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P05-11. Yeast mannan genetics controls the molecular specificity of anti-carbohydrate antibodies cross-reactive to the HIV envelope
Retrovirology volume 6, Article number: P87 (2009)
Background
Immunologically self carbohydrates protect the human immunodeficiency virus type -1 (HIV-1) surface glycoprotein, gp120 from antibody recognition. However, one broadly neutralising antibody, 2G12, can protect against primary viral challenge by direct recognition of these "self" glycans on gp120. Immunogens capable of eliciting antibodies of similar specificity are candidates for HIV/AIDS vaccine design. The polysaccharides of common yeasts exhibit significant structural and antigenic mimicry with the immunologically "self" glycans of gp120; 2G12 also recognises yeast mannans.
Methods
Wild-type and genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to intravenously inoculate rabbits. Sera from these animals was subjected to gp120-binding ELISAs, carbohydrate microarray analysis, and ex vivo neutralisation assay.
Results
Here we report that manipulation of yeast mannan biosynthesis controls the molecular specificity of cross-reactive antibodies to gp120. Carbohydrate microarray analysis of gp120-reactive sera produced following immunization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SCWT) revealed serum with high reactivity to "self" Man8GlcNAc2 glycans. In contrast, immunisation with S. cerevisiae deficient for the Mnn1 a1,3 mannosyl transferase gene (SCMnn1), elicited gp120-reactive antibodies directed to Man9GlcNAc2 glycans. Terminal Mana1-3 linkages that cap the common repeating (Mana1-2Man) core motif are absent in the SCMnn1 strain.
Conclusion
These data reveal that anti-carbohydrate antibodies that bind gp120 can be reliably elicited by microbial mimicry. The specificities of these antibodies can be controlled by genetic manipulation of mannan biosynthesis, suggesting a route towards HIV vaccine design.
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Open Access This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Dunlop, D., Mansab, F., Doores, K. et al. P05-11. Yeast mannan genetics controls the molecular specificity of anti-carbohydrate antibodies cross-reactive to the HIV envelope. Retrovirology 6 (Suppl 3), P87 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-6-S3-P87
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-6-S3-P87
Keywords
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type
- Vaccine Design
- Core Motif
- Molecular Specificity