HIV包膜蛋白跨膜区的结构对疫苗设计的意义

人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodefi ciency virus,HIV)包膜蛋白(envelope protein,Env)是一个跨膜蛋白,其作用是介导病毒和细胞膜的融合,帮助病毒进入细胞。Env作为病毒粒子表面上的唯一抗原,是目前HIV疫苗设计的主要目标。近年来,关于这个包膜蛋白的胞外区的结构信息有很多研究报道,但是关于跨膜区(transmembrane domain,TMD)的结构机制还不清楚。我们利用最新建立的一整套高效的膜蛋白核磁技术,在类似磷脂膜的双分子Bicelle环境中,首次解析了HIV-1Env跨膜区的高分辨空间结构。结果表明,TMD形成有序的三聚体结构,保护埋在膜内保守的精氨酸残基。N-端卷曲螺旋和C-末端的亲水核心一起稳定这个三聚体,而后者可以在结构上连接到胞质区尾巴。生物学功能实验证明,一些氨基酸突变可以破坏TMD三聚体的稳定性,而这些突变也减弱了成熟Env对抗体的敏感性。也就是说,如果TMD不能形成稳定的三聚体,原本可以通过稳定Env三聚体而达到广泛中和病毒的抗体,也不能有效识别HIV-1Env抗原。因此,我们得出结论,Env的TMD对于维持整个Env的天然构象稳定性非常重要。也许可以通过考虑TMD对Env胞外区影响的分子机理,为针对艾滋病病毒的疫苗设计提供新的思路。     

Nature 导读

<正>HIV-1逃避免疫反应的结构基础Env三聚体是TypeⅠ融合机制的构成部分,其作用是通过与宿主细胞受体发生相互作用,并融合病毒包膜与宿主细胞膜来帮助病毒进入细胞。该研究提供了"1-型人免疫缺陷病毒"(HIV-1)的Env三聚体的新晶体结构。Env三聚体由三个gp120和三个gp41亚单元组成,该结构显示了Env的融合前形式,     

5个HIV基因修饰可明显提高其在不同系统中的表达

目的:确定HIV-1疫苗中有效的交叉保护性细胞免疫抗原,提高各个基因在相应疫苗载体中的表达水平,为研究不同抗原在DNA载体和痘苗病毒载体中的免疫原性奠定实验基础。方法:选择HIV B′/C亚型5个以细胞免疫为主的抗原(Gag、Pol、Rev、Tat和Nef),进行基因序列优化及表达结构改造,并分别构建以质粒DNA和重组痘苗病毒为载体的两大类HIV-1疫苗。结果:优化前后5个目的基因均能够在这2种载体中有效表达;虽然采用相同的基因修饰策略,但与痘苗病毒载体相比,在DNA载体中各基因表达水平的提高均较为明显;含有抑制性序列(INS)的gag、pol基因经密码子优化后,Gag、Pol蛋白的表达均明显提高,其中Pol蛋白的提高更为明显,单独pol基因比gagpol天然结构表达水平要高,而gag基因却变化不大;对于rev、tat、nef基因而言,优化后的单独基因结构要略高于优化后的融合结构(hRTN),且二者均高于未优化的融合结构(RTN)。结论:为进一步确定HIV-1疫苗中有效的交叉保护性细胞免疫抗原、研究不同抗原在DNA载体和痘苗病毒载体中的免疫原性奠定了实验基础,为进一步研究DNA疫苗和重组痘苗病毒疫苗联合免疫提供了实验依据。     

人类免疫缺陷病毒1型gp140包膜蛋白三聚体在哺乳动物细胞中的高效表达及其性质鉴定

本研究目的是通过优化1型人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV-1)gp140编码基因的密码子和克隆设计,从而实现在293T哺乳动物细胞中高效表达,并对纯化获得的gp140蛋白进行抗原性质鉴定。在本研究中选择HIV-1B亚型NL4-3全基因序列为模板进行gp140克隆构建,通过密码子优化、信号肽替换、增加柔性linker、三聚体折叠序列等方法优化设计。通过HIV-1转录反式激活因子tat共转HEK293T细胞进行gp140蛋白表达,采用镍柱纯化。SDS-PAGE、Western blot、ELISA、负染电镜等结果显示目的蛋白纯度高于70%,每升培养基可获得0.5mg gp140蛋白,并且具有良好的抗原活性,电镜下呈现三聚体结构。通过弗氏佐剂与目的蛋白混合免疫Balb/c小鼠,检测小鼠免疫血清显示gp140蛋白能有效刺激机体产生免疫应答。本研究通过优化表达获得B亚型HIV-1NL4-3gp140蛋白,为HIV-1病毒包膜蛋白结构和重组疫苗研究奠定基础。     

利用细胞筛选法从噬菌体抗体库鉴定人源HIV-1单克隆中和抗体

以细胞法从HIV-1CRF07_BC特异性噬菌体抗体库中筛选和鉴定针对病毒包膜蛋白(Envelope,Env)的人源单克隆中和抗体。将pCH064.2-Env质粒转染293T细胞,以表达Env的活细胞淘洗噬菌体抗体库;利用细胞ELISA方法筛选Env特异性噬菌体阳性克隆,并测定抗体重链可变区(VH)和轻链可变区(VL)序列;以Ni+2-NTA层析柱纯化抗体Fab,SDS-PAGE分析抗体纯度;采用基于转染细胞和重组蛋白的ELISA以及流式细胞技术分析抗体的结合活性;以HIV-1假病毒系统评价抗体的中和活性。四轮淘洗使细胞特异性噬菌体得到约650倍的高度富集,细胞ELISA筛选到28个抗HIV Env的阳性克隆,序列分析发现五个具有不同VH和VL序列的抗体Fab(2801、2837、2863、2870和2920)。这些抗体与转染env的293T细胞反应,但不与重组表达的可溶性gp120蛋白反应,说明它们有可能针对依赖于Env复合物的空间构象表位。我们发现2801、2863和2870三个Fab抗体对HIV-1CRF07_BC亚型CH120.6毒株具有较强的中和活性,其IC50值分别为2.24μg/mL、0.89μg/mL和3.09μg/mL。其中,2801和2863对B亚型HIV-1毒株SF162具有较强的交叉中和作用,其IC50值分别为0.69μg/mL和3.52μg/mL。提示表达于293T细胞表面的HIV-1 Env可以有效富集和筛选噬菌体抗体库,并能成功分离和鉴定依赖于Env空间构象表位的HIV-1中和抗体。因此本研究为探讨HIV-1中和抗体的反应机制和研发艾滋病疫苗提供了新的技术平台。     

HIV-1结构蛋白在重组痘苗病毒中的高效表达研究

HIV-1粒子中含有3类结构蛋白,即核心蛋白(Gag)、聚合酶(pol)和外膜蛋白(Env)。Gag蛋白既具有诱导体液免疫和细胞免疫的抗原决定簇,又能够自我装配成病毒样粒子     

重组腺病毒载体疫苗黏膜免疫机制与途径研究

腺病毒作为载体具有许多优点,因此被广泛地应用于体外基因转导、体内接种疫苗和基因治疗等领域。近年来,国内外学者已经构建了表达不同抗原的腺病毒载体,如人(猿)免疫缺陷病毒Gag,pol,Nef,Env,狂犬病毒糖蛋白,登革热病毒包膜蛋白,乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原,丙型肝炎病毒E1、E2、core、NS3,麻疹病毒核衣壳、凝血素,呼吸道合胞病毒糖蛋白,2型单纯疱疹病毒糖蛋白B、炭疽杆菌保护性抗原等。其中有不少载体疫苗通过黏膜免疫接种,诱导机体产生具有保护作用的免疫反应。本文就重组腺病毒载体疫苗黏膜免疫机制和黏膜免疫途径的研究作一回顾。     

B''亚型人类免疫缺陷病毒的基因序列分析

目的研究沈阳市人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(HIV-1)B'亚型毒株抗原表位的变异特征.方法从确诊的HIV-1感染者的全血样本中提取基因组DNA,经套式聚合酶链反应(PCR)扩增、产物纯化和测序分析后,将所得病毒核苷酸序列翻译成蛋白质的氨基酸序列,比较和分析我国人群中较常见的HLA型别限制的CTL表位的突变情况.结果在HIV-1 gag蛋白P24编码区,有4个抗原表位相当保守,且P17部分的抗原表位的变异率高于P24部分.结论 HIV-1 B'亚型毒株P24部分的4个抗原表位适合于抗原表位疫苗的研制.     

B′亚型人类免疫缺陷病毒的基因序列分析

目的 研究沈阳市人类免疫缺陷病毒1型（HIV-1）B′亚型毒株抗原表位的变异特征。方法 从确诊的HIV-1感染者的全血样本中提取基因组DNA,经套式聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增、产物纯化和测序分析后,将所得病毒核苷酸序列翻译成蛋白质的氨基酸序列,比较和分析我国人群中较常见的HLA型别限制的CTL表位的突变情况。结果 在HIV-1 gag蛋白P24编码区,有4个抗原表位相当保守,且P17部分的抗原表位的变异率高于P24部分。结论 HIV-1 B′亚型毒株P24部分的4个抗原表位适合于抗原表位疫苗的研制。     

HIV-1感染长期不进展者的B细胞谱系研究进展

高效抗反转录病毒治疗(highly active anti-retroviral therapy, HAART)在人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(human immunodeficiency virus type 1, HIV-1)感染方面取得了显著成效,但仍无法治愈艾滋病。研发出能够诱导中和多种HIV-1毒株能力的广谱中和抗体HIV-1疫苗,已成为防治HIV-1感染的重要目标。HIV-1感染长期不进展者是广谱中和抗体的主要提供者,阐明长期不进展者的B细胞谱系特征,将为广谱中和抗体成熟的相关研究奠定重要基础,为HIV-1疫苗研发提供新思路。现就HIV-1感染长期不进展者的B细胞谱系研究进展作一概述。     

Structural Characterization of Cleaved,Soluble HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Trimers

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is a significant global public health problem for which development of an effective prophylactic vaccine remains a high scientific priority. Many concepts for a vaccine are focused on induction of appropriate titers of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against the viral envelope (Env) glycoproteins gp120 and gp41, but no immunogen has yet accomplished this goal in animals or humans. One approach to induction of bNAbs is to design soluble, trimeric mimics of the native viral Env trimer. Here, we describe structural studies by negative-stain electron microscopy of several variants of soluble Env trimers based on the KNH1144 subtype A sequence. These Env trimers are fully cleaved between the gp120 and gp41 components and stabilized by specific amino acid substitutions. We also illustrate the structural consequences of deletion of the V1/V2 and V3 variable loops from gp120 and the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) from gp41. All of these variants adopt a trimeric configuration that appropriately mimics native Env spikes, including the CD4 receptor-binding site and the epitope for the VRC PG04 bNAb. These cleaved, soluble trimer designs can be adapted for use with multiple different env genes for both vaccine and structural studies.     

HIV-1 immunogens and strategies to drive antibody responses towards neutralization breadth

Despite enormous efforts no HIV-1 vaccine has been developed that elicits broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) to protect against infection to date. The high antigenic diversity and dense N-linked glycan armor, which covers nearly the entire HIV-1 envelope protein (Env), are major roadblocks for the development of bNAbs by vaccination. In addition, the naive human antibody repertoire features a low frequency of exceptionally long heavy chain complementary determining regions (CDRH3s), which is a typical characteristic that many HIV-1 bNAbs use to penetrate the glycan armor. Native-like Env trimer immunogens can induce potent but strain-specific neutralizing antibody responses in animal models but how to overcome the many obstacles towards the development of bNAbs remains a challenge. Here, we review recent HIV-1 Env immunization studies and discuss strategies to guide strain-specific antibody responses towards neutralization breadth.     

Stabilizing HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers to induce neutralizing antibodies

An effective HIV-1 vaccine probably will need to be able to induce broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies (bNAbs) in order to be efficacious. The many bNAbs that have been isolated from HIV-1 infected patients illustrate that the human immune system is able to elicit this type of antibodies. The elucidation of the structure of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimer has further fueled the search for Env immunogens that induce bNAbs, but while native Env trimer mimetics are often capable of inducing strain-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the parental virus, they have not yet induced potent bNAb responses. To improve the performance of Env trimer immunogens, researchers have studied the immune responses that Env trimers have induced in animals; they have evaluated how to best use Env trimers in various immunization regimens; and they have engineered increasingly stabilized Env trimer variants. Here, we review the different approaches that have been used to increase the stability of HIV-1 Env trimer immunogens with the aim of improving the induction of NAbs. In particular, we draw parallels between the various approaches to stabilize Env trimers and ones that have been used by nature in extremophile microorganisms in order to survive in extreme environmental conditions.     

Antibody responses induced by SHIV infection are more focused than those induced by soluble native HIV-1 envelope trimers in non-human primates

The development of an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) vaccine is a high global health priority. Soluble native-like HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers (Env), including those based on the SOSIP design, have shown promise as vaccine candidates by inducing neutralizing antibody responses against the autologous virus in animal models. However, to overcome HIV-1’s extreme diversity a vaccine needs to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Such bNAbs can protect non-human primates (NHPs) and humans from infection. The prototypic BG505 SOSIP.664 immunogen is based on the BG505 env sequence isolated from an HIV-1-infected infant from Kenya who developed a bNAb response. Studying bNAb development during natural HIV-1 infection can inform vaccine design, however, it is unclear to what extent vaccine-induced antibody responses to Env are comparable to those induced by natural infection. Here, we compared Env antibody responses in BG505 SOSIP-immunized NHPs with those in BG505 SHIV-infected NHPs, by analyzing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We observed three major differences between BG505 SOSIP immunization and BG505 SHIV infection. First, SHIV infection resulted in more clonal expansion and less antibody diversity compared to SOSIP immunization, likely because of higher and/or prolonged antigenic stimulation and increased antigen diversity during infection. Second, while we retrieved comparatively fewer neutralizing mAbs (NAbs) from SOSIP-immunized animals, these NAbs targeted more diverse epitopes compared to NAbs from SHIV-infected animals. However, none of the NAbs, either elicited by vaccination or infection, showed any breadth. Finally, SOSIP immunization elicited antibodies against the base of the trimer, while infection did not, consistent with the base being placed onto the virus membrane in the latter setting. Together these data provide new insights into the antibody response against BG505 Env during infection and immunization and limitations that need to be overcome to induce better responses after vaccination.     

Covalently linked human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp120/gp41 is stably anchored in rhabdovirus particles and exposes critical neutralizing epitopes

Rabies virus (RV) vaccine strain-based vectors show significant promise as potential live-attenuated vaccines against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Here we describe a new RV construct that will also likely have applications as a live-attenuated or killed-particle immunogen. We have created a RV containing a chimeric HIV-1 Env protein, which contains introduced cysteine residues that give rise to an intermolecular disulfide bridge between gp120 and the ectodomain of gp41. This covalently linked gp140 (gp140 SOS) is fused in frame to the cytoplasmic domain of RV G glycoprotein and is efficiently incorporated into the RV virion. On the HIV-1 virion, the gp120 and gp41 moieties are noncovalently associated, which leads to extensive shedding of gp120 from virions and virus-infected cells. The ability to use HIV-1 particles as purified, inactivated immunogens has been confounded by the loss of gp120 during preparation. Additionally, monomeric gp120 and uncleaved gp160 molecules have been shown to be poor antigenic representations of virion-associated gp160. Because the gp120 and gp41 portions are covalently attached in the gp140 SOS molecule, the protein is maintained on the surface of the RV virion throughout purification. Surface immunostaining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis with anti-envelope antibodies show that the gp140 SOS protein is stably expressed on the surface of infected cells and maintains CD4 binding capabilities. Furthermore, Western blot and immunoprecipitation experiments with infected-cell lysates and purified virions show that a panel of neutralizing anti-envelope antibodies efficiently recognize the gp140 SOS protein. The antigenic properties of this recombinant RV particle containing covalently attached Env, as well as the ability to present Env in a membrane-bound form, suggest that this approach could be a useful component of a HIV-1 vaccine strategy.     

Structure and Dynamics of the Native HIV-1 Env Trimer

HIV-1/AIDS remains one of the worst pandemics in human history. Despite tremendous efforts, no effective vaccine has been found. Recent reports give new insights into the structure and dynamics of the HIV-1 Env trimer and renew hopes that a better understanding of Env will translate into new vaccine candidates and more-effective antiretroviral therapies.     

Heterologous envelope immunogens contribute to AIDS vaccine protection in rhesus monkeys

Because a strategy to elicit broadly neutralizing anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibodies has not yet been found, the role of an Env immunogen in HIV-1 vaccine candidates remains undefined. We sought to determine whether an HIV-1 Env immunogen genetically disparate from the Env of the challenge virus can contribute to protective immunity. We vaccinated Indian-origin rhesus monkeys with Gag-Pol-Nef immunogens, alone or in combination with Env immunogens that were either matched or mismatched with the challenge virus. These animals were then challenged with a pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus. The vaccine regimen included a plasmid DNA prime and replication-defective adenoviral vector boost. Vaccine regimens that included the matched or mismatched Env immunogens conferred better protection against CD4(+) T-lymphocyte loss than that seen with comparable regimens that did not include Env immunogens. This increment in protective immunity was associated with anamnestic Env-specific cellular immunity that developed in the early days following viral challenge. These data suggest that T-lymphocyte immunity to Env can broaden the protective cellular immune response to HIV despite significant sequence diversity of the strains of the Env immunogens and can contribute to immune protection in this AIDS vaccine model.     

Multiclade human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope immunogens elicit broad cellular and humoral immunity in rhesus monkeys

The development of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine that elicits potent cellular and humoral immune responses recognizing divergent strains of HIV-1 will be critical for combating the global AIDS epidemic. The present studies were initiated to examine the magnitude and breadth of envelope (Env)-specific T-lymphocyte and antibody responses generated by vaccines containing either a single or multiple genetically distant HIV-1 Env immunogens. Rhesus monkeys were immunized with DNA prime-recombinant adenovirus boost vaccines encoding a Gag-Pol-Nef polyprotein in combination with either a single Env or a mixture of clade-A, clade-B, and clade-C Envs. Monkeys receiving the multiclade Env immunization developed robust immune responses to all vaccine antigens and, importantly, a greater breadth of Env recognition than monkeys immunized with vaccines including a single Env immunogen. All groups of vaccinated monkeys demonstrated equivalent immune protection following challenge with the pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6P. These data suggest that a multicomponent vaccine encoding Env proteins from multiple clades of HIV-1 can generate broad Env-specific T-lymphocyte and antibody responses without antigenic interference. This study demonstrates that it is possible to generate protective immune responses by vaccination with genetically diverse isolates of HIV-1.     

Purification, characterization, and immunogenicity of a soluble trimeric envelope protein containing a partial deletion of the V2 loop derived from SF162, an R5-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolate

The envelope (Env) glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the major target of neutralizing antibody responses and is likely to be a critical component of an effective vaccine against AIDS. Although monomeric HIV envelope subunit vaccines (gp120) have induced high-titer antibody responses and neutralizing antibodies against laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains, they have failed to induce neutralizing antibodies against diverse heterologous primary HIV isolates. Most probably, the reason for this failure is that the antigenic structure(s) of these previously used immunogens does not mimic that of the functional HIV envelope, which is a trimer, and thus these immunogens do not elicit high titers of relevant functional antibodies. We recently reported that an Env glycoprotein immunogen (o-gp140SF162DeltaV2) containing a partial deletion in the second variable loop (V2) derived from the R5-tropic HIV-1 isolate SF162, when used in a DNA priming-protein boosting vaccine regimen in rhesus macaques, induced neutralizing antibodies against heterologous subtype B primary isolates as well as protection to the vaccinated animals upon challenge with pathogenic SHIV(SF162P4) virus. Here we describe the purification of this protein to homogeneity, its characterization as trimer, and its ability to induce primary isolate-neutralizing responses in rhesus macaques. Optimal mutations in the primary and secondary protease cleavage sites of the env gene were identified that resulted in the stable secretion of a trimeric Env glycoprotein in mammalian cell cultures. We determined the molecular mass and hydrodynamic radius (R(h)) using a triple detector analysis (TDA) system. The molecular mass of the oligomer was found to be 324 kDa, close to the expected M(w) of a HIV envelope trimer protein (330 kDa), and the hydrodynamic radius was 7.27 nm. Negative staining electron microscopy of o-gp140SF162DeltaV2 showed that it is a trimer with considerable structural flexibility and supported the data obtained by TDA. The structural integrity of the purified trimeric protein was also confirmed by determinations of its ability to bind the HIV receptor, CD4, and its ability to bind a panel of well-characterized neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. No deleterious effect of V2 loop deletion was observed on the structure and conformation of the protein, and several critical neutralization epitopes were preserved and well exposed on the purified o-gp140SF162DeltaV2 protein. In an intranasal priming and intramuscular boosting regimen, this protein induced high titers of functional antibodies, which neutralized the vaccine strain, i.e., SF162. These results highlight a potential role for the trimeric o-gp140SF162DeltaV2 Env immunogen in a successful HIV vaccine.     

Structurally related but genetically unrelated antibody lineages converge on an immunodominant HIV-1 Env neutralizing determinant following trimer immunization

Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which antibodies target and neutralize the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is critical in guiding immunogen design and vaccine development aimed at eliciting cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Here, we analyzed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from non-human primates (NHPs) immunized with variants of a native flexibly linked (NFL) HIV-1 Env stabilized trimer derived from the tier 2 clade C 16055 strain. The antibodies displayed neutralizing activity against the autologous virus with potencies ranging from 0.005 to 3.68 μg/ml (IC₅₀). Structural characterization using negative-stain EM and X-ray crystallography identified the variable region 2 (V2) of the 16055 NFL trimer to be the common epitope for these antibodies. The crystal structures revealed that the V2 segment adopts a β-hairpin motif identical to that observed in the 16055 NFL crystal structure. These results depict how vaccine-induced antibodies derived from different clonal lineages penetrate through the glycan shield to recognize a hypervariable region within V2 (residues 184–186) that is unique to the 16055 strain. They also provide potential explanations for the potent autologous neutralization of these antibodies, confirming the immunodominance of this site and revealing that multiple angles of approach are permissible for affinity/avidity that results in potent neutralizing capacity. The structural analysis reveals that the most negatively charged paratope correlated with the potency of the mAbs. The atomic level information is of interest to both define the means of autologous neutralization elicited by different tier 2-based immunogens and facilitate trimer redesign to better target more conserved regions of V2 to potentially elicit cross-neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies.