Epitope convergence of broadly HIV-1 neutralizing IgA and IgG antibody lineages in a viremic controller

J Exp Med. 2022 Mar 7;219(3):e20212045. doi: 10.1084/jem.20212045. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Abstract

Decrypting the B cell ontogeny of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is paramount for vaccine design. Here, we characterized IgA and IgG bNAbs of three distinct B cell lineages in a viremic controller, two of which comprised only IgG+ or IgA+ blood memory B cells; the third combined both IgG and IgA clonal variants. 7-269 bNAb in the IgA-only lineage displayed the highest neutralizing capacity despite limited somatic mutation, and delayed viral rebound in humanized mice. bNAbs in all three lineages targeted the N332 glycan supersite. The 2.8-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of 7-269-BG505 SOSIP.664 complex showed a similar pose as 2G12, on an epitope mainly composed of sugar residues comprising the N332 and N295 glycans. Binding and cryo-EM structural analyses showed that antibodies from the two other lineages interact mostly with glycans N332 and N386. Hence, multiple B cell lineages of IgG and IgA bNAbs focused on a unique HIV-1 site of vulnerability can codevelop in HIV-1 viremic controllers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • Elite Controllers
  • Epitopes
  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Infections*
  • HIV-1*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Mice
  • Polysaccharides
  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • Epitopes
  • HIV Antibodies
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Polysaccharides
  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus