A Structural Update of Neutralizing Epitopes on the HIV Envelope, a Moving Target

Antibodies that can neutralize diverse HIV-1 strains develop in similar to 10-20% of HIV-1 infected individuals, and their elicitation is a goal of vaccine design. Such antibodies can also serve as therapeutics for those who have already been infected with the virus. Structural characterizations of broadly reactive antibodies in complex with the HIV-1 spike indicate that there are a limited number of sites of vulnerability on the spike. Analysis of their structures can help reveal commonalities that would be useful in vaccine design and provide insights on combinations of antibodies that can be used to minimize the incidence of viral resistance mutations. In this review, we give an update on recent structures determined of the spike in complex with broadly neutralizing antibodies in the context of all epitopes on the HIV-1 spike identified to date.

Automated summary

Approximately 10-20% of HIV-1 infected individuals develop antibodies that can neutralize diverse HIV-1 strains, which are crucial for vaccine design and therapy. Structural analyses reveal a limited number of vulnerable sites on the HIV-1 spike, providing insights for vaccine design and combination therapy strategies to reduce viral resistance mutations. Recent updates on spike structures in complex with broadly neutralizing antibodies are discussed in the context of all epitopes identified to date.