Adenovirus-vectored vaccine containing multidimensionally conserved parts of the HIV proteome is immunogenic in rhesus macaques.

ABSTRACT: An effective vaccine that can protect against HIV infection does not exist. A major reason why a vaccine is not available is the high mutability of the virus, which enables it to evolve mutations that can evade human immune responses. This challenge is exacerbated by the ability of the virus to evolve compensatory mutations that can partially restore the fitness cost of immune-evading mutations. Based on the fitness landscapes of HIV proteins that account for the effects of coupled mutations, we designed a single long peptide immunogen comprising parts of the HIV proteome wherein mutations are likely to be deleterious regardless of the sequence of the rest of the viral protein. This immunogen was then stably expressed in adenovirus vectors that are currently in clinical development. Macaqu

SUBMITTER: Murakowski DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7865178 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature