AIDS Vaccine Research: Promising Protein

Abstract

Research results with a viral antigen have raised hopes for the development of a vaccine against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The antigen a protein from the outer coat or envelope of the AIDS retrovirus triggered an immune response when injected into animals and the antibodies made by the animals neutralized AIDS virus in the test tube. So far antibody formation has been induced in goats rabbits mice and guinea pigs. Antibodies with at least a slight ability to neutralize the AIDS virus in vitro have been found in the blood of some AIDS patients and pre-AIDS patients. The next step is to induce antibody formation in chimpanzees who unlike the other animals tested are vulnerable to the AIDS virus. Even if gp120 is found to protect chimpanzees against AIDS potential questions remain. Of greatest concern is the variability of the virus. It is unclear whether an antigen that comes from 1 viral strain and confers immunity against it will give protection against another strain. Although gp120 is 1 of the most variable of the viral proteins there are stretches within it that remain unchanged throughout the different strains. If the conserved regions are important in producing neutralizing antibodies gp120 from any strain might elicit antibodies that recognize the protein of any other strain. The earliest possible testing of an AIDS vaccine would be in 1988. The current research is being conducted at Duke University and the National Cancer Institute in the US.