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Symmonds J, Gaufin T, Xu C, Raehtz KD, Ribeiro RM, Pandrea I, Apetrei C. Making a Monkey out of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Pathogenesis: Immune Cell Depletion Experiments as a Tool to Understand the Immune Correlates of Protection and Pathogenicity in HIV Infection. Viruses 2024; 16:972. [PMID: 38932264 PMCID: PMC11209256 DOI: 10.3390/v16060972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the underlying mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis is critical for designing successful HIV vaccines and cure strategies. However, achieving this goal is complicated by the virus's direct interactions with immune cells, the induction of persistent reservoirs in the immune system cells, and multiple strategies developed by the virus for immune evasion. Meanwhile, HIV and SIV infections induce a pandysfunction of the immune cell populations, making it difficult to untangle the various concurrent mechanisms of HIV pathogenesis. Over the years, one of the most successful approaches for dissecting the immune correlates of protection in HIV/SIV infection has been the in vivo depletion of various immune cell populations and assessment of the impact of these depletions on the outcome of infection in non-human primate models. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the strategies and results of manipulating SIV pathogenesis through in vivo depletions of key immune cells populations. Although each of these methods has its limitations, they have all contributed to our understanding of key pathogenic pathways in HIV/SIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen Symmonds
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.S.); (C.X.); (K.D.R.); (I.P.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Thaidra Gaufin
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
| | - Cuiling Xu
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.S.); (C.X.); (K.D.R.); (I.P.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Kevin D. Raehtz
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.S.); (C.X.); (K.D.R.); (I.P.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Ruy M. Ribeiro
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Ivona Pandrea
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (J.S.); (C.X.); (K.D.R.); (I.P.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Cristian Apetrei
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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Aiuti A, D’Amelio R, Quinti I, Rossi P. Editorial to the Special Issue "Clinical Immunology in Italy, with Special Emphasis to Primary and Acquired Immunodeficiencies: A Commemorative Issue in Honor of Prof. Fernando Aiuti". Biomedicines 2023; 11:3191. [PMID: 38137412 PMCID: PMC10741147 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Fernando Aiuti (Figure 1), born in Urbino on 8 June 1935, suddenly died on 9 January 2019, leaving a great void not only among his family members and those who knew him and appreciated his great humanity and acute intelligence, but in the entire immunological scientific community [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Aiuti
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute S. Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele D’Amelio
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, S. Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy;
| | - Isabella Quinti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Isaguliants M, Krotova O, Petkov S, Jansons J, Bayurova E, Mezale D, Fridrihsone I, Kilpelainen A, Podschwadt P, Agapkina Y, Smirnova O, Kostic L, Saleem M, Latyshev O, Eliseeva O, Malkova A, Gorodnicheva T, Wahren B, Gordeychuk I, Starodubova E, Latanova A. Cellular Immune Response Induced by DNA Immunization of Mice with Drug Resistant Integrases of HIV-1 Clade A Offers Partial Protection against Growth and Metastatic Activity of Integrase-Expressing Adenocarcinoma Cells. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1219. [PMID: 34199989 PMCID: PMC8226624 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic DNA-vaccination against drug-resistant HIV-1 may hinder emergence and spread of drug-resistant HIV-1, allowing for longer successful antiretroviral treatment (ART) up-to relief of ART. We designed DNA-vaccines against drug-resistant HIV-1 based on consensus clade A integrase (IN) resistant to raltegravir: IN_in_r1 (L74M/E92Q/V151I/N155H/G163R) or IN_in_r2 (E138K/G140S/Q148K) carrying D64V abrogating IN activity. INs, overexpressed in mammalian cells from synthetic genes, were assessed for stability, route of proteolytic degradation, and ability to induce oxidative stress. Both were found safe in immunotoxicity tests in mice, with no inherent carcinogenicity: their expression did not enhance tumorigenic or metastatic potential of adenocarcinoma 4T1 cells. DNA-immunization of mice with INs induced potent multicytokine T-cell response mainly against aa 209-239, and moderate IgG response cross-recognizing diverse IN variants. DNA-immunization with IN_in_r1 protected 60% of mice from challenge with 4Tlluc2 cells expressing non-mutated IN, while DNA-immunization with IN_in_r2 protected only 20% of mice, although tumor cells expressed IN matching the immunogen. Tumor size inversely correlated with IN-specific IFN-γ/IL-2 T-cell response. IN-expressing tumors displayed compromised metastatic activity restricted to lungs with reduced metastases size. Protective potential of IN immunogens relied on their immunogenicity for CD8+ T-cells, dependent on proteasomal processing and low level of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isaguliants
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
- Department of Research, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia; (J.J.); (D.M.); (I.F.)
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Krotova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Stefan Petkov
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Juris Jansons
- Department of Research, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia; (J.J.); (D.M.); (I.F.)
