Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), passively administered or elicited through vaccination, are a promising strategy for novel HIV prevention, treatment or inducing ART-free remission. However, HIV diversity and evolution are a barrier to the efficacy of bnAbs and there is therefore an urgent n...

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Main Authors: Bongiwe Ndlovu, Kamini Gounder, Nelisiwe Zikhali, Lanish Singh, Ntokozo Ntshangase, Nombali Gumede, Jane Millar, Rebecca T van Dorsten, Nicholas E Grayson, David Bonsall, Sandra E Chaudron, Jennifer Mabuka, Krista L Dong, Bruce D Walker, Penny L Moore, Philip J R Goulder, Thumbi Ndung'u
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-06-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013245
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author Bongiwe Ndlovu
Kamini Gounder
Nelisiwe Zikhali
Lanish Singh
Ntokozo Ntshangase
Nombali Gumede
Jane Millar
Rebecca T van Dorsten
Nicholas E Grayson
David Bonsall
Sandra E Chaudron
Jennifer Mabuka
Krista L Dong
Bruce D Walker
Penny L Moore
Philip J R Goulder
Thumbi Ndung'u
author_facet Bongiwe Ndlovu
Kamini Gounder
Nelisiwe Zikhali
Lanish Singh
Ntokozo Ntshangase
Nombali Gumede
Jane Millar
Rebecca T van Dorsten
Nicholas E Grayson
David Bonsall
Sandra E Chaudron
Jennifer Mabuka
Krista L Dong
Bruce D Walker
Penny L Moore
Philip J R Goulder
Thumbi Ndung'u
author_sort Bongiwe Ndlovu
collection DOAJ
description Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), passively administered or elicited through vaccination, are a promising strategy for novel HIV prevention, treatment or inducing ART-free remission. However, HIV diversity and evolution are a barrier to the efficacy of bnAbs and there is therefore an urgent need for continuous virus surveillance to identify bnAbs with optimal neutralization breadth and potency against transmitted/founder (TF) viruses, especially in high-burden regions. We determined the neutralization sensitivity of TF viruses isolated within seven days after first detection of heterosexually acquired infection from young women 18-23 years old (n = 39) and within 1 month after birth from in-utero infected infants (n = 21) from FRESH and Baby Cure cohorts respectively, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where HIV-1 subtype C predominates. Neutralization sensitivities of 47 viruses from FRESH and 21 viruses from Baby Cure were assessed against nine bnAbs targeting different regions on the HIV-1 Env trimer. HIV-1 env sequences within and between bnAb epitopes were compared with database. The bnAbs VRC07-523LS, CAP256-VRC26.25, PGDM1400, 10E8 and PGT151 displayed higher neutralization breadth and potency than other bnAbs against FRESH TF viruses (>70% coverage, starting concentration of 10 μg/ml). Furthermore, VRC07-523LS showed higher neutralization breadth and potency than other bnAbs against Baby Cure TF viruses (p = 0.02). Interestingly, CAP256-VRC26.25 and PGT151 had lower neutralization coverage against infant TF viruses (<60% coverage). Moreover, 40% of infants TF had escape mutations within the V2 loop compared to 28% observed in FRESH and these mutations may explain the observed differences in neutralization sensitivities. However, few mutations were observed in gp120-gp41 interface in both adults and infants. Our findings suggest that intervention studies may have to consider different antibody combinations in adult versus paediatric settings. Moreover, high transmission of escape variants in both vertical and heterosexual transmissions is of concern. This information may be important in the selection of bnAbs that will undergo clinical testing in subtype C settings.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7366
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Pathogens
spelling doaj-art-1c0d68d76f074e2b8bd1df5570ae33242025-08-20T03:50:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742025-06-01216e101324510.1371/journal.ppat.1013245Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.Bongiwe NdlovuKamini GounderNelisiwe ZikhaliLanish SinghNtokozo NtshangaseNombali GumedeJane MillarRebecca T van DorstenNicholas E GraysonDavid BonsallSandra E ChaudronJennifer MabukaKrista L DongBruce D WalkerPenny L MoorePhilip J R GoulderThumbi Ndung'uBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), passively administered or elicited through vaccination, are a promising strategy for novel HIV prevention, treatment or inducing ART-free remission. However, HIV diversity and evolution are a barrier to the efficacy of bnAbs and there is therefore an urgent need for continuous virus surveillance to identify bnAbs with optimal neutralization breadth and potency against transmitted/founder (TF) viruses, especially in high-burden regions. We determined the neutralization sensitivity of TF viruses isolated within seven days after first detection of heterosexually acquired infection from young women 18-23 years old (n = 39) and within 1 month after birth from in-utero infected infants (n = 21) from FRESH and Baby Cure cohorts respectively, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where HIV-1 subtype C predominates. Neutralization sensitivities of 47 viruses from FRESH and 21 viruses from Baby Cure were assessed against nine bnAbs targeting different regions on the HIV-1 Env trimer. HIV-1 env sequences within and between bnAb epitopes were compared with database. The bnAbs VRC07-523LS, CAP256-VRC26.25, PGDM1400, 10E8 and PGT151 displayed higher neutralization breadth and potency than other bnAbs against FRESH TF viruses (>70% coverage, starting concentration of 10 μg/ml). Furthermore, VRC07-523LS showed higher neutralization breadth and potency than other bnAbs against Baby Cure TF viruses (p = 0.02). Interestingly, CAP256-VRC26.25 and PGT151 had lower neutralization coverage against infant TF viruses (<60% coverage). Moreover, 40% of infants TF had escape mutations within the V2 loop compared to 28% observed in FRESH and these mutations may explain the observed differences in neutralization sensitivities. However, few mutations were observed in gp120-gp41 interface in both adults and infants. Our findings suggest that intervention studies may have to consider different antibody combinations in adult versus paediatric settings. Moreover, high transmission of escape variants in both vertical and heterosexual transmissions is of concern. This information may be important in the selection of bnAbs that will undergo clinical testing in subtype C settings.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013245
spellingShingle Bongiwe Ndlovu
Kamini Gounder
Nelisiwe Zikhali
Lanish Singh
Ntokozo Ntshangase
Nombali Gumede
Jane Millar
Rebecca T van Dorsten
Nicholas E Grayson
David Bonsall
Sandra E Chaudron
Jennifer Mabuka
Krista L Dong
Bruce D Walker
Penny L Moore
Philip J R Goulder
Thumbi Ndung'u
Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
PLoS Pathogens
title Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
title_full Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
title_fullStr Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
title_full_unstemmed Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
title_short Distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted/founder HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.
title_sort distinct neutralization sensitivity between adult and infant transmitted founder hiv 1 subtype c viruses to broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013245
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