Evidence for a continuous drift of the HIV-1 species towards higher resistance to neutralizing antibodies over the course of the epidemic

PLoS Pathog. 2013;9(7):e1003477. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003477. Epub 2013 Jul 4.

Abstract

We compared the neutralization sensitivity of early/transmitted HIV-1 variants from patients infected by subtype B viruses at 3 periods of the epidemic (1987-1991, 1996-2000, 2006-2010). Infectious pseudotyped viruses expressing envelope glycoproteins representative of the viral quasi-species infecting each patient were tested for sensitivity to neutralization by pools of sera from HIV-1 chronically infected patients and by an updated panel of 13 human monoclonal neutralizing antibodies (HuMoNAbs). A progressive significantly enhanced resistance to neutralization was observed over calendar time, by both human sera and most of the HuMoNAbs tested (b12, VRC01, VRC03, NIH45-46(G54W), PG9, PG16, PGT121, PGT128, PGT145). Despite this evolution, a combination of two HuMoNAbs (NIH45-46(G54W) and PGT128) still would efficiently neutralize the most contemporary transmitted variants. In addition, we observed a significant reduction of the heterologous neutralizing activity of sera from individuals infected most recently (2003-2007) compared to patients infected earlier (1987-1991), suggesting that the increasing resistance of the HIV species to neutralization over time coincided with a decreased immunogenicity. These data provide evidence for an ongoing adaptation of the HIV-1 species to the humoral immunity of the human population, which may add an additional obstacle to the design of an efficient HIV-1 vaccine.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / metabolism*
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Antigens, Viral / biosynthesis
  • Antigens, Viral / genetics
  • Antigens, Viral / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Epidemics*
  • Epidemiological Monitoring
  • Epitopes / genetics
  • France / epidemiology
  • Genetic Drift*
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / immunology*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • HIV-1 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Immunogenetic Phenomena
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • RNA, Viral / metabolism
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • Viral Envelope Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA et les hépatites (ANRS, Paris, France). MBP was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the Région Centre (France). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.