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Meeting Abstract
 
Cancer Immunity, Vol. 3 Suppl. 2, p. 4 (12 December 2003)

Approaches to the neutralizing antibody problem in HIV vaccine design

Dennis R. Burton

The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA

 

Abstract

The design of immunogens capable of eliciting broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies is proving difficult. Conserved sites on the envelope (Env) trimer on the surface of virions appear to be only weakly immunogenic. However, a small panel of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that do recognize these sites and broadly neutralize HIV-1 has been identified. We are pursuing an understanding of the interaction of these mAbs with HIV-1 Env at the molecular level. This may promote the design of immunogens capable of eliciting antibodies similar to these mAbs i.e broadly cross-neutralizing.

 

Copyright © 2003 by Dennis R. Burton