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M94A1926.TXT
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1994-10-24
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Document 1926
DOCN M94A1926
TI Conformation-dependent GP120 antibodies detected in natural infection
recognize epitopes with common structural constraints.
DT 9412
AU Lee TH; Lee CN; Syu WJ; Essex M; Harvard School of Public Health,
Department of Cancer Biology,; Boston, MA.
SO Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):42 (abstract no. 141A). Unique
Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370649
AB The envelope glycoprotein gp120 of HIV-1 is known for its variability.
Despite this, there are two structural features that are highly
conserved by all genetic subtypes. First, there are 18-20 cysteine
residues that are believed to form 9-10 pairs of disulfide bonds in the
mature gp120. These cysteine residues are located in comparable regions
with fairly constant spacing in all known HIV-1 isolates. The highly
conserved cysteine residues have crucial roles in maintaining the
conformation of those epitopes recognized by conformation-dependent
gp120 antibodies detected in HIV-1 infected people. The other feature
common to all HIV-1 isolates is the presence of a large number of
N-linked glycosylation sites. It is believed that approximately 50% of
the molecular mass of gp120 is contributed by the carbohydrate. We have
reported previously that most of these N-linked sugars are not conserved
for virus infectivity per se, and proposed that N-linked sugars limit
the immunogenicity of gp120. We report here that small deletions and
point mutations introduced to different regions of gp120 were sufficient
to abolish the binding of conformation-dependent gp120 antibodies
detected in HIV-1 infected people. As mutations introduced span several
regions of gp120, this implies that gp120 is a tightly folded molecule.
One interpretation of our findings is that all conformational epitopes
recognized by naturally developed gp120 antibodies are dictated by
common structural constraints. Alternatively, our finding may suggest
limited recognition of conformational epitopes of gp120 in HIV-1
infection.
DE Antigenic Determinants/*ULTRASTRUCTURE Carbohydrate Conformation
Cysteine/METABOLISM Glycosylation Human HIV Envelope Protein
gp120/GENETICS/*IMMUNOLOGY/ULTRASTRUCTURE HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY Nucleic
Acid Conformation Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid MEETING ABSTRACT
SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be
protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).