title: Relationship between antibody 2F5 neutralization of HIV-1 and hydrophobicity of its heavy chain third complementarity-determining region.
abstract: The membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the HIV-1 gp41 transmembrane glycoprotein is the target of the broadly neutralizing antibody 2F5. Prior studies have suggested a two-component mechanism for 2F5-mediated neutralization involving both structure-specific recognition of a gp41 protein epitope and nonspecific interaction with the viral lipid membrane. Here, we mutationally alter a hydrophobic patch on the third complementarity-determining region of the heavy chain (CDR H3) of the 2F5 antibody and assess the abilities of altered 2F5 variants to bind gp41 and to neutralize diverse strains of HIV-1. CDR H3 alterations had little effect on the affinity of 2F5 variants for a peptide corresponding to its gp41 epitope. In contrast, strong effects and a high degree of correlation (P < 0.0001) were found between virus neutralization and CDR H3 hydrophobicity, as defined by predicted free energies of transfer from water to a lipid bilayer interface or to octanol. The effect of CDR H3 hydrophobicity on neutralization was independent of isolate sensitivity to 2F5, and CDR H3 variants with tryptophan substitutions were able to neutralize HIV-1 approximately 10-fold more potently than unmodified 2F5. A threshold was observed for increased hydrophobicity of the 2F5 CDR H3 loop beyond which effects on 2F5-mediated neutralization leveled off. Together, the results provide a more complete understanding of the 2F5 mechanism of HIV-1 neutralization and indicate ways to enhance the potency of MPER-directed antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ofek
authors.forename: Krisha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Guenaga
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zwick
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nabel
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mascola
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Kwong
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D007155:Immunologic Factors