair over 9 years showed that while they both had similar neutralization profiles, the antibody specificities differed. The mother developed antibodies targeting the V2-glycan and CD4bs, whereas bNAb specificities in the child could not be mapped until 6 years, when a minor V2-glycan response appeared. The child also developed high-titer membrane-proximal external region (MPER) binding antibodies not seen in the mother, although these were not a major bNAb specificity. Overall, exceptional neutralization breadth in this group of children may be the result of extended exposure to high antigenic load in the context of an intact immune system, which allowed for the activation of multiple B cell lineages and the generation of polyclonal responses targeting several bNAb epitopes. IMPORTANCE An HIV vaccine is likely to require bNAbs, which have been shown to prevent HIV acquisition in nonhuman primates. Recent evidence suggests that HIV-infected children are inherently better at generating bNAbs than adults. Here, we show that exceptional neutralization breadth in a group of viremic HIV-1 subtype C-infected children was due to the presence of polyclonal bNAb responses. These bNAbs targeted multiple epitopes on the HIV envelope glycoprotein previously defined in adult infection, suggesting that the immature immune system recognizes HIV antigens similarly. Since elicitation of a polyclonal bNAb response is the basis of next-generation HIV envelope vaccines, further studies of how bNAb lineages are stimulated in children is warranted. Furthermore, our findings suggest that children may respond particularly well to vaccines designed to elicit antibodies to multiple bNAb epitopes.


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