SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES CORRESPONDING TO OVERLAPPING NEUTRALIZING DETERMINANTS IN THE CBD1 EPITOPE INDUCE BROADLY NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES.

摘要

The present invention relates to chimeric peptides having a caveolin-1 binding domain of an HIV-1 gp41 (CBD1) peptide fused to a T helper epitope. In one aspect, the T epitope is from a peptide selected from the group consisting of a tetanus toxin, an HIV-1 Gag p24 and an HIV-1 Env-gp120. Compositions containing these chimeric proteins and pharmaceutical and immunogenic compositions comprising these chimeric proteins also are part of the present invention. Methods to induce neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 activity and uses of the chimeric peptides to treat or to prevent HIV-1 infection are also disclosed