title: A group M consensus envelope glycoprotein induces antibodies that neutralize subsets of subtype B and C HIV-1 primary viruses.
abstract: HIV-1 subtype C is the most common HIV-1 group M subtype in Africa and many parts of Asia. However, to date HIV-1 vaccine candidate immunogens have not induced potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies against subtype C primary isolates. We have used a centralized gene strategy to address HIV-1 diversity and generated a group M consensus envelope gene with shortened consensus variable loops (CON-S) for comparative studies with wild-type (WT) Env immunogens. Our results indicate that the consensus HIV-1 group M CON-S Env elicited cross-subtype neutralizing antibodies of similar or greater breadth and titer than the WT Envs tested, indicating the utility of a centralized gene strategy. Our study also shows the feasibility of iterative improvements in Env immunogenicity by rational design of centralized genes.
authors.affiliation: Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA. hilao@acpub.duke.edu
authors.forename: Hua-Xin
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: Shi-Mao
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Scearce
authors.forename: Stacie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanleeuwen
authors.forename: S Munir
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McAdams
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Zenaido
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: Ben-Jiang
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nabel
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Montefiori
authors.forename: Beatrice H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Bette T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Korber
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Barton F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Haynes
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C097729:gp140 envelope protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1