科学家发现两强力抗体 可中和艾滋病病毒

2010/07/11 06:02:30

最新一期《科学》（Science）杂志报道，美国科研人员发现两种强力抗体，名为“VRCO1”和“VRCO2”，能够中和逾 90%已知的艾滋病病毒（HIV）毒株（strain），防止病毒株感染人类细胞。这项新发现为改良HIV病毒疫苗设计和其它疾病的抗体治疗，带来突破性发展。

报告称，美国国家卫生研究院（NIH）在华裔科学家邝广杰（Peter Kwong）带领下，从HIV感染者的血里，发现“VRCO1”和“VRCO2”这两种天然抗体。

NIH旗下的国家过敏与感染疾病研究中心（NIAID）主任福西博士表示，科研人员发现这两种对HIV具有异常广泛中和能力的抗体，并对抗体如何发挥效能进行结构性分析，有助研究对抗HIV疫苗。

福西博士又指，专家小组利用自行研发的分子组件，发现这两种新抗体，新技术或能应用于其它传染疾病的疫苗设计。

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Published Online July 8, 2010

Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1192819

Structural Basis for Broad and Potent Neutralization of HIV-1 by Antibody VRC01

Tongqing Zhou, Ivelin Georgiev, Xueling Wu, Zhi-Yong Yang, Kaifan Dai, Andrés Finzi, Young Do Kwon, Johannes Scheid, Wei Shi, Ling Xu, Yongping Yang, Jiang Zhu, Michel C. Nussenzweig, Joseph Sodroski, Lawrence Shapiro, Gary J. Nabel, John R. Mascola, Peter D. Kwong

During HIV-1 infection, antibodies are generated against the region of the viral gp120 envelope glycoprotein that binds CD4, the primary receptor for HIV-1. Among these antibodies, VRC01 achieves broad neutralization of diverse viral strains. Here, we determine the crystal structure of VRC01 in complex with an HIV-1 gp120 core. VRC01 partially mimics CD4 interaction with gp120. A shift from the CD4-defined orientation, however, focuses VRC01 onto the vulnerable site of initial CD4 attachment, allowing it to overcome the glycan and conformational masking that diminishes the neutralization potency of most CD4-binding-site antibodies. To achieve this recognition, VRC01 contacts gp120 mainly through V-gene–derived regions substantially altered from their genomic precursors. Partial receptor mimicry and extensive affinity maturation thus facilitate neutralization of HIV-1 by natural human antibodies.