title: Broadly neutralizing antibodies and the promise of universal vaccines: where are we now?
abstract: Recent research has provided strong support for the utility of broadly neutralizing antibodies generated against viruses, which inherently possess a high degree of antigenic variability (such as influenza virus or HIV) as a feasible means to prevent infection. Many of these antibodies share the ability to bind to highly conserved regions within the stem of the virus 'spike' or surface glycoprotein, in such a way that they interfere with virus entry, including membrane fusion. As a result, broadly neutralizing antibodies could be supplied to patients as a form of passive immunotherapy, as well as play a role in the design of new 'universal' vaccines and antiviral agents. The following article describes the most recent innovations in this exciting field.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. klh22@cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hefferon
mesh_terms: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000639:trends*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000502:physiology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines