Possible explanations for the broadly neutralizing activity of HIV-1 gp41 specific monoclonal antibodies by recognition pattern based amino acid sequence analyses

Identifying possible sites for antibody neutralization escape: Implications for unique functional properties of the C-terminal tail of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41

A previous amino acid sequence analyses from our laboratory reported nine potential sites in gp41 glycoprotein of HIV-1 that may contribute to virus escape from antibody neutralization. Besides four sites found outside the membrane of HIV-1 virus, five located in the C-terminal tail of gp41 specifically in the lentivirus lytic peptides motifs (LLPs). To further study the bioinformatical results, the virus infectivity assay and the standard neutralization assay were conducted on conservatively mutated virus. Two sites in the LLP3 domain stood out with the ability to alter the resistance of HIV-1 virus to certain broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). While the glycoprotein incorporation on the viral membrane and the interaction of the LLP3 domain with the lipid membrane remained unaltered, the increase in neutralization resistance of the mutant virus was associated with the changes on Env conformation. Our findings demonstrate different sensibility of bNAbs to mutations in the C-terminal tail and indicate an unrecognized potential role for even minor sequence variation in the C-terminal tail in modulating the antigenicity of the ectodomain of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein complex.

Thermodynamic analysis of the binding of 2F5 (Fab and immunoglobulin G forms) to its gp41 epitope reveals a strong influence of the immunoglobulin Fc region on affinity

Immunotherapies and vaccines based on the induction of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bNAbs) have become outstanding strategies against HIV-1. Diverse bNAbs recognizing different regions of the HIV-1 envelope have been identified and extensively studied. However, there is little information about the thermodynamics of binding of these bNAbs and their epitopes. We used isothermal titration calorimetry to characterize thermodynamically the interactions between bNAb2F5 (in both the IgG and Fab forms) and its functional and core epitope peptides. We found that these interactions are enthalpically driven and opposed by a negative entropy change. The highest affinity was found for 2F5 IgG for its functional epitope, indicating that additional interactions involving residues flanking the core epitope contribute strongly to higher affinity. In addition, the strong influence of the Fc region on the binding affinity suggests long-range allosteric effects within IgG. Our results provide useful information for developing new therapeutics against HIV-1 and, in a broader scope, contribute to a better understanding of antigen-antibody recognition.