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Ekaterina Bayurova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, 108819 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dzeina Mezale
- Department of Research, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia; (J.J.); (D.M.); (I.F.)
| | - Ilze Fridrihsone
- Department of Research, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia; (J.J.); (D.M.); (I.F.)
| | - Athina Kilpelainen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Philip Podschwadt
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Yulia Agapkina
- Department of Chemistry and Belozersky Institute of Physicochemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Olga Smirnova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Linda Kostic
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Mina Saleem
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Oleg Latyshev
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
| | - Olesja Eliseeva
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
| | - Anastasia Malkova
- Institute of Medical Biological Research and Technologies, 143090 Krasnoznamensk, Russia;
| | | | - Britta Wahren
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; (S.P.); (A.K.); (P.P.); (L.K.); (M.S.); (B.W.)
| | - Ilya Gordeychuk
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, 108819 Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 127994 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Starodubova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Latanova
- N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123098 Moscow, Russia; (O.K.); (E.B.); (O.S.); (O.L.); (O.E.); (I.G.)
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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Enriched LPS Staining within the Germinal Center of a Lymph Node from an HIV-Infected Long-Term Nonprogressor but Not from Progressors. J Immunol Res 2020; 2020:7471380. [PMID: 32455142 PMCID: PMC7225845 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7471380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
An increased level of microbial translocation has been observed in HIV-infected individuals. The host response to microbial translocation is compromised in HIV-infected progressors but remains unknown in HIV-infected long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs). To evaluate microbial translocation in HIV, we assessed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) immunohistochemistry staining in lymph nodes. We found enriched bacterial LPS immunohistochemistry staining in the germinal center of a lymph node from an HIV-infected LTNP, evenly distributed from three progressors with impaired germinal center structures and rarely detected from two HIV-negative individuals. The impaired germinal center structures were consistent with collagen deposition in lymph nodes using immunohistochemistry staining. These results suggest greater immune responses against bacterial LPS translocation in LTNPs, which may reveal an important mechanism in controlling microbial translocation and disease progression in HIV LTNPs.
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Reguzova AY, Karpenko LI, Mechetina LV, Belyakov IM. Peptide-MHC multimer-based monitoring of CD8 T-cells in HIV-1 infection and AIDS vaccine development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 14:69-84. [PMID: 25373312 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.962520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of MHC multimers allows precise and direct detecting and analyzing of antigen-specific T-cell populations and provides new opportunities to characterize T-cell responses in humans and animals. MHC-multimers enable us to enumerate specific T-cells targeting to viral, tumor and vaccine antigens with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. In the field of HIV/SIV immunology, this technique provides valuable information about the frequencies of HIV- and SIV-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in different tissues and sites of infection, AIDS progression, and pathogenesis. Peptide-MHC multimer technology remains a very sensitive tool in detecting virus-specific T -cells for evaluation of the immunogenicity of vaccines against HIV-1 in preclinical trials. Moreover, it helps to understand how immune responses are formed following vaccination in the dynamics from priming point until T-cell memory is matured. Here we review a diversity of peptide-MHC class I multimer applications for fundamental immunological studies in different aspects of HIV/SIV infection and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Y Reguzova
- State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector", Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, 630559, Russia
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Kim W, Chung HB, Chung CC. Constant drug dose in human immuno‐deficiency virus‐infected patients to induce long‐term non‐progressor status: bifurcation and controllability approach. IET Syst Biol 2013; 7:79-88. [DOI: 10.1049/iet-syb.2012.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wonhee Kim
- Department of Electrical EngineeringHanyang UniversitySeoul133-791Korea
| | - Han Byul Chung
- Department of Electrical EngineeringHanyang UniversitySeoul133-791Korea
- MANDO Corp.Kyonggi-DoKorea
| | - Chung Choo Chung
- Division of Electrical and Biomedical EngineeringHanyang UniversitySeoul133-791Korea
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Krotova O, Starodubova E, Petkov S, Kostic L, Agapkina J, Hallengärd D, Viklund A, Latyshev O, Gelius E, Dillenbeck T, Karpov V, Gottikh M, Belyakov IM, Lukashov V, Isaguliants MG. Consensus HIV-1 FSU-A integrase gene variants electroporated into mice induce polyfunctional antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62720. [PMID: 23667513 PMCID: PMC3648577 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Our objective is to create gene immunogens targeted against drug-resistant HIV-1, focusing on HIV-1 enzymes as critical components in viral replication and drug resistance. Consensus-based gene vaccines are specifically fit for variable pathogens such as HIV-1 and have many advantages over viral genes and their expression-optimized variants. With this in mind, we designed the consensus integrase (IN) of the HIV-1 clade A strain predominant in the territory of the former Soviet Union and its inactivated derivative with and without mutations conferring resistance to elvitegravir. Humanized IN gene was synthesized; and inactivated derivatives (with 64D in the active site mutated to V) with and without elvitegravir-resistance mutations were generated by site-mutagenesis. Activity tests of IN variants expressed in E coli showed the consensus IN to be active, while both D64V-variants were devoid of specific activities. IN genes cloned in the DNA-immunization vector pVax1 (pVaxIN plasmids) were highly expressed in human and murine cell lines (>0.7 ng/cell). Injection of BALB/c mice with pVaxIN plasmids followed by electroporation generated potent IFN-γ and IL-2 responses registered in PBMC by day 15 and in splenocytes by day 23 after immunization. Multiparametric FACS demonstrated that CD8+ and CD4+ T cells of gene-immunized mice stimulated with IN-derived peptides secreted IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α. The multi-cytokine responses of CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells correlated with the loss of in vivo activity of the luciferase reporter gene co-delivered with pVaxIN plasmids. This indicated the capacity of IN-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells to clear IN/reporter co-expressing cells from the injection sites. Thus, the synthetic HIV-1 clade A integrase genes acted as potent immunogens generating polyfunctional Th1-type CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Generation of such response is highly desirable for an effective HIV-1 vaccine as it offers a possibility to attack virus-infected cells via both MHC class I and II pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Krotova
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia
- WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Starodubova
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Stefan Petkov
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linda Kostic
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julia Agapkina
- WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - David Hallengärd
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alecia Viklund
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Vadim Karpov
- WA Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina Gottikh
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor M. Belyakov
- Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences, and the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Lukashov
- DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maria G. Isaguliants
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- DI Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
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Longitudinal analysis of an HLA-B*51-restricted epitope in integrase reveals immune escape in early HIV-1 infection. AIDS 2013; 27:313-23. [PMID: 23095315 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e32835b8cf5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To fully define cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) escape variants of an HLA-B*51-restricted integrase epitope in early HIV-1 infection. DESIGN Ninety-four longitudinally sampled acute/early HIV-1 subtype B-infected participants were assessed to determine HLA-B*51-restricted LPPVVAKEI (LI9) escape variants. METHODS LI9 was sequenced at baseline and subsequent time points. Interferon-γ (IFNγ) ELISpot assays were performed using serial log dilutions of variant LI9 peptides to determine the cellular response and functional avidity. RESULTS There is a significant association between HLA-B*51 expression and an evolving LI9 sequence from baseline to year 1 (P < 0.0001). We detected that the V32I and P30X polymorphisms emerged within HLA-B*51 participants over time. Reversion of the P30S polymorphism was observed by year 1 in one HLA-B*51 participant. LPPIIAKEI and LPSIVAKEI had significantly lower functional avidity compared with LPPVVAKEI and so may be less well recognized by LI9-specific CTLs; a positive IFNγ response to IPSVVAKEI was rarely seen. Functional avidity to wild-type LI9 inversely correlated with viral load (R = 0.448, P = 0.0485). CONCLUSION Our results provide support for the role of HLA-B*51-restricted CTLs and functional avidity in the control of early HIV-1 infection.
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De Groot AS, Levitz L, Ardito MT, Skowron G, Mayer KH, Buus S, Boyle CM, Martin WD. Further progress on defining highly conserved immunogenic epitopes for a global HIV vaccine: HLA-A3-restricted GAIA vaccine epitopes. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2012; 8:987-1000. [PMID: 22777092 DOI: 10.4161/hv.20528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Two major obstacles confronting HIV vaccine design have been the extensive viral diversity of HIV-1 globally and viral evolution driven by escape from CD8(+) cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated immune pressure. Regions of the viral genome that are not able to escape immune response and that are conserved in sequence and across time may represent the "Achilles' heel" of HIV and would be excellent candidates for vaccine development. In this study, T-cell epitopes were selected using immunoinformatics tools, combining HLA-A3 binding predictions with relative sequence conservation in the context of global HIV evolution. Twenty-seven HLA-A3 epitopes were chosen from an analysis performed in 2003 on 10,803 HIV-1 sequences, and additional sequences were selected in 2009 based on an expanded set of 43,822 sequences. These epitopes were tested in vitro for HLA binding and for immunogenicity with PBMCs of HIV-infected donors from Providence, Rhode Island. Validation of these HLA-A3 epitopes conserved across time, clades, and geography supports the hypothesis that epitopes such as these would be candidates for inclusion in our globally relevant GAIA HIV vaccine constructs.
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Riva A, Vicenzi E, Galli M, Poli G. Strenuous resistance to natural HIV-1 disease progression: viral controllers and long-term nonprogressors. Future Virol 2011. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl.11.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
HIV-1 infection leads to AIDS and death within 8–10 years for most individuals in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, a minority of infected individuals show the unusual capacity to spontaneously control disease progression after infection in the absence of any ART. So-called ‘long-term nonprogressors’ are defined by maintenance of peripheral CD4+ T-cell counts >500 cells/µl and good health without ART for >7 years since infection. More recently, ART-naive individuals who spontaneously control their viremia levels at either <50 or <2000 copies of RNA/ml for at least 12 months in the absence of ART have been named ‘elite controllers’ and ‘HIV controllers’, respectively. The overlap between long-term nonprogressors and elite controllers/HIV controllers is partial, and both groups collectively account for <5% of all infected individuals. Unraveling the nature of their relative resistance to HIV-1 disease progression would be of great value for HIV-prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostino Riva
- Infectious Diseases & Immunopathology Section, Department of Clinical Sciences, L Sacco Hospital, Università di Milano, Italy
| | - Elisa Vicenzi
- Viral Pathogens & Biosafety & AIDS Immunopathogenesis Units, Division of Immunology, Transplantation & Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy; P2/P3 Laboratories, Via Olgettina n 58, 20132, Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Galli
- Infectious Diseases & Immunopathology Section, Department of Clinical Sciences, L Sacco Hospital, Università di Milano, Italy
| | - Guido Poli
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, School of Medicine, Milano, Italy
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Influence of major HIV-1 protease inhibitor resistance mutations on CTL recognition. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2011; 56:109-17. [PMID: 21107269 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0b013e3181fe946e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV-1 protease is subjected to dual selection pressure exerted by protease inhibitors (PIs) and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Recently, we identified KMIGGIGGF (KF9) as a HLA-B*1501-restricted CTL epitope, including several major PI resistance mutations (M46I/L, I47A/V, G48V, I50V). To assess potential interactions between KF9-specific CTL and emergence of these important resistance mutations, we studied CTL recognition of the mutations and analyzed protease sequences in an HLA-I–typed patient cohort. METHODS CTL recognition of KF9 and resistance mutations in KF9 were studied in 38 HLA-B*1501-positive HIV-1–infected patients using variant KF9 peptides in interferon-g enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Protease sequences were analyzed in 302 HLA-I–typed HIV-1–infected patients. RESULTS G48V abolished KF9 recognition by CTL in all patients. Furthermore, M46I, I47A, and I50V could impair or abolish CTL recognition in many patients. In contrast, M46L and I47V showed good CTL recognition in nearly all patients. HIV-1 protease sequence analysis showed no statistical correlation between the occurrence of resistance mutations in KF9 and HLA-B*1501. Viral load in patients failing therapy with KF9 mutations was significantly lower in HLA-B*1501-positive patients in comparison with HLA-B*1501-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS PI mutations, G48V, M46I, and I47A, can abrogate CTL recognition, indicating potential interactions between development of drug resistance and CTL response. However, we could not find evidence that development of these PI mutations is influenced by KF9-specific CTL.
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Chung HK, Pise-Masison CA, Radonovich MF, Brady J, Lee JK, Cheon SY, Markham P, Cristillo A, Pal R. Cellular gene expression profiles in rhesus macaques challenged mucosally with a pathogenic R5 tropic simian human immunodeficiency virus isolate. Viral Immunol 2009; 21:411-23. [PMID: 19115930 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2008.0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insights into the host factors that contribute to an effective antiviral immune response may be obtained by examining global gene expression in simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-infected nonhuman primates that exhibit different virological outcomes. Immune responses and gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were compared between animals that controlled or did not control viremia after infection. Rectal inoculation of eight rhesus macaques with R5-tropic SHIV(SF162P3) resulted in a high level of plasma viremia during the acute phase of infection. The viremia was controlled to below levels of detection in six of these animals at the set point (controllers), whereas two animals had persistent viremia throughout the 140 wk that the animals were monitored (non-controllers). CD4(+) T-cell counts declined slightly in both controllers and non-controllers in the acute phase of infection, but CD4(+) T-cell counts continued to decline only in the non-controllers. Neutralizing antibodies to the challenge virus were variable and could not account for the control of viremia. However, analysis of the cellular gene expression profiles in the PBMCs from both groups of animals revealed distinctive gene expression patterns between controllers and non-controllers. Using the paired LPE test, 59 genes with p values <0.01 were identified and specific differences in the gene expression profiles in PBMCs from controllers versus non-controllers were detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-kyung Chung
- Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Kensington, Maryland 20895, USA.
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13
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Srinivasan A, Ayyavoo V, Mahalingam S, Kannan A, Boyd A, Datta D, Kalyanaraman VS, Cristillo A, Collman RG, Morellet N, Sawaya BE, Murali R. A comprehensive analysis of the naturally occurring polymorphisms in HIV-1 Vpr: potential impact on CTL epitopes. Virol J 2008; 5:99. [PMID: 18721481 PMCID: PMC2553080 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-5-99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2008] [Accepted: 08/23/2008] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The enormous genetic variability reported in HIV-1 has posed problems in the treatment of infected individuals. This is evident in the form of HIV-1 resistant to antiviral agents, neutralizing antibodies and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) involving multiple viral gene products. Based on this, it has been suggested that a comprehensive analysis of the polymorphisms in HIV proteins is of value for understanding the virus transmission and pathogenesis as well as for the efforts towards developing anti-viral therapeutics and vaccines. This study, for the first time, describes an in-depth analysis of genetic variation in Vpr using information from global HIV-1 isolates involving a total of 976 Vpr sequences. The polymorphisms at the individual amino acid level were analyzed. The residues 9, 33, 39, and 47 showed a single variant amino acid compared to other residues. There are several amino acids which are highly polymorphic. The residues that show ten or more variant amino acids are 15, 16, 28, 36, 37, 48, 55, 58, 59, 77, 84, 86, 89, and 93. Further, the variant amino acids noted at residues 60, 61, 34, 71 and 72 are identical. Interestingly, the frequency of the variant amino acids was found to be low for most residues. Vpr is known to contain multiple CTL epitopes like protease, reverse transcriptase, Env, and Gag proteins of HIV-1. Based on this, we have also extended our analysis of the amino acid polymorphisms to the experimentally defined and predicted CTL epitopes. The results suggest that amino acid polymorphisms may contribute to the immune escape of the virus. The available data on naturally occurring polymorphisms will be useful to assess their potential effect on the structural and functional constraints of Vpr and also on the fitness of HIV-1 for replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alagarsamy Srinivasan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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14
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Zanchetta M, Anselmi A, Vendrame D, Rampon O, Giaquinto C, Mazza A, Accapezzato D, Barnaba V, Rossi AD. Early Therapy in HIV-1-Infected Children: Effect on HIV-1 Dynamics and HIV-1-Specific Immune Response. Antivir Ther 2008. [DOI: 10.1177/135965350801300105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Perinatal HIV-1 infection is acquired in the milieu of a developing immune system, leading to high levels of uncontrolled viral replication. Few data have been reported that address the viral dynamics and immunological response in infants who initiated aggressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) shortly after birth. Methods Six HIV-1-infected infants who started ART within 3 months of age were studied. The median follow-up was 61 months. Plasma HIV-1 RNA, cell-associated HIV-1 DNA, unspliced and multiply spliced HIV-1 mRNAs, HIV-1 antibodies, and CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets were assessed in sequential peripheral blood samples. HIV-1 cellular immune response was measured by EliSpot assay. Results All children showed a decline in plasma viraemia to undetectable levels. HIV-1 DNA persisted in four children, but only two of these had detectable HIV-1 mRNA. All viral parameters remained persistently negative in two children. Only two children produced HIV-1 antibodies, while the others, after having lost maternal antibodies, remained seronegative. No HIV-1 cellular immune response was observed in any child. Therapy interruption was performed in two children: one HIV-1-seropositive and one HIV-1-seronegative with persistently undetectable levels of all viral parameters. Rebound of HIV-1 plasma viraemia in the seronegative child was more rapid and higher than that observed in the seropositive child. Conclusions Early ART treatment in infants modifies the natural course of infection by controlling HIV-1 replication and reducing viral load to below the threshold levels required for onset of HIV-1 immune response, but does not prevent the establishment of a reservoir of latently infected cells that precludes virus eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Zanchetta
