title: Synthetic peptide AT20 coupled to KLH elicits antibodies against a conserved conformational epitope from a major functional area of the HIV-1 matrix protein p17.
abstract: The major challenge for the development of a highly effective peptide-based vaccine is represented by the diversity of HIV-1 strains among human population. HIV-1 matrix protein p17 is a candidate antigen for therapeutic vaccines against AIDS. Here we show that antibodies elicited in animals by immunizing them with a synthetic peptide representative of the p17 functional epitope (AT20) derived from HIV-1 BH10 (clade B), neutralize the biological activity of p17 derived from divergent strains displaying critical mutations within AT20, by recognizing a highly conserved conformational epitope. This finding shows that AT20, as an immunogenic molecule, elicits broadly neutralizing anti-p17 antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology, Department of Experimental and Applied Medicine, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiorentini
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marsico
authors.forename: Pablo D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Iaria
authors.forename: Rosalinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caruso
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin