Antigenic variation in gp120s from molecular clones of HIV-1 LAI

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1993 Dec;9(12):1185-93. doi: 10.1089/aid.1993.9.1185.

Abstract

To address the relationship between primary sequence variation in HIV-1 gp120 and its antigenic structure in a simple system, we have measured the binding of human and murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to gp120 from four molecular clones of HIV-1 LAI: HxB2, HxB3, Hx10, and NL4-3. Despite the close relationship between these clones, and their relatively conserved gp120 sequences, there is considerable variation in their antigenic structure, judged by MAb reactivities to the V2, V3, and C4 domains and to discontinuous epitopes. Because of our prior studies of the determinants of MAb binding to HxB2 gp120, we can make reasonable estimates of how sequence variation among the LAI clone gp120s affects their binding of some MAbs; for other MAbs our current knowledge of gp120 structure is too limited to allow such estimates. These results indicate that small variations in primary gp120 amino acid sequence can profoundly affect recognition of this glycoprotein by all five groups of defined anti-gp120 neutralizing antibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigenic Variation
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Epitopes / genetics
  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / genetics
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / immunology*
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Protein Binding / genetics
  • Protein Binding / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321)
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Proteins