- AIDS Reference Center, Unit of Viral Oncology, Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, IOV-IRCCS, Italy
| | - Alessia Anselmi
- AIDS Reference Center, Unit of Viral Oncology, Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, IOV-IRCCS, Italy
| | - Daniela Vendrame
- AIDS Reference Center, Unit of Viral Oncology, Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, IOV-IRCCS, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Vincenzo Barnaba
- Department of Internal Medicine, University ‘La Sapienza’ Rome, Italy
| | - Anita De Rossi
- AIDS Reference Center, Unit of Viral Oncology, Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, IOV-IRCCS, Italy
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15
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Safety and immunogenicity of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte poly-epitope, DNA plasmid (EP HIV-1090) vaccine in healthy, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-uninfected adults. Vaccine 2007; 26:215-23. [PMID: 18055072 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.10.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2007] [Revised: 10/22/2007] [Accepted: 10/29/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated EP HIV-1090 vaccine, a DNA plasmid encoding 21 cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the pan-DR helper T-lymphocyte epitope (PADRE), in a dose escalation, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 1 trial. Vaccine, at 0.5, 2.0, or 4.0mg doses, or placebo was injected four times over 6 months. Forty-two healthy, HIV-1-uninfected adults were enrolled. Using an interferon-gamma ELISPOT assay, a response to PADRE was detected in one vaccine recipient. Three vaccine recipients raised anti-HIV-1 CD8+ CTL measured by chromium-release assay. The vaccine was safe and well-tolerated, but only weakly immunogenic.
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16
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Rutjens E, Mazza S, Biassoni R, Koopman G, Radic L, Fogli M, Costa P, Mingari MC, Moretta L, Heeney J, De Maria A. Differential NKp30 Inducibility in Chimpanzee NK Cells and Conserved NK Cell Phenotype and Function in Long-Term HIV-1-Infected Animals. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2007; 178:1702-12. [PMID: 17237420 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.3.1702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
HIV-1 infection in chimpanzees, the closest human relative, rarely leads to disease progression. NK cells contribute to the shaping of adaptive immune responses in humans and show perturbed phenotype and function during HIV-1 infection. In this study, we provide full phenotypic, molecular, and functional characterization for triggering molecules (NKp46, NKp30 NKp80, and NKG2D) on Pan troglodytes NK cells. We demonstrate that, in this AIDS-resistant species, relevant differences to human NK cells involve NKp80 and particularly NKp30, which is primarily involved in NK-dendritic cell interactions. Resting peripheral chimpanzee NK cells have low or absent NKp30 molecule expression due to posttranscriptional regulation and increase its levels upon in vitro activation. Following long-standing HIV-1 infection, peripheral NK cells in chimpanzees have conserved triggering receptor expression and display moderate phenotypic and functional decreases only once activated and cultured in vitro. These data suggest that one of the keys to successful lentivirus control may reside in part in a different regulation of NK cell-triggering receptor expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Rutjens
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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17
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Mueller SM, Schaetz B, Eismann K, Bergmann S, Bauerle M, Schmitt-Haendle M, Walter H, Schmidt B, Korn K, Sticht H, Spriewald B, Harrer EG, Harrer T. Dual selection pressure by drugs and HLA class I-restricted immune responses on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease. J Virol 2007; 81:2887-98. [PMID: 17202219 PMCID: PMC1866003 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01547-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
To determine the influence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific CD8+ T cells on the development of drug resistance mutations in the HIV-1 protease, we analyzed protease sequences from viruses from a human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA class I)-typed cohort of 94 HIV-1-positive individuals. In univariate statistical analyses (Fisher's exact test), minor and major drug resistance mutations as well as drug-associated polymorphisms showed associations with HLA class I alleles. All correlations with P values of 0.05 or less were considered to be relevant without corrections for multiple tests. A subset of these observed correlations was experimentally validated by enzyme-linked immunospot assays, allowing the definition of 10 new epitopes recognized by CD8+ T cells from patients with the appropriate HLA class I type. Several drug resistance-associated mutations in the protease acted as escape mutations; however, cells from many patients were still able to generate CD8+ T cells targeting the escape mutants. This result presumably indicates the usage of different T-cell receptors by CD8+ T cells targeting these epitopes in these patients. Our results support a fundamental role for HLA class I-restricted immune responses in shaping the sequence of the HIV-1 protease in vivo. This role may have important clinical implications both for the understanding of drug resistance pathways and for the design of therapeutic vaccines targeting drug-resistant HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Mueller
- Immunodeficiency Center of the Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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18
