# Immunity to novel T/F SHIVs: variability in the co-evolution of virus and host immunity

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $924,975

## Abstract

Statement of Work
The HIV-1 pandemic is a global threat and effective vaccination is the most likely pathway to its control. While
vaccines that induce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV could be transformative for
intervening in the HIV pandemic, no vaccine has been shown to induce HIV-1 bNAbs. Indeed, we do not even
understand how bNAb responses arise in rare, HIV-1 infected patients. In part our failure to understand HIV-1
immunity and the generation of bNAb responses can be traced to the absence of a suitable experimental
model to study virus:host interaction. Most simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs) bearing envelope
(Env) glycoproteins from primary HIV-1 strains do not infect rhesus macaques (RMs). This failure reflects low
affinity for rhesus CD4 (rhCD4) resulting in impaired virus entry into rhCD4+ cells. We have solved the issue of
Env-rhCD4 binding and demonstrated productive infection in RMs by SHIVs with T/F Env glycoproteins,
including those that elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) in humans. The goal of this study is to study
infection and immunity in rhesus macaques infected with molecular clones of T/F SHIVs to determine whether
patterns of co-evolution by virus and host immunity in individual macaques are similar or unique. This issue is
crucial in predicting the efficacy of “lineage design” vaccines.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9976437
- **Project number:** 5R01AI128832-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** GARNETT H KELSOE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $924,975
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9976437

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9976437, Immunity to novel T/F SHIVs: variability in the co-evolution of virus and host immunity (5R01AI128832-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9976437. Licensed CC0.

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