Envelope-constrained neutralization-sensitive HIV-1 after heterosexual transmission.
Heterosexual transmission accounts for the majority of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infections worldwide, yet the viral properties that determine transmission fitness or outgrowth have not been elucidated. Here we show, for eight heterosexual transmission pairs, that recipient viruses were monophyletic, encoding compact, glycan-restricted envelope glycoproteins. These viruses were also uniquely sensitive to neutralization by antibody from the transmitting partner. Thus, the exposure of neutralizing epitopes, which are lost in chronic infection because of immune escape, appears to be favored in the newly infected host. This reveals characteristics of the envelope glycoprotein that influence HIV-1 transmission and may have implications for vaccine design.
Derdeyn
Cynthia A
CA
Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA.
Decker
Julie M
JM
Bibollet-Ruche
Frederic
F
Mokili
John L
JL
Muldoon
Mark
M
Denham
Scott A
SA
Heil
Marintha L
ML
Kasolo
Francis
F
Musonda
Rosemary
R
Hahn
Beatrice H
BH
Shaw
George M
GM
Korber
Bette T
BT
Allen
Susan
S
Hunter
Eric
E
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env; D006031:Glycosylation; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D015024:Zambia
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000939:Epitopes; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120