Scientists Determine Structure Of Antibody That Neutralizes HIV.(Brief Article)

2001 SEP 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) --

Scientists working in The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and at the Glycobiology Institute at Oxford University in the United Kingdom have elucidated the structure of an antibody that effectively neutralizes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Their work is reported in the August 10, 2001, issue of Science.

Designated b12, the antibody has a long finger-like region on its surface that penetrates the surface of the main viral glycoprotein gp120 on the HIV and prevents it from causing disease. The authors hope that the structure of this region will provide a basis for the design of effective vaccines against HIV (Saphire et al., "Crystal structure of a neutralizing human IgG against HIV-1: A template for vaccine design," Science, August 10, 2001).

"A lot of people in the HIV field are excited by this structure," says Ian Wilson, DPhil, of the Skaggs Institute and Department of Molecular Biology. "It clearly illustrates the sort of antibody you need to raise in order to have an effective vaccine against HIV."

HIV binds to, enters, and, ultimately, leads to the killing of certain blood cells distinguished by a certain protein, called CD4, that these cells carry on their surfaces. T cells and macrophages, which both carry CD4, are necessary to fight off infections by common bacteria and other pathogens, and these pathogens become potentially lethal to patients after their own immune system destroys the infected CD4 cells.

One of the most compelling medical challenges today is to develop a vaccine that will provide complete prophylactic protection to someone who is later exposed to this virus. An important part of such a vaccine will be an effective neutralizing antibody against HIV.