Seminar - Fab dimerized glycan-reactive antibodies are a structural category of natural antibodies

Sponsored by: The Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Please note that this seminar is scheduled for Zoom. Please register at: https://ubc.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5YvcOGuqTktHtZtlOtTZB1JPbvKvLhnstGX
 

Abstract: Natural antibodies (Abs) can target host glycans on the surface of pathogens. We studied the evolution of glycan-reactive B cells of rhesus macaques and humans using glycosylated HIV-1 envelope (Env) as a model antigen. We describe HIV-1 Env Fab-dimerized glycan (FDG)-reactive neutralizing Abs in HIV-1 vaccinated and simian-HIV (SHIV)-infected macaques, and HIV-1 naïve humans. FDG Abs also recognized cell-surface glycans on diverse pathogens, including yeast and SARS-CoV-2 spike. FDG precursors were expanded by glycan-bearing immunogens in macaques and were abundant in HIV-1-naïve humans. Moreover, FDG precursors were predominantly IgM and mutated, suggesting that they originated from a pool of antigen-experienced IgM+ or marginal zone-like B cells.