Antibody that neutralises nearly all HIV strains identified

source: elife

SCIENTISTS from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified an antibody from an human immunodeficiency virus-infected person that potently neutralised 98 per cent of HIV isolates tested, including 16 of 20 strains resistant to other antibodies of the same class.

The remarkable breadth and potency of this antibody, named N6, make it an attractive candidate for further development to potentially treat or prevent HIV infection, say the researchers.

The scientists, led by Mark Connors, MD, of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), also tracked the evolution of N6 over time to understand how it developed the ability to potently neutralise nearly all HIV strains. This information will help inform the design of vaccines to elicit such broadly neutralising antibodies.

Identifying broadly neutralising antibodies against HIV has been difficult because the virus rapidly changes its surface proteins to evade recognition by the immune system. In 2010, scientists at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Centre (VRC) discovered an antibody called VRC01 that can stop up to 90 per cent of HIV strains from infecting human cells. Like VRC01, N6 blocks infection by binding to a part of the HIV envelope called the CD4 binding site, preventing the virus from attaching itself to immune cells.

Findings from the current study showed that N6 evolved a unique mode of binding that depends less on a variable area of the HIV envelope known as the V5 region, and focuses more on conserved regions which change relatively little among HIV strains. This allows N6 to tolerate changes in the HIV envelope, including the attachment of sugars in the V5 region, a major mechanism by which HIV develops resistance to other VRC01-class antibodies.

The new findings suggest that N6 could pose advantages over VRC01, which currently is being assessed as intravenous infusions in clinical trials to see if it can safely prevent HIV infection in humans. Due to its potency, N6 may offer stronger and more durable prevention and treatment benefits, and researchers may be able to administer it subcutaneously (into the fat under the skin) rather than intravenously. In addition, its ability to neutralise nearly all HIV strains would be advantageous for both prevention and treatment strategies.

ARTICLE:

J Huang, BH Kang, E Ishida, T Zhou et al. Identification of a CD4-binding site antibody to HIV that evolved near-pan neutralization breadth. Immunity DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.10.027 (2016).

WHO:

NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., is available to comment on the research. Mark Connors, M.D., chief of the HIV-Specific Immunity Section in NIAID’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation and the senior author of the paper, also is available.

The research team included scientists from NIAID’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Vaccine Research Center.

Transgender Day of Remembrance 2016 ...........

Transgender Day of Remembrance, which occurs annually on November 20 at fist in the US but now expanded worldwide on Twitter and related platforms, is a day to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia and to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community.

This year apart from previous posts I wanted to focus on Mercedes Successful who was killed earlier this year; you may remember her as one of the two entrants in this year's Miss Gay Caribbean Pagaent 2016, also see: Jamaica places 3rd in Miss Gay USA Caribbean Pageant 2016 

there she was strutting her stuff

Mercedes in good times

Halfway through May and again, we have to mourn another trans woman who’s been murdered and another trans woman who’s been misgendered in death. And again, it’s a Black trans woman who’s been murdered. This time it was 32-year-old Haines City, Florida native Mercedes Successful, who was found shot to death on Sunday in a parking lot. As usual, Cherno Biko and Monica Roberts were two of the first people to have details on this tragic case. Also see Instragam.

Miss Successful was born in Kingston, Jamaica and represented that country in the 2014 Gay Caribbean USA Pageant. The Gay Caribbean organization posted on Facebook “It is extremely sad that other humans can be so dreadful and take another human’s life this easily. RIP Mercedes Successful.” She was a frequent performer at clubs in the Haines City area and in the pageant scene, and was beloved by many, including people like Felix Ortiz, who said “Such a beautiful person inside and out. You were one of the funniest and one of the kindest people I ever met.” Successful had recently started transitioning and had been on hormones for a little over a month.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDoR has been held annually on November 20, and it has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 US cities throughout more than 20 countries.

We also remember Jennifer Banks who won that Gay USA Pagaent in 2010 representing Trinidad who also passed away some time ago:

Here she was performing her skit in 2010

see: Trans and Full Figured Trinidad &Tobago’s Jennifer Banks is the New Gay Caribbean USA Queen

First Transgender Miss Gay Caribbean Queen passes

Typically, a TDoR memorial includes a reading of the names of those who lost their lives during the previous year, and may include other actions, such as candlelight vigils, art shows, food drives, film screenings, and marches. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has extensively covered TDoR. GLAAD has interviewed numerous transgender advocates (including actress Candis Cayne), profiled an event at the New York City LGBT Community Center, and discussed media coverage of TDoR.

Rest in peace sisters and anyone who I may have ovelooked.

Peace & tolerance

H