Publications by authors named "S Venkatayogi"
Elicitation of HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) by vaccination first requires the activation of diverse precursors, followed by successive boosts that guide these responses to enhanced breadth through the acquisition of somatic mutations. Because HIV bnAbs contain mutations in their B cell receptors (BCRs) that are rarely generated during conventional B cell maturation, HIV vaccine immunogens must robustly engage and expand B cells with BCRs that contain these improbable mutations. Here, we engineered an immunogen that activates diverse precursors of an HIV V3-glycan bnAb and promotes their acquisition of a functionally critical improbable mutation.
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- The study investigates how the immune system of young macaques can produce antibodies that neutralize various strains of HIV-1, showing a higher success rate in infants compared to adults.
- Over a 24-month period, 64% of young macaques developed these antibodies, linked to a healthier immune profile with reduced immunosuppressive factors.
- The findings suggest that understanding pediatric immune responses to SHIV may help in creating vaccines to protect infants and children from HIV-1 before they are exposed to the virus.
Vaccine development targeting rapidly evolving pathogens such as HIV-1 requires induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) with conserved paratopes and mutations, and in some cases, the same Ig-heavy chains. The current trial-and-error search for immunogen modifications that improve selection for specific bnAb mutations is imprecise. Here, to precisely engineer bnAb boosting immunogens, we use molecular dynamics simulations to examine encounter states that form when antibodies collide with the HIV-1 Envelope (Env).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleoside-modified mRNA technology has revolutionized vaccine development with the success of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. We used modified mRNA technology for the design of envelopes (Env) to induce HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). However, unlike SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies that are readily made, HIV-1 bnAb induction is disfavored by the immune system because of the rarity of bnAb B cell precursors and the cross-reactivity of bnAbs targeting certain Env epitopes with host molecules, thus requiring optimized immunogen design.
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- Scientists are trying to create a vaccine for HIV-1 that makes special antibodies called broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that can fight the virus.*
- They found a way to design important boosters that help these antibodies develop stronger and better by using unique methods with special mice.*
- Their research shows that both protein and mRNA boosters can successfully help create these powerful antibodies, which is an important step toward making an effective HIV-1 vaccine.*