Neutralizing Antibody Responses Induced by HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein SOSIP Trimers Derived from Elite Neutralizers
Anna Schorcht, Tom L.G.M. van den Kerkhof, Christopher A. Cottrell, Joel D. Allen, Jonathan L. Torres, Anna‐Janina Behrens, Edith E. Schermer, Judith A. Burger, Steven W. de Taeye, Alba Torrents de la Peña, Ilja Bontjer, Stephanie B. H. Gumbs, Gabriel Ozorowski, Celia C. LaBranche, Natalia de Val, Anila Yasmeen, Per Johan Klasse, David C. Montefiori, John P. Moore, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Max Crispin, Marit J. van Gils, Andrew B. Ward, Rogier W. Sanders
Abstract
Elite neutralizers, i.e., individuals who developed unusually broad and potent neutralizing antibody responses, might serve as blueprints for HIV-1 vaccine design. Here, we studied the immunogenicity of native-like recombinant envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers based on viral sequences from elite neutralizers. While immunization with single trimers from elite neutralization did not recapitulate the breadth and potency of neutralization observed in these infected individuals, a combination of three subtype B Env trimers from elite neutralizers resulted in some neutralization breadth within subtype B viruses. These results should guide future efforts to design vaccines to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies.