Immune escape mutations selected by neutralizing antibodies in natural HIV-1 infection can alter coreceptor usage repertoire of the transmitted/founder virus

Abstract

The ability of HIV-1 to evade neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in vivo is well demonstrated, but the impact of NAb escape mutations on HIV-1 phenotype other than immune escape itself has rarely been studied. Here, we show that immune escape mutations selected by V3-glycan specific NAbs in vivo can alter coreceptor usage repertoire of the transmitted/founder (T/F) HIV-1. In a participant developed V3-glycan NAb response, naturally selected escape mutations at the V3 N301 and N332 glycan sites abrogated CCR8 usage while conferred APJ usage on the cognate T/F strain. Mutations at the N301 glycan also impaired CCR3 usage and partially compromised the efficiency in using CCR5, which could be fully restored by a single escape mutation at the N332 glycan site. Our study demonstrates the link between NAb escape and coreceptor usage alteration in natural HIV-1 infection and indicates that NAb response could drive virus entry tropism evolution in vivo.

Keywords: Coreceptor usage; HIV-1; Immune escape; Neutralizing antibody.