We have an ongoing program to generate human antibodies to HlV-1 from phage display libraries. The antibodies are intended for clinical use and as tools to explore scientific questions related to HIV-1 infection. The clinical use includes passive immunization to reduce viral load in infected persons and prophylaxis in cases of accidental exposure to virus and in pregnant women to prevent transmission of the virus to offspring. The scientific questions to be explored include defining the epitopes on HIV-1 envelope recognized by human antibodies and understanding why some antibodies are particularly potent in neutralizing virus. These questions pertain directly to vaccine design. The library approach has already generated an antibody capable of broad neutralization of a range of primary isolates of HIV-1 in vitro and protection against infection by a laboratory strain of HIV-1 in the HuSCID mouse model. The antibody has now been improved in terms of both affinity and potency by a procedure of in vitro evolution. Recent data on the brisk production of virus in HIV-1 infection have highlighted the potential value of reducing viral load in limiting disease. Rapid turnover however also increases the problems of neutralization escape so that a single antibody, even if potent, is likely to have limited beneficial effect. Our strategy is to use phage display libraries to isolate a number of antibodies against distinct envelope epitopes with the ability to potently neutralize primary isolates of HIV-1. It is envisaged that a cocktail of these antibodies, or in vitro evolved versions, will be used in combination with other anti-retroviral agents as prophylactic and therapeutic agents in HIV-1 infection. The first specific aim of the proposal is to evaluate a number of promising antibodies (Fabs) generated in the first phase of the project particularly in terms of neutralization of primary isolates, neutralization escape and potential mimetopes.
The second aim i s to generate new antibodies, particularly from long-term non-progressors, for evaluation.
The third aim i s to evaluate in vitro evolved and whole antibody versions of the Fabs from the first two aims for inclusion in a cocktail of antibodies for therapeutic and prophylactic use.
The fourth aim i s to explore features of antibody recognition of viral envelope which lead to potent neutralization of primary isolates. An understanding of this relationship may eventually lead to small molecules capable of mimicking the effect of antibody.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
2R37AI033292-04
Application #
2068283
Study Section
AIDS and Related Research Study Section 1 (ARRA)
Project Start
1992-07-01
Project End
2000-06-30
Budget Start
1995-07-01
Budget End
1996-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Scripps Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92037
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Jardine, Joseph; Julien, Jean-Philippe; Menis, Sergey et al. (2013) Rational HIV immunogen design to target specific germline B cell receptors. Science 340:711-6
Julien, Jean-Philippe; Sok, Devin; Khayat, Reza et al. (2013) Broadly neutralizing antibody PGT121 allosterically modulates CD4 binding via recognition of the HIV-1 gp120 V3 base and multiple surrounding glycans. PLoS Pathog 9:e1003342
Gavrilyuk, Julia; Ban, Hitoshi; Uehara, Hisatoshi et al. (2013) Antibody conjugation approach enhances breadth and potency of neutralization of anti-HIV-1 antibodies and CD4-IgG. J Virol 87:4985-93
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Ahmed, Fatima K; Clark, Brenda E; Burton, Dennis R et al. (2012) An engineered mutant of HIV-1 gp120 formulated with adjuvant Quil A promotes elicitation of antibody responses overlapping the CD4-binding site. Vaccine 30:922-30
Doria-Rose, Nicole A; Georgiev, Ivelin; O'Dell, Sijy et al. (2012) A short segment of the HIV-1 gp120 V1/V2 region is a major determinant of resistance to V1/V2 neutralizing antibodies. J Virol 86:8319-23
Burton, Dennis R; Hessell, Ann J; Keele, Brandon F et al. (2011) Limited or no protection by weakly or nonneutralizing antibodies against vaginal SHIV challenge of macaques compared with a strongly neutralizing antibody. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108:11181-6
Pejchal, Robert; Doores, Katie J; Walker, Laura M et al. (2011) A potent and broad neutralizing antibody recognizes and penetrates the HIV glycan shield. Science 334:1097-103
Agrawal, Nitish; Leaman, Daniel P; Rowcliffe, Eric et al. (2011) Functional stability of unliganded envelope glycoprotein spikes among isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). PLoS One 6:e21339

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