News & Blogs » Peptide News » Peptide-targeted HIV vaccine could be a winner
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The process of discovering and developing antibodies capable of neutralizing diverse HIV-1 virus is rather complex and no commercial vaccine has been successfully developed.
Recently, scientists from NIAID studied the immune response to exposed fusion peptide N-terminal residues, via fusion peptide and envelope trimmers induced immunization. As fusion peptide is one of the important elements of the viral entry machinery, it can service as the epitope of antibodies elicited after HIV-1 infection.
Results from this study showed that, in mice, these immunogens elicited monoclonal antibodies neutralized up to 31% of 208 HIV-1 strains. Therefore, the N-terminus of the HIV-1-fusion peptide is a promising target of vaccine efforts aimed at eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies.
"This elegant study is a potentially important step forward in the ongoing quest to develop a safe and effective HIV vaccine." said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., in a press release.