title: Evaluation of a synthetic vaccine construct as antigen for the detection of HIV-induced humoral responses.
abstract: Synthetic V3 loop peptides hold numerous benefits for the development of HIV vaccines and in immunodiagnosis; however, their use is limited due to the extensive antigenic variability of this region. The effectiveness of a potential HIV vaccine component, which accounts for V3 loop variability, is evaluated here. A branched peptide construct representing multiple sequences and allowing 1.8 x 10(16) possible permutations was developed to mimic circulating HIV-1 subtype C, V3 loops. The construct was found to be immunogenic, able to induce neutralizing antibodies and sensitive to HIV-1 subtype B/C and HIV-2. This alternative antigen format also incorporates conformational epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rand Afrikaans University, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hewer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic