Download MendeleyDesigned oligomers of cyanovirin-N show enhanced HIV neutralization.
Keeffe, J.R., Gnanapragasam, P.N., Gillespie, S.K., Yong, J., Bjorkman, P.J., Mayo, S.L.(2011) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108: 14079-14084
- PubMed: 21799112
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1108777108
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
3S3Y, 3S3Z - PubMed Abstract:
Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) is a small, cyanobacterial lectin that neutralizes many enveloped viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1). This antiviral activity is attributed to two homologous carbohydrate binding sites that specifically bind high mannose glycosylation present on envelope glycoproteins such as HIV-1 gp120. We created obligate CV-N oligomers to determine whether increasing the number of binding sites has an effect on viral neutralization. A tandem repeat of two CV-N molecules (CVN(2)) increased HIV-1 neutralization activity by up to 18-fold compared to wild-type CV-N. In addition, the CVN(2) variants showed extensive cross-clade reactivity and were often more potent than broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies. The improvement in activity and broad cross-strain HIV neutralization exhibited by these molecules holds promise for the future therapeutic utility of these and other engineered CV-N variants.
Organizational Affiliation:
Division of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
