Characterization of the MPER-specific antibody response.

<p>(A) Binding of antibodies in sera of mice immunized with MPER42 by the DNA-VLP regimen to MPER peptide in the presence of saturating amounts of 2F5 and 3D6 monoclonal antibodies. Significant competition of 2F5 with serum antibodies from five individual mice (MPER42-1 to MPER42-5) for binding to MPER peptide is marked by the bars. (B) Neutralizing activity of sera of two individual mice with the strongest antibody response after immunization with MPER42 DNA and VLP vaccines. Sera from a ΔEnv control mouse and from mice responding strongest to immunization with gp41 and gp160 by the DNA-VLP regimen were also analyzed. The 2F5 antibody at a concentration of 50 µg/ml was diluted as indicated and used as a positive control for neutralization.