Both Neutralization Resistance and High Infectivity Phenotypes Are Caused by Mutations of Interacting Residues in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41 Leucine Zipper and the gp120 Receptor- and Coreceptor-Binding Domains

Neutralization resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a major impediment to vaccine development. We have found that residues of HIV-1 MN strain in the C terminus of gp120 and the leucine zipper (LZ) region of gp41 viral envelope proteins interact cooperatively to determine neutralization resistance and modulate infectivity. Further, results demonstrate that this interaction, by which regions of gp120 are assembled onto the LZ, involves amino acid residues intimately related to those which participate in the binding of the envelope to its receptor and coreceptor. Variations in this critical assembly structure determine the concordant, interdependent evolution of increased infectivity efficiency and neutralization resistance phenotypes of the envelopes. The results elucidate important structure-function relationships among epitopes that are important targets of vaccine development.     

Mutations in gp120 Contribute to the Resistance of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 to Membrane-Anchored C-Peptide maC46

Binding of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope glycoprotein (Env) to the cellular CD4 receptor and a chemokine coreceptor initiates a series of conformational changes in the Env subunits gp120 and gp41. Eventually, the trimeric gp41 folds into a six-helix bundle, thereby inducing fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. C peptides derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) of gp41 are efficient entry inhibitors as they block the six-helix bundle formation. Previously, we developed a membrane-anchored C peptide (maC46) expressed from a retroviral vector that also shows high activity against virus strains resistant to enfuvirtide (T-20), an antiviral C peptide approved for clinical use. Here, we present a systematic analysis of mutations in Env that confer resistance of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) to maC46. We selected an HIV-1 BaL strain with 10-fold reduced sensitivity to maC46 (BaL_C46) by passaging virus for nearly 200 days in the presence of gradually increasing concentrations of maC46. In comparison to wild-type BaL, BaL_C46 had five mutations at highly conserved positions in Env, three in gp120, one in the N-terminal heptad-repeat (NHR), and one in the CHR of gp41. No mutations were found in the NHR domain around the GIV motif that are known to cause resistance to enfuvirtide. Instead, maC46 resistance was found to depend on complementary mutations in the NHR and CHR that considerably favor binding of the mutated NHR to the mutated CHR over binding to maC46. In addition, resistance was highly dependent on mutations in gp120 that accelerated entry. Taken together, resistance to maC46 did not develop readily and required multiple cooperating mutations at conserved positions of the viral envelope glycoproteins gp120 and gp41.The entry process of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has become a major target for new antiviral drugs. Viral entry is initiated by binding of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein subunit gp120 to the CD4 receptor and a chemokine coreceptor, generally CCR5 or CXCR4. Upon coreceptor binding, the viral transmembrane subunit gp41 undergoes conformational changes that eventually lead to the formation of the six-helix bundle (6HB) and membrane fusion. The 6HB is composed of a central trimeric coiled-coil structure formed by the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) domains of three gp41 molecules and the corresponding C-terminal heptad repeats (CHRs) that pack into the longitudinal grooves on the surface of the NHR coiled-coil in an antiparallel orientation (23). C-peptide fusion inhibitors (CFI) derived from the CHR of gp41 compete with the viral CHR for binding to the NHR trimer, thus blocking 6HB formation and viral entry (18).T-20 (enfuvirtide) is the first clinically approved CFI with high antiviral activity and a low-toxicity profile. However, as with many anti-HIV-1 drugs, resistance can emerge rapidly (13). The majority of the resistance mutations are found in the NHR of gp41 among the amino acids 544 to 553 (32, 35) (numbering refers to gp160 of the HIV-1 HXB2 strain throughout the article). Most of these mutations cause resistance by reducing the affinity of the NHR target region to inhibitory C peptides (13). Additionally, viral entry kinetics were found to correlate with the baseline susceptibility of different HIV strains to CFI. Determinants for viral entry kinetics are found in gp41 as well as in gp120 (1, 14, 35). Here, the influence of coreceptor affinity on virus entry kinetics and CFI susceptibility has been studied extensively (28, 30, 31). Recently, a statistical approach was used that highlighted positions in gp120 that underwent mutations in patients under enfuvirtide treatment (38). However, to our knowledge, selected CFI resistance mutations outside of gp41 have never been confirmed experimentally.Previously, we developed a retroviral vector expressing a membrane-anchored antiviral C peptide (maC46) that efficiently inhibits a broad range of different HIV-1 isolates. Enfuvirtide-resistant HIV-1 strains with mutations in the GIV motif of NHR were fully susceptible to maC46 (10). In the present study, we selected an HIV-1 variant with reduced sensitivity to maC46 by passaging an enfuvirtide-resistant BaL strain of HIV-1 on cells expressing increasing concentrations of maC46. Mutations in gp120 and gp41 were found to contribute to maC46 resistance.     

