HIV-1 vaccine candidates based on envelope glycoproteins from infected individuals in Amsterdam

A protective vaccine that induces broadly neutralizing antibodies is believed to prevent infections with the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). This thesis describes HIV-1 vaccine candidates that are based on subtype B, the prevalent subtype in Europe. We used viral sequences from participants of the Amsterdam Cohort Studies on HIV/AIDS to design recombinant envelope glycoprotein trimers. These envelope glycoproteins and their in vitro and in vivo characteristics are described by us, with a focus on the polyclonal antibody response of immunized rabbits. In addition, we illustrate the effect of glycans that cover the surface of the envelope protein, on the induction of strain-specific antibodies.
Overall, this thesis sheds light on the neutralizing antibody response induced by subtype B envelope trimers, describes characteristics that play a role in its induction and contributes to the understanding of the envelope glycan shield.