Scientists Discover New HIV Weakness That Could Lead To Vaccine

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

From Time

In a study published in Science, researchers led by the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases report on the newest such vulnerability. The team studied the blood of a unique HIV positive person who happened to make antibodies against parts of HIV that aren’t normally targeted, and discovered this special antibody stuck to a part of the virus that it uses to bind to healthy cells. By attaching to the virus at that point, it prevents HIV from properly fusing with the cell and infecting it.

The scientists are particularly encouraged by the potential of this antibody since it targets a site on the virus that’s relatively easy to exploit.

“The region of the virus that is recognized by the antibody is what’s different here,” says Peter Kwong, chief of structural biology at the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the authors of the paper.

Knowing of this weakness of HIV could help vaccine developers to find ways to educate the immune system to target this spot, and build up protection against infection. The idea is to immunize people to generate these powerful antibodies against HIV before they get infected, so they can overwhelm the virus and thwart its attempts at infecting healthy cells.

Study abstract:

A small fraction of HIV-1–infected individuals develop broad and potent antibodies that bind the HIV-1 envelope protein (Env). These antibodies recognize a limited set of conserved epitopes on Env, such as Env's host receptor-binding site. Kong et al. now report a neutralizing antibody isolated from an HIV-1–infected individual that binds to the fusion peptide of Env. This is unexpected because viruses often try to mask such key components of their cell entry machinery from antibody attack. Crystal structures of the antibody bound to the fusion peptide and to Env itself define the epitope, provide insight into the specific mechanism of antibody binding, and may inform HIV-1 vaccine design.

The HIV-1 fusion peptide, comprising 15 to 20 hydrophobic residues at the N terminus of the Env-gp41 subunit, is a critical component of the virus-cell entry machinery. Here, we report the identification of a neutralizing antibody, N123-VRC34.01, which targets the fusion peptide and blocks viral entry by inhibiting conformational changes in gp120 and gp41 subunits of Env required for entry. Crystal structures of N123-VRC34.01 liganded to the fusion peptide, and to the full Env trimer, revealed an epitope consisting of the N-terminal eight residues of the gp41 fusion peptide and glycan N88 of gp120, and molecular dynamics showed that the N-terminal portion of the fusion peptide can be solvent-exposed. These results reveal the fusion peptide to be a neutralizing antibody epitope and thus a target for vaccine design.

[johnpe 916]

I ****ing knew it. I am so happy!

[ThomastheMonster 288]

Does a vaccine mean they can cure it or prevent it? I had an HIV scare I was terrified, so glad I don't have it 😳😳😳

[SychosSoChic 9,995]

If they find a vaccine...

My raunchy future will be HIV risk free and I'll be free to have at it and get chlamydia to my hearts content

[ryanripley 86,575]

as if the gheys need any more reason to collect dicks like pokemon

Spoiler

jk this is incredible news  but always remember kids, if u wanna keep hopping from discostick to discostick, always use a condom  

 

[DeanWinchester 41,390]

Yaass, scientists! Drag ha!

[Jinzo 9,639]

16 minutes ago, ryanripley said:

as if the gheys need any more reason to collect dicks like pokemon

  Reveal hidden contents

jk this is incredible news  but always remember kids, if u wanna keep hopping from discostick to discostick, always use a condom  

 

[Kabexuela 1,184]

If it's a cure, forget me not.

[Prismatic 4,789]

If there's a cure, then it's amazing. So happy for the victims and they could be disease free and not judged by other queens. 

[ryanripley 86,575]

37 minutes ago, ThomastheMonster said:

Does a vaccine mean they can cure it or prevent it? I had an HIV scare I was terrified, so glad I don't have it 😳😳😳

 

3 minutes ago, Prismatic said:

If there's a cure, then it's amazing. So happy for the victims and they could be disease free and not judged by other queens. 

 

5 minutes ago, Kabexuela said:

If it's a cure, forget me not.

a vaccine is different from a cure: a vaccine PREVENTS which means those that are already infected, it's already too late unless they discover a cure from the vaccination. a vaccination will only prevent future cases for those who are not infected, unless the virus evolves to withstand the vaccination  however, i'm unsure what this means about safe sex as a whole. this isn't the the all clear to stop using condoms, other STIs still exist  

[LebaneseDude 6,146]

These responses  

[Reginald 13,841]

34 minutes ago, SychosSoChic said:

If they find a vaccine...

 

 

[StarstruckIllusion 53,563]

*stans everywhere rejoice*

[Sunday 2,186]

Awesome.

But I know I'll be safe forever without it.  

Good luck hunting fellas  

[DontDoubtDavid 1,196]

40 minutes ago, SychosSoChic said:

If they find a vaccine...

My raunchy future will be HIV risk free and I'll be free to have at it and get chlamydia to my hearts content

He's straight tho. Good luck.