Samman, A., Logan, N., McMonagle, E. L., Ishida, T., Mochizuki, M., Willett, B. J. and Hosie, M. J. (2010) Neutralization of feline immunodeficiency virus by antibodies targeting the V5 loop of Env. Journal of General Virology, 91(1), pp. 242-249. (doi: 10.1099/vir.0.015404-0)
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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.015404-0
Abstract
Neutralising antibodies (NAbs) play a vital role in vaccine-induced protection against infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). However, little is known about the appropriate presentation of neutralisation epitopes in order to induce NAbs effectively; the majority of the antibodies that are induced are directed against non-neutralising epitopes. Here, we demonstrate that a subtype B strain of FIV, designated NG4, escapes autologous NAbs but may be rendered neutralisation-sensitive following the insertion of two amino acids, Lysine and Threonine, at positions 556-557 in the fifth hypervariable (V5) loop of the envelope glycoprotein (Env). Consistent with the contribution of this motif to virus neutralisation, an additional three subtype B strains retaining both residues at the same position were also neutralised by the NG4 serum and serum from an unrelated cat (TOT1) targeted the same sequence in V5. Moreover, when the V5-loop of subtype B isolate KNG2, an isolate that was moderately resistant to neutralisation by NG4 serum, was mutated to incorporate the K-T motif, the virus was rendered sensitive to neutralisation. These data suggest that even in a polyclonal sera derived from FIV infected cats following natural infection, the primary determinant of virus neutralising activity may be represented by a single, dominant epitope in V5.
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