Determinants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Resistance to gp41-Derived Inhibitory Peptides

A synthetic peptide, DP178, containing amino acids 127 to 162 of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41 Env glycoprotein, is a potent inhibitor of virus infection and virus mediated cell-to-cell fusion (C. Wild, T. Greenwell, and T. Matthews, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 9:1051–1053, 1993). In an effort to understand the mechanism of action of this peptide, we derived resistant variants of HIV-1_IIIB and NL4-3 by serial virus passage in the presence of increasing doses of the peptide. Sequence analysis of the resistant isolates suggested that a contiguous 3-amino-acid sequence within the amino-terminal heptad repeat motif of gp41 was associated with resistance. Site-directed mutagenesis studies confirmed this observation and indicated that changes in two of these three residues were necessary for development of the resistant phenotype. Direct binding of DP178 to recombinant protein and synthetic peptide analogs containing the wild-type and mutant heptad repeat sequences revealed a strong correlation between DP178 binding and the biological sensitivity of the corresponding virus isolates to DP178. The results are discussed from the standpoints of the mechanism of action of DP178 and recent crystallographic information for a core structure of the gp41 ectodomain.     

Broad Neutralization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Elicited from Human Rhinoviruses That Display the HIV-1 gp41 ELDKWA Epitope

In efforts to develop AIDS vaccine components, we generated combinatorial libraries of recombinant human rhinoviruses that display the well-conserved ELDKWA epitope of the membrane-proximal external region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41. The broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibody 2F5 was used to select for viruses whose ELDKWA conformations resemble those of HIV. Immunization of guinea pigs with different chimeras, some boosted with ELDKWA-based peptides, elicited antibodies capable of neutralizing HIV-1 pseudoviruses of diverse subtypes and coreceptor usages. These recombinant immunogens are the first reported that elicit broad, albeit modest, neutralization of HIV-1 using an ELDKWA-based epitope and are among the few reported that elicit broad neutralization directed against any recombinant HIV epitope, providing a critical advance in developing effective AIDS vaccine components.The development of an AIDS vaccine is an ongoing and urgent challenge. One of the major hurdles is that the specific correlates of protection against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are still largely unknown. Nonetheless, most agree that the full complement of cellular and humoral components of the immune system will be needed to combat this virus. This is especially true given that the virus resides permanently in its host, infects the very cells needed to direct effective immune responses, and evades the immune system, either by changing in appearance or hiding in subcellular compartments.A broadly reactive neutralizing antibody response is likely to be critical as a first line of defense upon initial HIV exposure by aiding in the clearance of cell-free virions, targeting infected cells for destruction, and preventing viral spread through cell-to-cell transmission. The presence of inhibitory antibodies in highly exposed persistently seronegative individuals testifies to the importance of the humoral response (9, 37). Additionally, broadly neutralizing serum has been associated with healthier prognoses for infected individuals (27, 65) and may be vital for protecting offspring from their infected mothers (7, 79) and preventing superinfection by heterologous HIV strains (23, 84). Even if complete protection cannot be achieved by vaccine-derived antibodies, an early, well-poised and effective neutralizing antibody repertoire may be able to lower the set point of the viral load following the initial burst of viremia, an outcome that has been reported to translate into improved disease outcomes and reduced transmission of HIV (66, 74). Further benefits of neutralizing antibodies have been seen with passive immunization studies in macaques, in which administration of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) has demonstrated that it is possible to provide protection from—and even sterilizing immunity against—HIV infection (5, 51, 66). There is also evidence that such antibodies may provide therapeutic benefits for chronically infected individuals, analogous to benefits realized with anti-HIV drug treatment regimens (87).Despite the promising potential of broadly neutralizing MAbs, designing immunogens that can elicit such cross-reactive neutralizing responses against HIV has been a surprisingly difficult task. Since the majority of the host''s B-cell response is directed against the envelope (Env) glycoproteins, gp120 and gp41, vaccine efforts have concentrated on these proteins and derivatives thereof in approaches ranging from the use of Env-based peptide cocktails to recombinant proteins and DNAs made with varied or consensus sequences and diverse, heterologous prime/protein boost regimens (reviewed in references 36, 58, and 70). These iterative studies have shown notable improvements in the potency and breadth of neutralizing responses induced. However, concerns exist regarding immunogens containing extraneous epitopes, as is the case with intact subunits of Env, and the nature of the immune responses they may elicit. A polyclonal burst of antibodies against a multitude of nonfunctional epitopes may include a predominance of antibodies that are (i) low affinity and/or nonfunctional (reviewed in reference 72); (ii) isolate specific (25); (iii) able to interfere with the neutralizing capabilities of otherwise-effective antibodies (via steric hindrance or by inducing various forms of B-cell pathology) (67); or (iv) directed against irrelevant epitopes instead of more conserved (and sometimes concealed) epitopes that might be able to elicit more potent and cross-reactive neutralizing responses (28, 71, 91).We have developed a system that can be used to present essentially any chosen epitope in a stable, well-exposed manner on the surface of the cold-causing human rhinovirus (HRV). HRV is itself a powerful immunogen and is able to elicit T-cell as well as serum and mucosal B-cell responses (reviewed by Couch [22]) and has minimal immunologic similarity to HIV (data not shown). Chimeric viruses displaying optimal epitopes should be able to serve as valuable components in an effective vaccine cocktail or as part of a heterologous prime/boost protocol. We have shown previously that HRV chimeric viruses displaying HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop sequences are able to elicit neutralizing responses against HIV-1 (75, 82, 83).In this study, we focused our attention on presenting part of the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the transmembrane glycoprotein gp41, a region of approximately 30 amino acids adjacent to the transmembrane domain (reviewed in references 59 and 97). The MPER plays an important role in the process of HIV fusion to the host cell membrane (60, 78). This region is also involved in binding to galactosylceramide, an important component of cell membranes, thus permitting CD4-independent transcytosis of the virus across epithelial cells at mucosal surfaces (1, 2). These functions likely explain this region''s sequence conservation and the efficacy of antibodies directed against the MPER (97), particularly given that an estimated 80% of HIV-1 infections are sexually transmitted at mucosal membranes. In fact, potent responses against the MPER are associated with stronger and broader neutralizing capabilities in infected individuals (68). A conserved, contiguous sequence of the MPER, the ELDKWA epitope (HIV-1 HxB2 gp41 residues 662 to 668), is recognized by the particularly broadly neutralizing human MAb 2F5 (11, 62, 85) and is highly resistant to escape mutation in the presence of 2F5 (49). 2F5 was also used in the MAb cocktails reported to confer passive, protective immunity in macaques (5, 51). In addition, infected individuals producing neutralizing antibodies directed against the ELDKWA epitope have been seen to exhibit better health (16, 29), including persistent seronegativity (8), and reduced transmission of HIV to offspring (89). While none of the vaccine-induced immune responses generated against this region has been effective thus far (19, 24, 26, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 44-48, 50, 53, 54, 56, 57, 61, 63, 69, 93, 96) (see Table S1 in the supplemental material), more appropriate presentations of MPER epitopes should produce valuable immunogens that can contribute to a successful vaccine.In this study, we have grafted the ELDKWA epitope onto a surface loop of HRV connected via linkers of variable lengths and sequences and selected for viruses well recognized and neutralized by MAb 2F5. In so doing, we have been able to create immunogens capable of eliciting antibodies whose activities mimic some of those of 2F5. The combinatorial libraries produced were designed to encode a large set of possible sequences and, hence, structures from which we could search for valuable conformations. This work illustrates that HRV chimeras have the potential to present selected HIV epitopes in a focused and immunogenic manner.     

