A recombinant mimetics of the HIV-1 gp41 prehairpin fusion intermediate fused with human IgG Fc fragment elicits neutralizing antibody response in the vaccinated mice.
HIV-1 gp41 prehairpin fusion intermediate (PFI) composed of three N-terminal heptad repeats (NHR) plays a crucial role in viral fusion and entry and represents an attractive target for anti-HIV therapeutics (e.g., enfuvirtide) and vaccines. In present study, we constructed and expressed two recombinant gp41 PFI mimetics, designated N46Fd and N46FdFc. N46Fd consists of N46 (residues 536-581) in gp41 NHR and foldon (Fd), a trimerization motif. N46FdFc is composed of N46Fd fused with human IgG Fc fragment as an immunoenhancer. We immunized mice with N46 peptide, N46Fd and N46FdFc, respectively, and found that only N46FdFc elicited neutralizing antibody response in mice against infection by HIV-1 strains IIIB (clade B, X4), 92US657 (clade B, R5), and 94UG103 (clade A, X4R5). Anti-N46FdFc antibodies inhibited PIE7 binding to PFI, blocked gp41 six-helix bundle formation, and suppressed HIV-1 mediated cell-cell fusion. These findings provide an important clue for developing recombinant gp41 PFI mimetics-based HIV vaccines.
Qi
Zhi
Z
Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Pan
Chungen
C
Lu
Hong
H
Shui
Yuan
Y
Li
Lin
L
Li
Xiaojuan
X
Xu
Xueqing
X
Liu
Shuwen
S
Jiang
Shibo
S
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins