Home » 1999 » Volume 1 - Number 4 » HIV Escape at Late Stage may be Due to the Lack of V3 Loop Carbohydrates
Kristel van Laethem
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*Correspondence: Kristel van Laethem, Email not available
Most of the neutralising antibodies present in thesera of HIV-1 infected patients are directed againstthe V3 loop of gp120 or to the epitopes overlappingthe CD4-binding sites of gp120 (Chamat S et al. JImmunol 1992;149:649-54; Burton D. Proc NatlAcad Sci USA 1997;94:10018-23). A point mutationwithin the epitope, or a point mutation elsewherein the env gene that alters the conformationof the epitope, can result in resistance towards theneutralisation activity of antibodies (Park E et al. JVirol 1998;72:7099-107).