Mutation-Directed Chemical Cross-Linking of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41 Oligomers

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmembrane protein gp41 oligomer anchors the attachment protein, gp120, to the viral envelope and mediates viral envelope-cell membrane fusion following gp120-CD4 receptor-chemokine coreceptor binding. We have used mutation-directed chemical cross-linking with bis(sulfosuccinimidyl)suberate (BS³) to investigate the architecture of the gp41 oligomer. Treatment of gp41 with BS³ generates a ladder of four bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, corresponding to monomers, dimers, trimers, and tetramers. By systematically replacing gp41 lysines with arginine and determining the mutant gp41 cross-linking pattern, we observed that gp41 N termini are cross-linked. Lysine 678, which is close to the transmembrane sequence, was readily cross-linked to Lys-678 on other monomers within the oligomeric structure. This arrangement appears to be facilitated by the close packing of membrane-anchoring sequences, since the efficiency of assembly of heterooligomers between wild-type and mutant Env proteins is improved more than twofold if the mutant contains the membrane-anchoring sequence. We also detected close contacts between Lys-596 and Lys-612 in the disulfide-bonded loop/glycan cluster of one monomer and lysines in the N-terminal amphipathic α-helical oligomerization domain (Lys-569 and Lys-583) and C-terminal α-helical sequence (Lys-650 and Lys-660) of adjacent monomers. Precursor-processing efficiency, gp120-gp41 association, soluble recombinant CD4-induced shedding of gp120 from cell surface gp41, and acquisition of gp41 ectodomain conformational antibody epitopes were unaffected by the substitutions. However, the syncytium-forming function was most dependent on the conserved Lys-569 in the N-terminal α-helix. These results indicate that gp160-derived gp41 expressed in mammalian cells is a tetramer and provide information about the juxtaposition of gp41 structural elements within the oligomer.     

CD4-Induced Conformational Changes in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp120 Glycoprotein: Consequences for Virus Entry and Neutralization

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry into target cells involves sequential binding of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein to CD4 and to specific chemokine receptors. Soluble CD4 (sCD4) is thought to mimic membrane-anchored CD4, and its binding alters the conformation of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins. Two cross-competing monoclonal antibodies, 17b and CG10, that recognize CD4-inducible gp120 epitopes and that block gp120-chemokine receptor binding were used to investigate the nature and functional significance of gp120 conformational changes initiated by CD4 binding. Envelope glycoproteins derived from both T-cell line-adapted and primary HIV-1 isolates exhibited increased binding of the 17b antibody in the presence of sCD4. CD4-induced exposure of the 17b epitope on the oligomeric envelope glycoprotein complex occurred over a wide range of temperatures and involved movement of the gp120 V1/V2 variable loops. Amino acid changes that reduced the efficiency of 17b epitope exposure following CD4 binding invariably compromised the ability of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins to form syncytia or to support virus entry. Comparison of the CD4 dependence and neutralization efficiencies of the 17b and CG10 antibodies suggested that the epitopes for these antibodies are minimally accessible following attachment of gp120 to cell surface CD4. These results underscore the functional importance of these CD4-induced changes in gp120 conformation and illustrate viral strategies for sequestering chemokine receptor-binding regions from the humoral immune response.     