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Bomsel M, Pastori C, Tudor D, Alberti C, Garcia S, Ferrari D, Lazzarin A, Lopalco L. Natural mucosal antibodies reactive with first extracellular loop of CCR5 inhibit HIV-1 transport across human epithelial cells. AIDS 2007; 21:13-22. [PMID: 17148963 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e328011049b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The genital mucosa represents the major site for initial host-HIV-1 contact. HIV-1-protective mucosal immunity has been identified either in subjects who despite repeated sexual exposure, remain seronegative (ESN) or in long-term non-progressor HIV-1-seropositive individuals (LTNP). As a subset of ESN and LTNP produce anti-CCR5 antibodies both at systemic and mucosal level, we studied the role of anti-CCR5 antibodies in blocking HIV transfer through human epithelial cells. DESIGN AND METHODS To evaluate HIV-1-inhibitory activity by anti-CCR5 antibodies, a two-chambers system was established to model HIV-1 infection across the human mucosal epithelium. Moreover, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and a CCR5 transfected cell line were also used in a classical HIV-infectivity assay. CCR5-specific IgG and IgA were used to inhibit HIV replication. RESULTS Either serum or mucosal IgA to CCR5 were able to specifically block transcytosis of CCR5- but not CXCR4-HIV strains across a tight epithelial cell layer by interacting with the first extracellular loop of the receptor (amino acids YAAAQWDFGNTMCQ). Monoclonal antibodies against other regions of CCR5 had no effect on HIV transcytosis. Moreover, mucosal CCR5-specific IgA neutralized CCR5-tropic strains and SOS-JRFL pseudovirus replication in PBMC and CCR5 transfected cell lines respectively, with a mechanism different than that observed for transcytosis. CONCLUSIONS Anti-CCR5 Abs shed light on the immunological mechanisms involved in the control of HIV-1 infection in a model that can be considered an experimentum naturae for resistance to HIV. They could be useful in the design of new strategies against HIV infection at mucosal sites.
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19
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Radaelli A, Bonduelle O, Beggio P, Mahe B, Pozzi E, Elli V, Paganini M, Zanotto C, De Giuli Morghen C, Combadière B. Prime-boost immunization with DNA, recombinant fowlpox virus and VLP(SHIV) elicit both neutralizing antibodies and IFNgamma-producing T cells against the HIV-envelope protein in mice that control env-bearing tumour cells. Vaccine 2006; 25:2128-38. [PMID: 17241705 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2006] [Revised: 10/05/2006] [Accepted: 11/03/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Different primings with DNA and fowlpox virus (FP) recombinants or FP alone were used in a pre-clinical trial to evaluate and compare immunogenicity and efficacy against HIV/SHIV. Three immunization regimens were tested in three groups of mice in which the SIV gag/pol and HIV-1 env transgenes were separately expressed by DNA and FP vectors, followed by VLP(SHIV) boosting. All of the protocols were effective in eliciting homologous neutralizing antibodies, although the mice immunized with DNA followed by FP recombinants or DNA+FP recombinants showed both high titres of neutralizing antibodies and high frequencies of env-specific IFNgamma-producing T lymphocytes. Vaccine efficacy, as demonstrated by growth control of env-expressing tumours, was obtained in both of these two groups of mice. These results establish a preliminary profile for the combined use of these recombinant vectors in protocols to be tested in the SHIV-macaque model of HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Radaelli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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20
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Chen X, Wang B, Chang LJ. Induction of primary anti-HIV CD4 and CD8 T cell responses by dendritic cells transduced with self-inactivating lentiviral vectors. Cell Immunol 2006; 243:10-8. [PMID: 17188256 PMCID: PMC1852462 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2006.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2006] [Revised: 09/29/2006] [Accepted: 11/06/2006] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrate that a minimal self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vector (LV) that does not encode any human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genes is able to induce HIV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses after transduction of dendritic cells (DCs). The LV-DC-primed T cells displayed HIV-specific lytic degranulation, as illustrated by acquisition of CD107a/b expression on the cell surface and up-regulation of active caspase 3. HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was consistently detected using different assays, and T cell receptors specific to three prominent HIV epitopes, SL9 (Gag peptide: SLYNTVATL), IV9 (Pol peptide: ILKEPVHGV), and MA10 (In peptide: MASDFNLPPV) were detected using HLA-A0201 peptide-tetramers. These results demonstrate that DCs transduced with the minimal SIN-LV can efficiently induce HIV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses. Since LVs are popular gene transfer tools, our results have fundamental implications for future LV applications and DC vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochuan Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Powell Gene Therapy Center, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0266, USA
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Powell Gene Therapy Center, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0266, USA
| | - Lung-Ji Chang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Powell Gene Therapy Center, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0266, USA
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21
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Rodriguez-Chavez IR, Allen M, Hill EL, Sheets RL, Pensiero M, Bradac JA, D'Souza MP. Current advances and challenges in HIV-1 vaccines. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2006; 3:39-47. [PMID: 16522258 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-006-0007-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in science, which have aided HIV-1 vaccine development, include an improved understanding of HIV-1 envelope structure and function, expansion of the pipeline with innovative vaccine strategies, promising multi-gene and multi-clade vaccines that elicit cellular immunity, conduct of clinical trials in a global network, and development of validated techniques that enable simultaneous measurement of multiple T cell vaccine-induced immune responses in humans. A common feature of several preventive vaccine strategies now in early clinical trials is their ability in nonhuman primates to attenuate clinical disease rather than completely prevent HIV-1 infection. One vaccine concept has been tested in large-scale clinical trials, two are currently in efficacy trials, and one more is poised to enter efficacy trial in the next few years. Simultaneously, expanded efforts continue to identify new designs that induce mucosal immunity as well as broadly neutralizing antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac R Rodriguez-Chavez
