Simple strategy to induce antibodies of distinct specificity: Application to the mapping of gp120 and inhibition of HIV-1 infectivity

✍ Scribed by Isidro Prieto; Sandra Hervás-Stubbs; Marta García-Granero; Carmen Berasain; José-Ignacio Riezu-Boj; Juan-José Lasarte; Pablo Sarobe; Jesus Prieto; Francisco Borrás-Cuesta

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 780 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830250403

✦ Synopsis

Simple strategy to induce antibodies of distinct specificity: application to the mapping of gpl20 and inhibition of HIV-1 infectivity*

In this study 96 15-mer peptides encompassing the entire sequence of HIV-1 gp120 were synthesized and used to immunize BALBk mice (i) alone or (ii) in conjunction with the T helper cell determinant FISEAIIHVLHSR (FIS) from sperm whale myoglobin, which is well recognized by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 11 molecules of BALB/c. Of these peptides 39 were immunogenicper se and 57 were not. Out of the 57 non-immunogenic peptides 53 could be rendered immunogenic with the second immunization protocol.With the exception of 4 cases, the anti-peptide antibody titers induced in (ii) were equal (14 cases) or higher (78 cases) than those induced in (i). From the 96 anti-peptide antibodies tested, 12 were able to recognize recombinant gp120 with good antibody titers, a result in agreement with previously identified B cell epitopes from gp120 by anti-peptide antibodies induced with longer peptides conjugated to a carrier protein. Moreover, 4 of the 12 anti-peptide aritisera that recognized gp120 were able to neutralize HIV-1 infectivity in vitro, showing that the strategy of co-immunization with FIS may afford functional antibodies.