Neutralizing Antibodies from the Sera of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Individuals Bind to Monomeric gp120 and Oligomeric gp140

Antibodies that neutralize primary isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) appear during HIV-1 infection but are difficult to elicit by immunization with current vaccine products comprised of monomeric forms of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120. The limited neutralizing antibody response generated by gp120 vaccine products could be due to the absence or inaccessibility of the relevant epitopes. To determine whether neutralizing antibodies from HIV-1-infected patients bind to epitopes accessible on monomeric gp120 and/or oligomeric gp140 (ogp140), purified total immunoglobulin from the sera of two HIV-1-infected patients as well as pooled HIV immune globulin were selectively depleted of antibodies which bound to immobilized gp120 or ogp140. After passage of each immunoglobulin preparation through the respective columns, antibody titers against gp120 and ogp140 were specifically reduced at least 128-fold. The gp120- and gp140-depleted antibody fraction from each serum displayed reduced neutralization activity against three primary and two T-cell line-adapted (TCLA) HIV-1 isolates. Significant residual neutralizing activity, however, persisted in the depleted sera, indicating additional neutralizing antibody specificities. gp120- and ogp140-specific antibodies eluted from each column neutralized both primary and TCLA viruses. These data demonstrate the presence and accessibility of epitopes on both monomeric gp120 and ogp140 that are specific for antibodies that are capable of neutralizing primary isolates of HIV-1. Thus, the difficulties associated with eliciting neutralizing antibodies by using current monomeric gp120 subunit vaccines may be related less to improper protein structure and more to ineffective immunogen formulation and/or presentation.     

Conserved, N-Linked Carbohydrates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41 Are Largely Dispensable for Viral Replication

The transmembrane subunit (TM) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein contains four well-conserved sites for the attachment of N-linked carbohydrates. To study the contribution of these N-glycans to the function of TM, we systematically mutated the sites individually and in all combinations and measured the effects of each on viral replication in culture. The mutants were derived from SHIV-KB9, a simian immunodeficiency virus/HIV chimera with an envelope sequence that originated from a primary HIV-1 isolate. The attachment site mutants were generated by replacing the asparagine codon of each N-X-S/T motif with a glutamine codon. The mobilities of the variant transmembrane proteins in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested that all four sites are utilized for carbohydrate attachment. Transfection of various cell lines with the resulting panel of mutant viral constructs revealed that the N-glycan attachment sites are largely dispensable for viral replication. Fourteen of the 15 mutants were replication competent, although the kinetics of replication varied depending on the mutant and the cell type. The four single mutants (g1, g2, g3, and g4) and all six double mutants (g12, g13, g14, g23, g24, and g34) replicated in both human and rhesus monkey T-cell lines, as well as in primary rhesus peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Three of the four triple mutants (g124, g134, and g234) replicated in all cell types tested. The triple mutant g123 replicated poorly in immortalized rhesus monkey T cells (221 cells) and did not replicate detectably in CEMx174 cells. However, at 3 weeks posttransfection of 221 cells, a variant of g123 emerged with a new N-glycan attachment site which compensated for the loss of sites 1, 2, and 3 and resulted in replication kinetics similar to those of the parental virus. The quadruple mutant (g1234) did not replicate in any cell line tested, and the g1234 envelope protein was nonfunctional in a quantitative cell-cell fusion assay. The synthesis and processing of the quadruple mutant envelope protein appeared similar in transient assays to those of the parental SHIV-KB9 envelope. Given their high degree of conservation, the four N-linked carbohydrate attachment sites on the external domain of gp41 are surprisingly dispensable for viral replication. The viral variants described in this report should prove useful for investigation of the contribution of carbohydrate moieties on gp41 to recognition by antibodies, shielding from antibody-mediated neutralization, and structure-function relationships.     

Effect of Mutations in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease on Cleavage of the gp41 Cytoplasmic Tail

