CD4-Induced epitopes in HIV infection

Epitopes located in and around the coreceptor binding site of gp120 represent some of the most conserved and functionally important sequences in the HIV envelope. Many of these epitopes can be exposed prior to and/or after attachment in a manner determined by envelope sequence and infection system. Furthermore, these epitopes are immunogenic in humans and elicit cognate antibodies exhibiting a range of structures and fine specificities. These features suggest that CD4i epitopes should be carefully evaluated for potential utility in vaccine development. Experiments to evaluate the relevance of anti-CD4i responses to the course and fate of HIV infection will be discussed.