2024-01-25 07:30:08
Published25. January 2024, 08:30
AIDS prevention: Researchers take important step towards an HIV vaccine
US researchers have identified three antibodies that can protect monkeys from infection with HIV viruses. One of the antibodies comes from people infected with HIV.
von
-
US researchers have injected macaques with several antibodies in various experiments.
-
The antibodies reliably prevented infection with the HIV virus.
-
The researchers see their study as a contribution to the development of an HIV vaccine.
Which antibodies were used?
The researchers used three antibodies for their study. The first antibody, called VRC34.01, was discovered in the blood of HIV patients a few years ago. It has a strong neutralizing effect against the virus. The other two antibodies, DFW1W and DFPH-a1.5, were produced in the blood of macaques after a special vaccination.
How do the antibodies work?
The antibodies target what’s called a fusion peptide, a spot on the surface of the HIV virus that helps it attach to and enter cells. Antibodies that target the fusion peptide have been shown in laboratory tests to neutralize various strains of HIV.
How was the effect of the antibodies tested?
The monkeys were each injected with the antibodies in different doses. The researchers from the Vaccine Research Center of the American National Institutes of Health (NIH) divided the macaques into four experimental groups and a placebo group. Five days later, they were exposed to simian immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), the equivalent of HIV in monkeys.
How well did the antibodies work?
None of the monkeys that received a high dose of VRC34.01 became ill. The lower dose, on the other hand, led to illness in one out of four monkeys. The DFPH-a1.5 antibody also reliably protected against infection. With the second monkey antibody, 25 percent of the monkeys were infected. The macaques in the control group that did not receive antibodies were all infected.
Have the researchers found a vaccine with this?
No. The antibodies were supplied to the monkeys from outside. So they were only passively vaccinated. Such a vaccination would have to be repeated regularly. The aim of a vaccine is for the body to produce sufficient quantities of the antibodies itself. There is no such vaccine against HIV yet.
What do the researchers say?
The researchers note that the three antibodies examined all offered statistically significant protection against SHIV, with the effect being greatest in monkeys with higher antibody concentrations in their blood. According to the research team, the results show that antibodies targeting the fusion peptide can provide protection against SHIV. The results can also help determine the concentration of antibodies that a vaccine would have to produce in order to have a protective effect.
How could things continue?
The good results with VRC34.01 make the antibody a candidate for human studies. However, the researchers emphasize that an effective HIV vaccine that targets the HIV fusion peptide should generate multiple variants of antibodies. This is necessary because there are very different HIV variants. A lot of research is still needed before a vaccination can take away the terror of the HIV virus. Until then, it is important continue to adhere to safe sex rules.
The study was published in the journal “Science Translational Medicine”..
Subscribe to Knowledge Channel notifications in the 20-minute app. You will be informed about groundbreaking research findings and discoveries, explanations of current events and curious news from the wide world of science. You will also receive answers to everyday questions and tips for a better life.
Here’s how to do it: Install the latest version of the 20-minute app. Tap the Settings menu in the top right corner (three lines with a circle), then tap “Push Notifications”. Select the topics you want and then click “Next”. Now select a region if desired and click “Next”. Under “Topics” you can now select “Knowledge”. Click “Confirm” and you’re in!
Don’t miss any more news
With the daily update you stay informed about your favorite topics and don’t miss any news about current world events.
Receive the most important things, briefly and concisely, directly to your inbox every day.
1706168565
#HIV #Researchers #antibodies #prevent #infection