International Network for Comparison of HIV Neutralization Assays: The NeutNet Report
Author Information
Author(s): Fenyö Eva Maria, Heath Alan, Dispinseri Stefania, Holmes Harvey, Lusso Paolo, Zolla-Pazner Susan, Donners Helen, Heyndrickx Leo, Alcami Jose, Bongertz Vera, Jassoy Christian, Malnati Mauro, Montefiori David, Moog Christiane, Morris Lynn, Osmanov Saladin, Polonis Victoria, Sattentau Quentin, Schuitemaker Hanneke, Sutthent Ruengpung, Wrin Terri, Scarlatti Gabriella
Hypothesis
Which assay or combination of assays will provide reliable measures of correlates of protection in HIV-1 vaccine development?
Conclusion
The NeutNet project demonstrated clear differences in assay sensitivity that were dependent on both the neutralizing reagent and the virus.
Supporting Evidence
- PSV assays were generally more sensitive than VI assays.
- Inter-laboratory concordance was slightly better for PSV than for VI assays.
- No single assay was capable of detecting the entire spectrum of neutralizing activities.
- A range of neutralization assays is recommended for vaccine evaluation.
Takeaway
Different tests for measuring how well antibodies can stop HIV from infecting cells work differently, and no single test is good enough on its own.
Methodology
Each laboratory evaluated four neutralizing reagents against a panel of 11 viruses using 16 different assays.
Potential Biases
Inter-laboratory variation and differences in assay protocols may introduce bias.
Limitations
No single assay was capable of detecting the entire spectrum of neutralizing activities.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 18 independent laboratories from various countries.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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