Elicitation of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies by presentation of 4E10 and 10E8 epitopes on Norovirus P particles

Eliciting efficient broadly neutralizing antibodies (BnAbs) is a major goal in vaccine development against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Conserved epitopes in the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 are a significant target. In this study, Norovirus P particles (NoV PPs) were used as carriers to display conformational 4E10 and 10E8 epitopes in different patterns with an appropriate linker. Immune responses to the recombinant NoV PPs were characterized in guinea pigs and Balb/c mice and could induce high levels of MPER-binding antibodies. Modest neutralizing activities could be detected in sera of guinea pigs but not of Balb/c mice. The 4E10 or 10E8 epitopes dispersed on three loops on the outermost surface of NoV PPs (4E10-loop123 PP or 10E8-loop123 PP) elicited higher neutralizing activities than the equivalent number of epitopes presented on loop 2 only (4E10-3loop2 PP or 10E8-3loop2 PP). The epitopes on different loops of the PP were well-exposed and likely formed an appropriate conformation to induce neutralizing antibodies. Although sera of immunized guinea pigs could neutralize several HIV envelope-pseudoviruses, a vaccine candidate for efficiently inducing HIV-1 BnAbs remains to be developed.