Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38768344›Full record

ArticleProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2024

Stabilized trimeric peptide immunogens of the complete HIV-1 gp41 N-heptad repeat and their use as HIV-1 vaccine candidates.

Chengwei Wu, Izzat T Raheem, Debbie D Nahas, Michael Citron, Peter S Kim, David C Montefiori, Elizabeth A Ottinger, Robert W Hepler, Renee Hrin, Sangita B Patel and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Chengwei WuDiscovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.ORCID 0009-0000-4284-7654
Izzat T RaheemDiscovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.ORCID 0000-0002-6769-8816
Debbie D NahasDiscovery Biology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Michael CitronDiscovery Biology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Peter S KimOffice of the President, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.ORCID 0000-0001-6503-4541
David C MontefioriDepartment of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
Elizabeth A OttingerDiscovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Robert W Hepler *Discovery Biology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Renee Hrin *Discovery Biology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Sangita B PatelDiscovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Stephen M Soisson *Discovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.
Joseph G JoyceProcess Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486.ORCID 0009-0001-8320-6818

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Efforts to develop an HIV-1 vaccine include those focusing on conserved structural elements as the target of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. MAb D5 binds to a highly conserved hydrophobic pocket on the gp41 N-heptad repeat (NHR) coiled coil and neutralizes through prevention of viral fusion and entry. Assessment of 17-mer and 36-mer NHR peptides presenting the D5 epitope in rodent immunogenicity studies showed that the longer peptide elicited higher titers of neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that neutralizing epitopes outside of the D5 pocket may exist. Although the magnitude and breadth of neutralization elicited by NHR-targeting antigens are lower than that observed for antibodies directed to other epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein complex, it has been shown that NHR-directed antibodies are potentiated in TZM-bl cells containing the FcγRI receptor. Herein, we report the design and evaluation of covalently stabilized trimeric 51-mer peptides encompassing the complete gp41 NHR. We demonstrate that these peptide trimers function as effective antiviral entry inhibitors and retain the ability to present the D5 epitope. We further demonstrate in rodent and nonhuman primate immunization studies that our 51-mer constructs elicit a broader repertoire of neutralizing antibody and improved cross-clade neutralization of primary HIV-1 isolates relative to 17-mer and 36-mer NHR peptides in A3R5 and FcγR1-enhanced TZM-bl assays. These results demonstrate that sensitive neutralization assays can be used for structural enhancement of moderately potent neutralizing epitopes. Finally, we present expanded trimeric peptide designs which include unique low-molecular-weight scaffolds that provide versatility in our immunogen presentation strategy.

Indexed as

AIDS VaccinesAntibodies, NeutralizingHIV-1HIV AntibodiesHIV Envelope Protein gp41AnimalsAntibodies, MonoclonalEpitopesFemaleHIV InfectionsHumansMicePeptidesAIDS VaccinesAntibodies, MonoclonalAntibodies, NeutralizingEpitopesgp41 protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1HIV AntibodiesHIV Envelope Protein gp41Peptidescoiled coilfusion inhibitorHIVN-heptad repeatvaccine

Identifiers

PMID38768344
PMCPMC11145295

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.