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Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, August 2007, p. 944-951, Vol. 14, No. 8
1071-412X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CVI.00140-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antibodies Generated in Cats by a Lipopeptide Reproducing the Membrane-Proximal External Region of the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Transmembrane Enhance Virus Infectivity

Retrovirus Center and Virology Section, Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Pisa, I-56127 Pisa,¹ Department of Public Health, University of Florence, I-50134 Firenze,² Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Salerno, I-89089 Fisciano,³ Laboratory of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florence, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy⁴

Received 30 March 2007/ Returned for modification 3 May 2007/ Accepted 13 June 2007

The immunogenicity of a lipoylated peptide (lipo-P59) reproducing the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the transmembrane glycoprotein of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was investigated with cats. In the attempt to mimic the context in which MPER is located within intact virions, lipo-P59 was administered in association with membrane-like micelles. Analyses showed that in this milieu, lipo-P59 had a remarkable propensity to be positioned at the membrane interface, displayed a large number of ordered structures folded in turn helices, and was as active as lipo-P59 alone at inhibiting FIV infectivity in vitro. The antibodies developed differed from the ones previously obtained by immunizing cats with the nonlipoylated version of the peptide (G. Freer, S. Giannecchini, A. Tissot, M. F. Bachmann, P. Rovero, P. F. Serres, and M. Bendinelli, Virology 322:360-369, 2004) in epitope specificity and in the fact that they bound FIV virions. However, they too lacked virus-neutralizing activity and actually enhanced FIV infectivity for lymphoid cell cultures. It is concluded that the use of MPER-reproducing oligopeptides is not a viable approach for vaccinating against FIV.

Published ahead of print on 27 June 2007.

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