Structural Challenges Posed by gp120 in the Development of an Effective HIV Vaccine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.3321Keywords:
HIV, gp120, HIV vaccine, HANDAbstract
HIV affects over 38 million people worldwide, yet an effective vaccine has not been developed, partly due to the virus’s high mutation rate and other challenges. The HIV envelope glycoprotein is the only viral receptor found on the surface of HIV and is responsible for facilitating entry into host cells. Therefore, it is the primary target for neutralizing antibodies and vaccine design. However, the envelope glycoprotein has a high mutation rate, a dense glycan shield, and a low protein density on the virus surface, which has made vaccine development challenging. In addition, HIV has many clinical implications, a major one being HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). This literature review examines the role of the HIV envelope structure and function, highlighting how these features hinder immune recognition by neutralizing antibodies and complicate vaccine development, as well as the progression of HAND. By analyzing these obstacles, this research aims to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and efforts involved in developing vaccines against rapidly mutating viruses, like HIV. This review also highlights emerging strategies–broadly neutralizing antibodies, structure-based immunogen design, and mRNA vaccine technology–that offer hope towards overcoming these challenges.
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