Induction of broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies by a two-step mechanism informs vaccine design

A Ashwin N. Skelly H Harry B. Gristick (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) H Hui Li E Edem Gavor (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) A Andrew J. Connell E Edward F. Kreider L Lorie Marchitto M Michael P. Hogarty M Maddy L. Newby (School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.) J Joel D. Allen (School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.) W Weimin Liu A Anthony P. West (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) K Kasirajan Ayyanathan M Mary S. Campion K Kaitlyn Winters (Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.) C Colette G. Gordon R Rebecca A. Osbaldeston M Macy J. Akeley E Emily Lewis Y Yingying Li A Ajay Singh K Kendra Cruickshank (Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.) Y Younghoon Park C Chengyan Zhao X Xuduo Li K Khaled Amereh E Elizabeth Van Itallie (Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.) J John W. Carey A Amie Albertus A Andrew T. DeLaitsch (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) J Jennifer R. Keeffe (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) M Melinda G. Lituchy A Agnes A. Walsh D Daniel J. Morris (Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.) R Rumi Habib F Frederic Bibollet-Ruche N Nitesh Mishra (Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.) G Gabriel Avillion (Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.) N Nicholas S. Koranda (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) S Samantha J. Plante C Christian L. Martella J Jinery Lora E Eric J. D. Wang (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) M Mark G. Lewis (Bioqual, Inc., Rockville, MD, USA.) M Malcolm A. Martin (Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.) M Michel C. Nussenzweig M Michael S. Seaman (Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.) D Darrell J. Irvine K Kevin J. Wiehe (Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.) B Barton F. Haynes K Kshitij Wagh B Bette Korber (Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA.) R Raiees Andrabi M Max Crispin (School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.) D Drew Weissman P Pamela J. Bjorkman (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.) B Beatrice H. Hahn G George M. Shaw

Abstract

A major obstacle confronting HIV-1 vaccine and cure research is the lack of an outbred animal model for rapid and consistent induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). We designed an epitope-focused simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV.5MUT) that elicited broad and potent V3-glycan–targeted antibodies within a year of infection in 14 of 22 macaques compared with 0 of 14 control animals. SHIV.5MUT elicited bNAbs by a two-step mechanism, inducing an initial wave of V1-directed antibodies that selected for envelope (Env) glycoprotein variants with shortened, hypoglycosylated V1 loops, which in turn primed V3-glycan bNAb precursors. Rhesus bNAbs were immunogenetically and structurally diverse, closely resembling human V3-glycan bNAbs. Env-bNAb coevolution revealed a diverse repertoire of bNAb precursors and the Env variants that matured them, yielding a molecular blueprint for vaccine design.

Article Details

Journal Science
Volume / Issue Vol. 392, Issue 6804
Published June 18, 2026
ISSN 0036-8075
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science

Journal Info

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

ISSN: 0036-8075 Social Sciences

Authors (58)

A

Ashwin N. Skelly

H

Harry B. Gristick

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

H

Hui Li

E

Edem Gavor

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

A

Andrew J. Connell

E

Edward F. Kreider

L

Lorie Marchitto

M

Michael P. Hogarty

M

Maddy L. Newby

School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

J

Joel D. Allen

School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

W

Weimin Liu

A

Anthony P. West

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

K

Kasirajan Ayyanathan

M

Mary S. Campion

K

Kaitlyn Winters

Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

C

Colette G. Gordon

R

Rebecca A. Osbaldeston

M

Macy J. Akeley

E

Emily Lewis

Y

Yingying Li

A

Ajay Singh

K

Kendra Cruickshank

Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Y

Younghoon Park

C

Chengyan Zhao

X

Xuduo Li

K

Khaled Amereh

E

Elizabeth Van Itallie

Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.

J

John W. Carey

A

Amie Albertus

A

Andrew T. DeLaitsch

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

J

Jennifer R. Keeffe

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

M

Melinda G. Lituchy

A

Agnes A. Walsh

D

Daniel J. Morris

Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

R

Rumi Habib

F

Frederic Bibollet-Ruche

N

Nitesh Mishra

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.

G

Gabriel Avillion

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.

N

Nicholas S. Koranda

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

S

Samantha J. Plante

C

Christian L. Martella

J

Jinery Lora

E

Eric J. D. Wang

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

M

Mark G. Lewis

Bioqual, Inc., Rockville, MD, USA.

M

Malcolm A. Martin

Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

M

Michel C. Nussenzweig

M

Michael S. Seaman

Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

D

Darrell J. Irvine

K

Kevin J. Wiehe

Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.

B

Barton F. Haynes

K

Kshitij Wagh

B

Bette Korber

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA.

R

Raiees Andrabi

M

Max Crispin

School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

D

Drew Weissman

P

Pamela J. Bjorkman

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

B

Beatrice H. Hahn

G

George M. Shaw