The role of the viral glycoprotein in HIV-1 persistence

Variability and Immunogenicity of Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus Surface Glycoprotein

“…Examination of caprine humoral immune reactivities allowed the identification of a distinct immunodominant epitope (peptide 75, residues 526 to 532) in the carboxy terminus of SU, located in the V5 region just downstream from the immunodominant epitope (residues 519 to 525) of the C4 region. This epitope reacted (38) with 84% of caprine immune sera tested. Comparison of amino acid sequences in the V5 region revealed a high sequence homology among French isolates whereas sequences greatly differed between American and French isolates, suggesting that this immunogenic determinant is conserved between geographically linked CAEV isolates, a situation reinforced by extensive commercial exchanges of infected animals among neighboring regions.…”

Covalently Linked Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp120/gp41 Is Stably Anchored in Rhabdovirus Particles and Exposes Critical Neutralizing Epitopes

“…Such an immunogen should faithfully represent the antigenic structure of the virion-associated envelope complex, since neutralizing capacity has been observed with antibodies directed against epitopes contained on the native Env trimer (10,12,68,73,82). However, formulating vaccines capable of eliciting neutralizing antibodies has been quite difficult because of the labile nature of gp120-gp41 interactions and the antigenic differences between virion-associated gp160 and monomeric or dissociated subunits (11,15,53,54,67).Following oligomerization in the endoplasmic reticulum, the gp160 precursor protein is cleaved by cellular proteases and is transported to the cell surface (28, 49). The mature, virionassociated form of the HIV-1 Env glycoprotein is a trimeric molecule composed of three gp120 and three gp41 subunits held together by weak noncovalent interactions (30,73,103).…”

“…Such an immunogen should faithfully represent the antigenic structure of the virion-associated envelope complex, since neutralizing capacity has been observed with antibodies directed against epitopes contained on the native Env trimer (10,12,68,73,82). However, formulating vaccines capable of eliciting neutralizing antibodies has been quite difficult because of the labile nature of gp120-gp41 interactions and the antigenic differences between virion-associated gp160 and monomeric or dissociated subunits (11,15,53,54,67).…”