Immunogenicity of Stabilized HIV-1 Envelope Trimers with Reduced Exposure of Non-neutralizing Epitopes

Steven W. de Taeye, Gabriel Ozorowski, Alba Torrents de la Peña, Miklos Guttman, Jean-Philippe Julien, Tom L. G. M. van den Kerkhof, Judith A. Burger, Laura K. Pritchard, Pavel Pugach, Anila Yasmeen, Jordan Crampton, Joyce Hu, Ilja Bontjer, Jonathan L. Torres, Heather Arendt, Joanne DeStefano, Wayne C. Koff, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Dirk Eggink, Ben BerkhoutHansi Dean, Celia Labranche, Shane Crotty, Max Crispin, David C. Montefiori, P. J. Klasse, Kelly K. Lee, John P. Moore, Ian A. Wilson, Andrew B. Ward, Rogier W. Sanders

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

264 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The envelope glycoprotein trimer mediates HIV-1 entry into cells. The trimer is flexible, fluctuating between closed and more open conformations and sometimes sampling the fully open, CD4-bound form. We hypothesized that conformational flexibility and transient exposure of non-neutralizing, immunodominant epitopes could hinder the induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). We therefore modified soluble Env trimers to stabilize their closed, ground states. The trimer variants were indeed stabilized in the closed conformation, with a reduced ability to undergo receptor-induced conformational changes and a decreased exposure of non-neutralizing V3-directed antibody epitopes. In rabbits, the stabilized trimers induced similar autologous Tier-1B or Tier-2 NAb titers to those elicited by the corresponding wild-type trimers but lower levels of V3-directed Tier-1A NAbs. Stabilized, closed trimers might therefore be useful components of vaccines aimed at inducing bNAbs
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1702-1715
JournalCell
Volume163
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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