This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.It is now clear the the intestine and other mucosal tissues are of major importance in both the transmission as well as the early pathogenesis of HIV infection. Based on our earlier work, we have hypothesized that mucosal immune responses, particularly humoral immune responses mediated by IgA, may be more important for controlling HIV infection than systemic immune responses such as IgG. To test this hypothesis, we have recently performed a study in which an anti-HIV monoclonal antibody was designed with an IgA heavy chain and systemically infused into macaques to determine if there would be greater secretion of this antibody in mucosal surfaces compared to the same antibody in its native (IgG) form. We have completed these experiments and are currently examining mucosal swabs collected from these animals for quantitative immunoglobulin assessment. If we find that this antibody when in an IgA isotype is indeed secreted in higher levels than the IgG isotype, we will perfom challenge studies to see if these mucosal antibodies provide better protection than IgG isotypes. This could be highly relevant for HIV vaccine design.
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