HIV type 1 V3 region primer-induced antibody suppression is overcome by administration of C4-V3 peptides as a polyvalent immunogen.

The extreme variability of HIV-1 immunogenic regions has hampered attempts to design immunogens capable of inducing broadly reactive neutralizing anti-HIV antibody responses. We have begun to study the immune responses generated to a polyvalent mixture of HIV envelope gp120 synthetic peptides, and to determine the ability of each component of a polyvalent immunogen to prime and boost immune responses to each immunogen component. A major concern regarding the use of a polyvalent mixture of HIV-1 immunogens is that the phenomenon of "original antigenic sin," or HIV-1 primer-induced suppression of antibody responses to a subsequent boost by a second HIV-1 variant, may occur and prevent effective anti-HIV immune responses. Using a prototypic four-valent HIV peptide envelope immunogen in BALB/c mice, we observed two types of primer-induced antibody suppression: "original antigenic sin" with primer-induced suppression of antibody responses to only the boosting immunogen, and a second, novel form of primer-induced antibody suppression, with inhibition of antibody responses not only to the priming immunogen but also to all other immunogens in the polyvalent immunogen mixture as well. Importantly, either reversing the sequence of administration of the immunogens or administration of all four components as a polyvalent mixture completely overcame both forms of HIV-1 primer-induced antibody suppression.