Developmental Pathway of the MPER-Directed HIV-1-Neutralizing Antibody 10E8

Antibody 10E8 targets the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 gp41, neutralizes >97% of HIV-1 isolates, and lacks the auto-reactivity often associated with MPER-directed antibodies. The developmental pathway of 10E8 might therefore serve as a promising template for vaccine design, but samples from time-of-infection—often used to infer the B cell record—are unavailable. In this study, we used crystallography, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and functional assessments to infer the 10E8 developmental pathway from a single time point. Mutational analysis indicated somatic hypermutation of the 2nd-heavy chain-complementarity determining region (CDR H2) to be critical for neutralization, and structures of 10E8 variants with V-gene regions reverted to genomic origin for heavy-and-light chains or heavy chain-only showed structural differences >2 Å relative to mature 10E8 in the CDR H2 and H3. To understand these developmental changes, we used bioinformatic sieving, maximum likelihood, and parsimony analyses of immunoglobulin transcripts to identify 10E8-lineage members, to infer the 10E8-unmutated common ancestor (UCA), and to calculate 10E8-developmental intermediates. We were assisted in this analysis by the preservation of a critical D-gene segment, which was unmutated in most 10E8-lineage sequences. UCA and early intermediates weakly bound a 26-residue-MPER peptide, whereas HIV-1 neutralization and epitope recognition in liposomes were only observed with late intermediates. Antibody 10E8 thus develops from a UCA with weak MPER affinity and substantial differences in CDR H2 and H3 from the mature 10E8; only after extensive somatic hypermutation do 10E8-lineage members gain recognition in the context of membrane and HIV-1 neutralization

Structural constraints of vaccine-induced tier-2 autologous HIV neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding site.

CAPRISA, 2017.Abstract available in pdf

Amino acid changes in the HIV-1 gp41 membrane proximal region control virus neutralization sensitivity.

CAPRISA, 2016.Abstract available in pdf

Strain-Specific V3 and CD4 Binding Site Autologous HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibodies Select Neutralization-Resistant Viruses.

The third variable (V3) loop and the CD4 binding site (CD4bs) of the HIV-1 envelope are frequently targeted by neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) in infected individuals. In chronic infection, HIV-1 escape mutants repopulate the plasma, and V3 and CD4bs nAbs emerge that can neutralize heterologous tier 1 easy-to-neutralize but not tier 2 difficult-to-neutralize HIV-1 isolates. However, neutralization sensitivity of autologous plasma viruses to this type of nAb response has not been studied. We describe the development and evolution in vivo of antibodies distinguished by their target specificity for V3 and CD4bs epitopes on autologous tier 2 viruses but not on heterologous tier 2 viruses. A surprisingly high fraction of autologous circulating viruses was sensitive to these antibodies. These findings demonstrate a role for V3 and CD4bs antibodies in constraining the native envelope trimer in vivo to a neutralization-resistant phenotype, explaining why HIV-1 transmission generally occurs by tier 2 neutralization-resistant viruses

Strain-Specific V3 and CD4 Binding Site Autologous HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibodies Select Neutralization-Resistant Viruses

The third variable (V3) loop and the CD4 binding site (CD4bs) of the HIV-1 envelope are frequently targeted by neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) in infected individuals. In chronic infection, HIV-1 escape mutants repopulate the plasma, and V3 and CD4bs nAbs emerge that can neutralize heterologous tier 1 easy-to-neutralize, but not tier 2 difficult-to-neutralize HIV-1 isolates. However, neutralization sensitivity of autologous plasma viruses to this type of nAb response has not been studied. We describe the development and evolution in vivo of antibodies distinguished by their target specificity for V3and CD4bs epitopes on autologous tier 2 viruses but not on heterologous tier 2 viruses. A surprisingly high fraction of autologous circulating viruses was sensitive to these antibodies. These findings demonstrate a role for V3 and CD4bs antibodies in constraining the native envelope trimer in vivo to a neutralization-resistant phenotype, explaining why HIV-1 transmission generally occurs by tier 2 neutralization-resistant viruses

Immunoglobulin gene insertions and deletions in the affinity maturation of HIV-1 broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies.

CAPRISA, 2014.Abstract available in pdf

Antibody light-chain-restricted recognition of the site of immune pressure in the RV144 HIV-1 vaccine trial is phylogenetically conserved.

CAPRISA, 2014.Abstract available in pdf

Analysis of 10E8 somatic hypermutation identifies critical K52T mutation.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Summary of CDR H2 somatic hypermutation and 10E8 neutralization. Total mutations from germline are indicated for both heavy and light chains. The CDR H2 germline sequence is shown colored blue with somatic mutations indicated in black. Viruses neutralized with an IC₅₀ < 50 μg/ml or < 1 μg/ml are indicated (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0157409#pone.0157409.s007" target="_blank">S1 Table</a> for details on HIV-1 isolate panel). (<b>B</b>) Superposition of mature 10E8 complex structure and 10E8 gHv/gLv. Coloring is the same as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0157409#pone.0157409.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a>. (<b>C</b>) Expanded view of CDR H2. Residues that were mutated and gave improved 10E8 gHv/gLv neutralization levels are shown in stick representation. Residues Phe 673 (MPER) and Lys 52 (10E8 gHv/gLv) overlap and are not compatible with binding due to steric clashing.</p

Crystallographic data collection and refinement statistics.

<p>Crystallographic data collection and refinement statistics.</p