A METHOD FOR GENERATING IMMUNOGENS THAT ELICIT NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES AGAINST FUSION-ACTIVE REGIONS OF HIV ENVELOPE PROTEINS

摘要

The current invention relates to methods of generating immunogens that elici t broadly neutralizing antibodies which target regions of viral envelope proteins such as the gp120/gp41 complex of HIV-1. More specifically, the current invention involves using stabilizing peptides modeling the .alpha.- helical regions of the ectodomain of the HIV-1 transmembrane protein to stabilize fusion-active intermediate structures which can be used as vaccine immunogens.