We previously reported that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) develops resistance to the cholesterol-binding compound amphotericin B methyl ester (AME) by acquiring mutations (P203L and S205L) in the cytoplasmic tail of the transmembrane envelope glycoprotein gp41 that create cleavage sites for the viral protease (PR). In the present study, we observed that a PR inhibitor-resistant (PIR) HIV-1 mutant is unable to efficiently cleave the gp41 cytoplasmic tail in P203L and S205L virions, resulting in loss of AME resistance. To define the pathway to AME resistance in the context of the PIR PR, we selected for resistance with an HIV-1 isolate expressing the mutant enzyme. We identified a new gp41 mutation, R236L, that results in cleavage of the gp41 tail by the PIR PR. These results highlight the central role of gp41 cleavage as the primary mechanism of AME resistance.Cholesterol-enriched membrane microdomains, often referred to as lipid rafts (4, 18, 24), play an important role in the replication of many enveloped viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (22, 30). Lipid rafts are involved in both HIV-1 entry and egress (reviewed in references 6, 22, and 30), and the lipid bilayer of HIV-1 virions is significantly enriched in cholesterol and highly saturated lipids characteristic of lipid rafts (3, 5, 8). We recently demonstrated that the cholesterol-binding polyene fungal antibiotic amphotericin B methyl ester (AME) potently inhibits HIV-1 replication. The antiviral activity of AME is due to a profound inhibition of viral entry (27, 28) and impairment of virus particle production (29).In our previous studies, we showed that the propagation of HIV-1 in the presence of AME leads to viral escape from this compound. The mutations that confer resistance map to the cytoplasmic tail (CT) of the gp41 transmembrane envelope (Env) glycoprotein (27, 28). AME-resistant mutants (P203L and S205L) overcome the defect in viral entry imposed by AME by a novel mechanism of resistance whereby the gp41 CT is cleaved by the viral protease (PR) after incorporation of Env into virions (28). The introduction of stop codons into the gp41-coding region that prematurely truncate the CT also renders virions AME resistant. In the present study, we evaluated the interplay between protease inhibitor resistance (PIR) mutations and AME resistance.     

A Conformational Switch in Human Immunodeficiency Virus gp41 Revealed by the Structures of Overlapping Epitopes Recognized by Neutralizing Antibodies

The membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope glycoprotein (gp41) is critical for viral fusion and infectivity and is the target of three of the five known broadly neutralizing HIV type 1 (HIV-1) antibodies, 2F5, Z13, and 4E10. Here, we report the crystal structure of the Fab fragment of Z13e1, an affinity-enhanced variant of monoclonal antibody Z13, in complex with a 12-residue peptide corresponding to the core epitope (W⁶⁷⁰NWFDITN⁶⁷⁷) at 1.8-Å resolution. The bound peptide adopts an S-shaped conformation composed of two tandem, perpendicular helical turns. This conformation differs strikingly from the α-helical structure adopted by an overlapping MPER peptide bound to 4E10. Z13e1 binds to an elbow in the MPER at the membrane interface, making relatively few interactions with conserved aromatics (Trp672 and Phe673) that are critical for 4E10 recognition. The comparison of the Z13e1 and 4E10 epitope structures reveals a conformational switch such that neutralization can occur by the recognition of the different conformations and faces of the largely amphipathic MPER. The Z13e1 structure provides significant new insights into the dynamic nature of the MPER, which likely is critical for membrane fusion, and it has significant implications for mechanisms of HIV-1 neutralization by MPER antibodies and for the design of HIV-1 immunogens.The continued spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worldwide and, in particular, in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 22 million people currently are living with HIV/AIDS, underscores the urgent need for a preventative vaccine. However, despite nearly 25 years of intense international research, a vaccine is not yet available. Passive immunization with broadly neutralizing antibodies can confer sterilizing protection against infection in animal models (4, 12, 39-41, 51, 64), providing encouragement for the development of an antibody-inducing component of an HIV type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine. Such a vaccine should elicit neutralizing antibodies with activity against the broadest range of primary circulating isolates. However, a lack of understanding of how to raise potent, cross-reactive antibodies by immunization, the so-called neutralizing antibody problem, is a major hurdle in this effort (6, 24, 72). Thus, an understanding of the structure and presentation of neutralizing epitopes on the virus and the antibodies that recognize them is vital for vaccine development.The targets of antibody neutralization are the surface envelope (Env) glycoprotein trimers (gp120/gp41) that mediate the fusion of the viral membrane with that of the host. The majority of antibodies elicited during natural infection or immunization show limited or no cross-reactivity against diverse isolates. However, a few rare, broadly neutralizing, monoclonal antibodies have been isolated from HIV-1-infected individuals and exhibit activity against a wide range of isolates by binding to functionally conserved epitopes exposed on native gp120/gp41 trimers. These epitopes include the CD4 binding site, recognized by antibody b12, and a relatively well-conserved cluster of N-linked glycans, located on the outer domain of gp120, that is recognized by antibody 2G12 (12, 13, 71, 76). V3-directed antibodies, which are common in natural infection, also are able to sporadically neutralize across clades, as exemplified by 447-52D and F425-B4e8 (7, 16, 49, 66). The identification of three broadly neutralizing antibodies, 2F5, Z13, and 4E10, that target the conserved tryptophan-rich membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of gp41 has implicated this region as a highly promising vaccine target and has, therefore, spurred interest in its structural characterization (15, 35, 45, 47, 48, 50, 80).The MPER plays a critical, but not fully understood, role in membrane fusion and is situated between the C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) and the transmembrane domain (TM) of gp41 (Fig. ​(Fig.1).1). Following the binding of gp120 to the cell surface receptors CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5, the gp41 glycoprotein undergoes a series of conformational changes that trigger the membrane fusion activity. Notably, a relatively long-lived prehairpin intermediate of gp41 is formed, in which the coiled-coil of the N-terminal heptad repeats (NHR) extends so as to enable the fusion peptides to embed into the target membrane. In the postfusion or fusogenic state, the CHR and NHR reassemble into an antiparallel 6-helix bundle in a process that drives membrane fusion (18). The MPER contains several functionally conserved tryptophan residues that are critical for membrane fusion and viral entry, although the structural basis for their specific role has not been firmly established (22, 44, 58). Their mutation to alanine leads to the attenuation of viral infectivity, which is most pronounced for Trp666 and Trp672 (numbered according to the HXB2 isolate) (46, 58, 78). In addition, peptides based on the MPER can induce membrane leakage (68). Such membrane-disrupting properties of the MPER have been suggested to be functionally important in the expansion of the fusion pore created after receptor engagement (42, 44, 58, 68, 77).Open in a separate windowFIG. 1.Major features of gp41 include the fusion peptide (FP), NHR, CHR, TM, and cytoplasmic domain (CD). The MPER is located between the CHR and TM regions of gp41. The core epitopes of 2F5 (green), Z13e1 (yellow), and 4E10 (orange) are indicated. The epitope of Z13e1 is located between those of 2F5 and 4E10, but it overlaps more closely with 4E10.From initial explorations using solution nuclear magnetic resonance, the structure of a 19-residue MPER peptide (residues 665 to 683) was found to be helical in dodecylphosphocholine micelles, with the hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues distributed evenly around the helix axis (62). Another study found that an MPER peptide comprising residues 659 to 671 adopts a 3₁₀-helix in water (10). More recently, the structure of an MPER peptide (residues 662 to 683) in liposomes was elucidated by a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance and spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance (69), and it was found to adopt a kinked, amphipathic structure composed of two helices connected by a short hinge (Phe673 and Asn674). Crystal structures of Fab 2F5 in complex with a 7-mer (E⁶⁶²LDKWAS⁶⁶⁸) and 17-mer encompassing residues 654 to 670 previously had revealed a mostly extended conformation characterized by a central β-turn involving Asp664, Lys665, and Trp666 (47, 48). This motif is the key recognition determinant for 2F5 and becomes deeply buried in the antibody combining site, suggesting that it is exposed at some stage in viral entry (45, 47, 78). The crystal structure of Fab 4E10 in complex with peptide-spanning residues W⁶⁷⁰NWFDITNW⁶⁷⁸ revealed an amphipathic α-helical structure with a narrow hydrophilic face (15). The N terminus of the 4E10 epitope forms a 3₁₀-helix that transitions into a regular α-helix at residue Asp674 and continues to Lys683, which constitutes the end of the gp41 ectodomain (14). Thus, while the structure of the MPER within functional, membrane-embedded Env trimers is not known, the observation that unconstrained peptides are able to adopt more than one defined structure suggests an inherent degree of flexibility.Like 4E10, Z13 was identified from an HIV-1-infected individual, the former being isolated from an immortalized B-cell line and the latter from a bone marrow RNA phage display library (80). The epitope of MAb Z13 spans residues S⁶⁶⁸LWNWFDITN⁶⁷⁷, as determined by peptide mapping, scanning mutagenesis, and antibody competition studies (46, 80). This region lies between the 2F5 and 4E10 epitopes but overlaps more closely with 4E10 (Fig. ​(Fig.1).1). 4E10 and Z13 are both able to neutralize primary as well as laboratory-adapted isolates; nevertheless, Z13 is not as broadly neutralizing as 4E10, which has the greatest breadth of any HIV-1 antibody described to date (9). Z13e1 is an affinity-enhanced variant of Z13 and was evolved by randomizing the complementarity determining region (CDR) L3 loop sequence to identify tighter-binding mutants using phage display (46). Z13e1 displays higher affinity for both peptide and recombinant gp41 substrates, as well as increased neutralization potency, suggesting that the L3 mutations optimize binding to the linear MPER epitope. The neutralization breadth of Z13e1 is limited by the requirement for Asn671 and Asp674 in the MPER, which are approximately 71 and 58% conserved, respectively, among sequences in the Los Alamos HIV sequence database (80). Based on the clear relationship between Env trimer binding and neutralization, the neutralizing activity of Z13e1 derives from binding to a functional trimer (8, 20, 25, 43, 52, 55, 60, 73, 74). While Z13e1 and 4E10 have identical affinities for optimized linear peptides, Z13e1 is still about an order of magnitude less potent than 4E10 against a variety of primary isolates. Although the occlusion of the Z13e1 epitope on virion-associated trimers is thought to be the major limitation (46), the structural basis for the lower potency of Z13e1 relative to those of 2F5 and 4E10 is unclear.Whereas neutralization by 4E10 depends critically on Trp672 and Phe673, Z13e1 instead requires the flanking Asn671 and Asp674 residues (46). Based on a helical model of the MPER, it was predicted that Z13e1 binds the narrow hydrophilic face that displays Asn671, Asp674, and Asn677 that is opposite that recognized by 4E10. As Z13e1 and 4E10 bind to functional trimers, both epitopes must be exposed at some stage before membrane fusion (20). To examine how Z13e1 recognizes its MPER epitope, we determined the crystal structure of Fab Z13e1 in complex with a 12-residue peptide corresponding to the core epitope with C-terminal flanking lysines to aid peptide solubility (W⁶⁷⁰NWFDITN⁶⁷⁷KKKK). The crystal structure at 1.8-Å resolution uncovers a conformation of the MPER that is distinct from that visualized in complex with 4E10. Our findings show that Z13e1 and 4E10 recognize different conformers of the MPER and reveal a novel conformational switch that is relevant for HIV-1 neutralization and membrane fusion.     

