Broad-band antibodies against HIV

New findings on HIV vaccine

05/04/2013

Broad-band antibodies can adapt and partially neutralize the mutations of the HI virus. AIDS researchers from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, California investigated the effects of these antibodies and gained insights that could help develop an HIV vaccine.

Antibodies neutralize HI viruses
The research team led by Hua-Xin Liao investigated the race between antibodies and HIV in an African man for more than three years. The study began about four weeks after the man became infected.

The findings of the researchers could be trendsetting for the development of an HIV vaccine. The constant mutations of the HI viruses have been the biggest problem so far, as the pathogens permanently elude the neutralizing effect of the antibodies in this way. Like the researchers in the trade magazine „Nature“ However, in about 20 percent of HIV-infected people over time so-called broadband antibodies occur on the „Development could serve as a template for effective vaccination“.

The African patient also developed broad-band antibodies that attack viral components that are less mutated and therefore more effective to fight. Responsible for the formation of broadband antibodies is a protein on the envelope of the virus, the researchers said. As it turned out, the virus was constantly mutating, altering its structure. The antibodies also changed so that all neutralized the original virus. In addition, their activity against the mutated viruses increased. „The mature antibody neutralized nearly 55 percent of HIV isolates“, Write Liao and his team. These findings could now feed into the development of an HIV vaccine.

HIV self-test not approved in Germany
Recently, another HIV study drew attention to the efficacy of HIV self-testing. The research team led by Nitika Pant Pai of McGill University in Montreal, Canada came to the conclusion that HIV self-test appeals to more people than tests done in hospitals or other facilities. One of the main reasons is therefore the discretion. However, HIV self-tests have not been approved in Germany so far. According to experts, the safety of the test results may not be as reliable. (Sb)

Also read:
New HIV vaccine in AIDS research
Why some people do not get AIDS despite HIV
Aids: 17 antibodies against HI viruses discovered
UN warns against rapid spread of AIDS
AIDS: SI virus is considered a precursor to HIV
Why some people do not get AIDS despite HIV
AIDS: No fate with real antibodies?

Image: Bernd Boscolo