Advanced protein engineering produces a candidate HIV vaccine prime immunogen – J Jardine, C Corbaci
A CIHR Banting Fellow in the Julien laboratory at the SickKids Research Institute, June Ereño-Orbea solved the crystal structure of an engineered HIV-1 immunogen, which brings the field one step closer to inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) as a major HIV vaccine goal. This study, led by Bill Schief at The Scripps Research Institute and published in Science resolves a critical unmet challenge: to design a molecule that binds naïve B cells precursor of bnAbs at sufficient frequency in humans for reliable vaccine responses. As a proof-of-concept, the engineered immunogen was successful in isolating naïve B cells precursor of bnAbs in 96% of HIV-uninfected donors. Structures of antibodies isolated from HIV-uninfected donors and their affinities to the immunogen support its testing as a candidate human vaccine prime; a trial of a new HIV vaccine is expected to begin late next year.