Emergence of gp120 V3 Variants Confers Neutralization Resistance in an R5 Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaque Elite Neutralizer That Targets the N332 Glycan of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope Glycoprotein

Neutralization-resistant simian-human immunodeficiency virus AD8 (SHIV_AD8) variants that emerged in an infected macaque elite neutralizer targeting the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 N332 glycan acquired substitutions of critical amino acids in the V3 region rather than losing the N332 glycosylation site. One of these resistant variants, carrying the full complement of gp120 V3 changes, was also resistant to the potent anti-HIV-1 monoclonal neutralizing antibodies PGT121 and 10-1074, both of which are also dependent on the presence of the gp120 N332 glycan.     

Mutations in the Leucine Zipper-Like Heptad Repeat Sequence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41 Dominantly Interfere with Wild-Type Virus Infectivity

It has been previously shown that a proline substitution for any of the conserved leucine or isoleucine residues located in the leucine zipper-like heptad repeat sequence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41 renders viruses noninfectious and envelope (Env) protein unable to mediate membrane fusion (S. S.-L. Chen, C.-N. Lee, W.-R. Lee, K. McIntosh, and T.-M. Lee, J. Virol. 67:3615–3619, 1993; S. S.-L. Chen, J. Virol. 68:2002–2010, 1994). To understand whether these variants could act as trans-dominant inhibitory mutants, the ability of these mutants to inhibit wild-type (wt) virus infectivity was examined. Comparable amounts of cell- and virion-associated gag gene products as well as virion-associated gp41 were found in transfection with wt or mutant HIV-1 provirus. Viruses obtained from coexpression of wt provirus with mutant 566 or 580 provirus inhibited more potently the production of infectious virus than did viruses generated from cotransfection of wt provirus with other mutant proviruses. Nevertheless, all viruses produced from mixed transfection showed decreased infectivity compared with that of the wt virus when a multinuclear-activation β-galactosidase induction assay was performed. The ability of wt Env to induce cytopathic effects was inhibited by coexpression with mutant Env. Coexpression of mutants inhibited the ability of the wt protein to mediate virus-to-cell transmission, as demonstrated by an env trans-complementation assay with a defective HIV-1 proviral vector. These observations indicated that mutant Env, per se, interferes with wt Env function. Moreover, cotransfection of wt and mutant proviruses produced amounts of cell- and virion-associated gag gene products comparable to those produced by transfection of wt provirus. Similar amounts of gp41 were also found in virions generated from wt-mutant cotransfection as well as from wt transfection alone. These results indicated that the inhibitory effect conferred by mutants on the wt virus infectivity does not involve the late steps of Gag protein assembly and budding, but they suggest that the wt and mutant Env proteins form a dysfunctional hetero-oligomer which is impaired in an early step of the virus replication cycle. Our study demonstrates that mutations in the HIV-1 gp41 leucine zipper-like heptad repeat sequence dominantly inhibit infectious virus production.     

Broadly Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies 2F5 and 4E10 Directed against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp41 Membrane-Proximal External Region Protect against Mucosal Challenge by Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus SHIVBa-L

The membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1, located at the C terminus of the gp41 ectodomain, is conserved and crucial for viral fusion. Three broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnMAbs), 2F5, 4E10, and Z13e1, are directed against linear epitopes mapped to the MPER, making this conserved region an important potential vaccine target. However, no MPER antibodies have been definitively shown to provide protection against HIV challenge. Here, we show that both MAbs 2F5 and 4E10 can provide complete protection against mucosal simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) challenge in macaques. MAb 2F5 or 4E10 was administered intravenously at 50 mg/kg to groups of six male Indian rhesus macaques 1 day prior to and again 1 day following intrarectal challenge with SHIV_Ba-L. In both groups, five out of six animals showed complete protection and sterilizing immunity, while for one animal in each group a low level of viral replication following challenge could not be ruled out. The study confirms the protective potential of 2F5 and 4E10 and supports emphasis on HIV immunogen design based on the MPER region of gp41.Eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies is an important goal of HIV vaccine design efforts, and the study of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnMAbs) can assist in that goal. Human bnMAbs against both gp120 and gp41 of the HIV-1 envelope spike have been described. Three bnMAbs to gp41, 2F5, 4E10, and Z13e1, have been identified and shown to recognize neighboring linear epitopes on the membrane proximal external (MPER) region of gp41 (3, 24, 25, 37, 47). In a comprehensive cross-clade neutralization study by Binley et al., 2F5 neutralized 67% and 4E10 neutralized 100% of a diverse panel of 90 primary isolates (2). Similar broad neutralization was seen against sexually transmitted isolates cloned from acutely infected patients (22). More recently, a comprehensive study showed that 2F5 neutralized 97 isolates from a 162-virus panel (60%) and that 4E10 neutralized 159 isolates (98%) (41). Although less potent, the monoclonal antibody Z13, isolated from an antibody phage display library derived from a bone marrow donor whose serum was broadly neutralizing (47), has cross-clade neutralizing activity. Z13e1 is an affinity-enhanced variant of the earlier-characterized MAb Z13 that is directed against an access-restricted epitope between and overlapping the epitopes of 2F5 and 4E10. Both MAbs 2F5 and 4E10 were originally obtained as IgG3 antibodies in hybridomas derived from peripheral blood mononuclear blood lymphocytes (PBMCs) of HIV-1-seropositive nonsymptomatic patients and were later class switched to IgG1 to enable large-scale manufacturing and to prolong in vivo half-life (3, 6, 32).Despite the interest in the MPER as a vaccine target, there is limited information on the ability of MPER antibodies to act antivirally in vivo either in established infection or prophylactically. A study using the huPBL-SCID mouse model showed limited impact from 2F5 when the antibody was administered in established infection (31). Passive administration of 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10 to a cohort of acutely and chronically infected HIV-1 patients provided little direct evidence of 2F5 or 4E10 antiviral activity, whereas the emergence of escape variants indicated unequivocally the ability of 2G12 to act antivirally (18, 39). Indirect evidence did, however, suggest that the MPER MAbs may have affected virus replication, as indicated by viral rebound suppression in a patient known to have a 2G12-resistant virus prior to passive immunization (39). Another study of 10 individuals passively administered 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10 before and after cessation of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) showed similarly that 2G12 treatment could delay viral rebound, but antiviral activity by 2F5 and 4E10 was not clearly demonstrated (21). In prophylaxis, an early 2F5 passive transfer study with chimpanzees suggested that the antibody could delay or lower the magnitude of primary viremia following HIV-1 challenge (7). A study using gene transfer of 2F5 in a humanized SCID mouse model suggested that continuous plasma levels of approximately 1 μg/ml of 2F5 may significantly reduce viral loads in LAI- and MN-challenged mice (34). Protection studies of rhesus macaques using simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV_89.6PD challenge did not provide definitive direct evidence for MPER antibody-mediated protection. One of three animals was protected against intravenous (i.v.) challenge when 2F5 was administered in a cocktail with HIVIG and 2G12 (19), but all three animals treated with 2F5 alone at high concentration became infected. In a vaginal challenge study with SHIV_89.6PD (20), four of five animals were protected with a cocktail of HIVIG, 2F5, and 2G12, but a 2F5/2G12 combination protected only two of five animals. Further protection studies have used MPER MAbs in combination with other MAbs, leaving the individual contributions of these antibodies uncertain (1, 8).In our previous studies, we successfully used the SHIV/macaque model to demonstrate neutralizing antibody protection against mucosal challenge, and we have begun to explore how that protection is achieved (12, 30). Here, we conducted a protection study with the two broadly neutralizing MPER-directed antibodies 2F5 and 4E10. We show that the antibodies can prevent viral infection and thereby support the MPER as a vaccine target.     

Epithelial Uptake and Transport of Cell-Free Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and gp120-Coated Microparticles

Cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can be taken up and released by a monolayer of primary human gingival cells and remain infectious for CD4⁺ cells. Virus-sized latex particles covalently coated with purified native HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 are also transported through the primary epithelial cells. This process is significantly stimulated by increasing the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration. Inhibition experiments with mannan and α-methyl-mannopyranoside indicated that mannosyl groups are involved in the interaction between gp120 and gingival cells. An increase of cellular oligomannosyl receptors by incubation with the mannosidase inhibitor deoxymannojirimycin augmented transcellular transport of the gp120-coated particles. The results suggest that infectious HIV can penetrate gingival epithelia by a cAMP-dependent transport mechanism involving interaction of the lectin-like domain of gp120 and mannosyl residues on glycoproteins on the mucosal surface. Penetration of HIV could be inhibited by soluble glycoconjugates present in oral mucins.     

Peptide Ligands to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp120 Identified from Phage Display Libraries

We have used phage-displayed peptide libraries to identify novel ligands to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein gp120. Screening of libraries of random 12-mers, 7-mers, and cyclic 9-mers produced two families of gp120 binding peptides. Members of a family with the prototype sequence RINNIPWSEAMM (peptide 12p1) inhibit the interaction between gp120 and both four-domain soluble CD4 (4dCD4) and monoclonal antibody (MAb) 17b, a neutralizing antibody that covers the chemokine receptor binding surface on gp120. Peptide 12p1 inhibits the interaction of 4dCD4 with gp120 from three different HIV strains, implying that it binds to a conserved site on gp120. Members of a second family of peptides, with the prototype sequence TSPYEDWQTYLM (peptide 12p2), bind more weakly to gp120. They do not detectably affect its interaction with 4dCD4, but they enhance its binding to MAb 17b. A common sequence motif in the two peptide families and cross-competition for gp120 binding suggest that they have overlapping contacts. Their divergent effects on the affinity of gp120 for MAb 17b may indicate that their binding stabilizes distinct conformational states of gp120. The functional properties of 12p1 suggest that it might be a useful lead for the development of inhibitors of HIV entry.