Important note: Information in this article was accurate in December 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, December 10, 2001
Michael Greer, Senior Medical Writer
NewsRx -- Researchers in the United States and Europe have confirmed that several HIV specific monoclonal antibodies have synergistic effects in combination.
"Several reports have described the existence of synergy between neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)," according to Michael B. Zwick and colleagues at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and the Institute for Applied Microbiology at Vienna's University of Agriculture. "Neutralization synergy of these MAbs, however, has not been studied extensively, and the mechanism of synergy remains unclear."
While the information provided in their study may prove useful in the development of HIV vaccines, Zwick and associates say that the synergistic mechanisms of these MAbs is still poorly understood.
The researchers focused on synergistic relationships between four MAbs - b12, 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10. Although the synergy between antibody pairs resulted in relatively modest two- to fourfold neutralization augmentation, combining three or four antibodies magnified their potency by tenfold, they said.
Binding of b12 and 2G12 to oligomeric envelope glycoproteins was evaluated with flow cytometry. However, no cooperative binding mechanisms were seen with this antibody pair, study data showed.
None of the antibody combinations displayed synergistic effects for neutralizing HxB2, a T cell-derived HIV clone (Neutralization synergy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 primary isolates by cocktails of broadly neutralizing antibodies, J Virol 2001 Dec;75(24):12198-208.
"The mechanism by which these antibodies synergize is, therefore, not yet understood," concluded Zwick and coauthors, who noted that their results "lend some support to the notion that an HIV-1 vaccine that elicits moderate neutralizing antibodies to multiple epitopes may be more effective than hereto supposed although considerable caution in extrapolating to a vaccine situation is required."
The corresponding author for this report is Paul W. H. I. Parren, The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, IMM2, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. E-mail: parren@scripps.edu.
A search at www.NewsRx.net using the term "AIDS and HIV vaccine" yielded 121 articles in 17 specialized reports.
Key points reported in this study include
This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.
011210
AW011204
Copyright © 2001 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 http://www.newsrx.net
AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, iMetrikus, Inc., the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2001. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1990,2001. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.