Centralized immunogens as a vaccine strategy to overcome HIV-1 diversity.
Genetic variation of HIV-1 represents a major obstacle for AIDS vaccine development. With the amino acid sequence divergence as high as 30% in envelopes between different subtypes among HIV-1 group M viruses, it is unlikely that cross-subtype protection will occur equally well among all subtypes. Computer programs have been used to generate 'centralized' HIV gene sequences: consensus, ancestor or center of the tree. These sequences can decrease the genetic distances between the 'centralized' and wild-type gene immunogens to half of those between any wild-type immuongens to each other. Recent studies demonstrated that an artificial group M consensus env gene is equidistant from any subtype and recombinants. It is biologically functional and preserves antigenicity similar to contemporary Env proteins. Most importantly, the group M consensus Env immunogen can elicit both T- and B-cell responses to wild-type HIV-1 isolates.
The Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA. gao00006@mc.duke.edu
Feng
F
Gao
Bette T
BT
Korber
Eric
E
Weaver
Hua-Xin
HX
Liao
Beatrice H
BH
Hahn
Barton F
BF
Haynes
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D012984:Software
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015488:HIV Antigens