March 2024 | Nathan L. Board, Zhe Yuan, Fengting Wu, Milica Moskovljevic, Meghana Ravi, Srone Sengupta, Sung Soo Mun, Francesco R. Simonetti, Jun Lai, Pablo Tebas, Kenneth Lynn, Rebecca Hoh, Steven G. Deeks, Janet D. Siliciano, Luis J. Montaner & Robert F. Siliciano
This study investigates the use of bispecific antibodies (scDbs) targeting the HIV-1 envelope protein (Env) and the human type III Fcγ receptor (CD16) to enhance natural killer (NK) cell-mediated elimination of HIV-1 reservoir cells. The scDbs, derived from broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) PG16 and 3BNC117, effectively activate NK cells and promote the lysis of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells. In vitro and ex vivo experiments demonstrated that these scDbs significantly reduced the number of HIV-1-infected cells, with the most potent effect observed when combined. In humanized mice, treatment with 3BNC117-Db led to a marked reduction in the frequency of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells, indicating the potential of scDbs in reducing the latent HIV-1 reservoir. The study also highlights the importance of latency reversal agents (LRAs) in conjunction with scDbs to enhance the effectiveness of NK cell-mediated clearance. While scDbs show promise, challenges such as their short half-life and potential for immune responses need to be addressed for clinical application. The findings suggest that scDbs could be valuable in both acute and chronic HIV-1 infection, particularly when used in combination with other therapies to improve the clearance of latent reservoirs.This study investigates the use of bispecific antibodies (scDbs) targeting the HIV-1 envelope protein (Env) and the human type III Fcγ receptor (CD16) to enhance natural killer (NK) cell-mediated elimination of HIV-1 reservoir cells. The scDbs, derived from broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) PG16 and 3BNC117, effectively activate NK cells and promote the lysis of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells. In vitro and ex vivo experiments demonstrated that these scDbs significantly reduced the number of HIV-1-infected cells, with the most potent effect observed when combined. In humanized mice, treatment with 3BNC117-Db led to a marked reduction in the frequency of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells, indicating the potential of scDbs in reducing the latent HIV-1 reservoir. The study also highlights the importance of latency reversal agents (LRAs) in conjunction with scDbs to enhance the effectiveness of NK cell-mediated clearance. While scDbs show promise, challenges such as their short half-life and potential for immune responses need to be addressed for clinical application. The findings suggest that scDbs could be valuable in both acute and chronic HIV-1 infection, particularly when used in combination with other therapies to improve the clearance of latent reservoirs.