ROLE OF V1V2 IN HIV TENASMISSION AND PATHOGENESIS

这个子项目是许多利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 为了研究HIV-1的异性传播，我们分析了在赞比亚（赞比亚-埃默里HIV研究项目）的一个大型HIV不一致夫妇队列中登记的伴侣之间传播的病毒的基因型和表型特征。我们已经表征了来自8个供体-受体传播对的200多种病毒Env蛋白，并且发现传播一致地选择HIV-1表面糖蛋白gp 120的紧凑的、中和敏感的变体。我们目前正在扩展这些研究，以调查在传播过程中对env基因的这种强选择的性质，并了解Env糖蛋白如何从早期感染演变为慢性疾病。从这些研究中提供的信息也将用于设计基于Env的疫苗免疫原，其目标是引发有效的中和抗体应答。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. To study heterosexual transmission of HIV-1, we have analyzed the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of viruses transmitted between partners enrolled in a large HIV-discordant couple cohort in Zambia (The Zambia-Emory HIV Research Project). We have characterized over 200 viral Env proteins derived from eight donor-recipient transmission pairs, and have found that transmission consistently selects for a compact, neutralization-sensitive variant of the HIV-1 surface glycoprotein, gp120. We are currently extending these studies to investigate the nature of this strong selection on the env gene during transmission and to understand how the Env glycoproteins evolve from early infection into chronic disease. Information provided from these studies will also be used to design Env-based vaccine immunogens targeted at eliciting a potent neutralizing antibody response.