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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22
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Pastori C, Weiser B, Barassi C, Uberti-Foppa C, Ghezzi S, Longhi R, Calori G, Burger H, Kemal K, Poli G, Lazzarin A, Lopalco L. Long-lasting CCR5 internalization by antibodies in a subset of long-term nonprogressors: a possible protective effect against disease progression. Blood 2006; 107:4825-33. [PMID: 16522810 PMCID: PMC1895813 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2005-06-2463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to HIV-1 does not necessarily result in infection and progression toward disease, thus suggesting that the control of viral infection may be achieved. Antibodies to CCR5 have been detected in HIV-exposed but uninfected subjects (ESNs); thus, these antibodies could be involved in HIV protection. To assess whether anti-CCR5 antibodies may also contribute to slow HIV disease progression, we searched for anti-CCR5 antibodies in 497 subjects, including 85 long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs), 70 progressors, 135 HIV(+) patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and 207 seronegative donors. We found anti-CCR5 antibodies in a fraction of the LTNPs(23.5%) but not in the other populations studied (P < .001). These antibodies recognized a conformational epitope within the first extramembrane loop of CCR5, and they induced a stable and long-lasting downregulation of CCR5 on the surface of T lymphocytes, which inhibited HIV entry. In addition, CD4(+) lymphocytes from LTNPs having anti-CCR5 antibodies are resistance to R5 strains of HIV-1. Follow-up studies showed that the loss of anti-CCR5 antibodies occurred in some subjects, and this loss was significantly associated with a progression toward disease, whereas subjects who retained anti-CCR5 Abs maintained their LTNP status. Induction of anti-CCR5 Abs could be relevant to vaccine design and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pastori
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20127 Milan, Italy
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23
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Sanchez-Merino V, Nie S, Luzuriaga K. HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses and viral evolution in women and infants. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2006; 175:6976-86. [PMID: 16272358 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.175.10.6976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CD8+ T lymphocyte responses play an important role in controlling HIV-1 replication but escape from CD8+ T cell surveillance may limit the effectiveness of these responses. Mother-to-child transmission of CD8+ T cell escape variants may particularly affect CD8+ T cell recognition of infant HIV-1 epitopes. In this study, amino acid sequence variation in HIV-1 gag and nef was examined in five untreated mother-infant pairs to evaluate the potential role of CD8+ T cell responses in the evolution of the viral quasispecies. Several CD8+ T cell escape variants were detected in maternal plasma. Evaluation of infant plasma viruses at 1-3 mo documented heterogeneity of gag and nef gene sequences and mother-to-child transmission of CD8+ T cell escape variants. Infant HLA haplotype and viral fitness appeared to determine the stability of the escape mutants in the infant over time. Changes in CD8+ T cell epitope sequences were detected in infants' sequential plasma specimens, suggesting that infants are capable of generating virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses that exert selective pressures in vivo. Altogether, these studies document that HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses contribute to the evolution of the viral quasispecies in HIV-1-infected women and their infants and may have important implications for vaccine design.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Base Sequence
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- DNA, Viral/genetics
- Epitopes/genetics
- Female
- Gene Products, gag/genetics
- Gene Products, nef/genetics
- Genes, gag
- Genes, nef
- Genetic Variation
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV Infections/transmission
- HIV Infections/virology
- HIV-1/genetics
- HIV-1/immunology
- Humans
- In Vitro Techniques
- Infant
- Infant, Newborn
- Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Mutation
- Pregnancy
- Selection, Genetic
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Sanchez-Merino
- Department of Pediatrics/Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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24
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Doytchinova IA, Flower DR. In silico identification of supertypes for class II MHCs. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2005; 174:7085-95. [PMID: 15905552 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.174.11.7085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The development of epitope-based vaccines, which have wide population coverage, is greatly complicated by MHC polymorphism. The grouping of alleles into supertypes, on the basis of common structural and functional features, addresses this problem directly. In the present study we applied a combined bioinformatics approach, based on analysis of both protein sequence and structure, to identify similarities in the peptide binding sites of 2225 human class II MHC molecules, and thus define supertypes and supertype fingerprints. Two chemometric techniques were used: hierarchical clustering using three-dimensional Comparative Similarity Indices Analysis fields and nonhierarchical k-means clustering using sequence-based z-descriptors. An average consensus of 84% was achieved, i.e., 1872 of 2225 class II molecules were classified in the same supertype by both techniques. Twelve class II supertypes were defined: five DRs, three DQs, and four DPs. The HLA class II supertypes and their fingerprints given in parenthesis are DR1 (Trp(9beta)), DR3 (Glu(9beta), Gln(70beta), and Gln/Arg(74beta)), DR4 (Glu(9beta), Gln/Arg(70beta), and Glu/Ala(74beta)), DR5 (Glu(9beta), Asp(70beta)), and DR9 (Lys/Gln(9beta)); DQ1 (Ala/Gly(86beta)), DQ2 (Glu(86beta), Lys(71beta)), and DQ3 (Glu(86beta), Thr/Asp(71beta)); DPw1 (Asp(84beta) and Lys(69beta)), DPw2 (Gly/Val(84beta) and Glu(69beta)), DPw4 (Gly/Val(84beta) and Lys(69beta)), and DPw6 (Asp(84beta) and Glu(69beta)). Apart from the good agreement between known binding motifs and our classification, several new supertypes, and corresponding thematic binding motifs, were also defined.
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25
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Kebba A, Stebbing J, Rowland S, Ingram R, Agaba J, Patterson S, Kaleebu P, Imami N, Gotch F. Expression of the common heat-shock protein receptor CD91 is increased on monocytes of exposed yet HIV-1-seronegative subjects. J Leukoc Biol 2005; 78:37-42. [PMID: 15800028 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.0105049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The significantly higher surface expression of the surface heat-shock protein receptor CD91 on monocytes of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-infected, long-term nonprogressors suggests that HIV-1 antigen uptake and cross-presentation mediated by CD91 may contribute to host anti-HIV-1 defenses and play a role in protection against HIV-1 infection. To investigate this further, we performed phenotypic analysis to compare CD91 surface expression on CD14(+) monocytes derived from a cohort of HIV-1-exposed seronegative (ESN) subjects, their seropositive (SP) partners, and healthy HIV-1-unexposed seronegative (USN) subjects. The median fluorescent intensity (MFI) of CD91 on CD14(+) monocytes was significantly higher in ESN compared with SP (P = 0.028) or USN (P = 0.007), as well as in SP compared with USN subjects (P = 0.018). CD91 MFI was not normalized in SP subjects on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) despite sustainable, undetectable plasma viraemia. Data in three SP subjects experiencing viral rebounds following interruption of HAART showed low CD91 MFI comparable with levels in USN subjects. There was a significant positive correlation between CD91 MFI and CD8(+) T cell counts in HAART-naïve SP subjects (r = 0.7, P = 0.015). Increased surface expression of CD91 on CD14(+) monocytes is associated with the apparent HIV-1 resistance that is observed in ESN subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Kebba
- Department of Immunology, Imperial College, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
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26
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Stratov I, Dale CJ, Chea S, McCluskey J, Kent SJ. Induction of T-cell immunity to antiretroviral drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1. J Virol 2005; 79:7728-37. [PMID: 15919925 PMCID: PMC1143690 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.12.7728-7737.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiretroviral drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a major, growing, public health problem. Immune responses targeting epitopes spanning drug resistance sites could ameliorate development of drug resistance. We studied 25 individuals harboring multidrug-resistant HIV-1 for T-cell immunity to HIV-1 proteins and peptides spanning all common drug resistance mutations. CD8 T cells targeting epitopes spanning drug-induced mutations were detected but only in the 3 individuals with robust HIV-specific T-cell activity. Novel CD8 T-cell responses were detected against the common L63P and L10I protease inhibitor fitness mutations. Induction of T-cell immunity to drug-resistant variants was demonstrated in simian human immunodeficiency virus-infected macaques, where both CD8 and CD4 T-cell immune responses to reverse transcriptase and protease antiretroviral mutations were elicited using a novel peptide-based immunotherapy. T-cell responses to antiretroviral resistance mutations were strongest in the most immunocompetent animals. This study suggests feasible strategies to further evaluate the potential of limiting antiretroviral drug resistance through induction of T-cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Stratov
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Usami O, Xiao P, Ling H, Liu Y, Nakasone T, Hattori T. Properties of anti-gp41 core structure antibodies, which compete with sera of HIV-1-infected patients. Microbes Infect 2005; 7:650-7. [PMID: 15823513 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2005.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2004] [Revised: 12/29/2004] [Accepted: 01/05/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
To determine the correlation between the immunoreaction against the core structure of human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV-1) transmembrane protein gp41 epitopes and the disease progression, it is essential to evaluate the anti-core structure antibody epitopes and the humoral immunity against the epitopes. For this purpose we evaluated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the gp41 core structure such as mAbs 50.69, 98.6 and T26, by Western blotting (WB) and flow cytometry. WB showed mAbs 50.69 and 98.6 bound to both monomeric and oligomeric gp41, and mAb T26 exclusively bound to oligomeric gp41. We evaluated the sera from Pneumocystis pneumonia patients (PCP; n=7) and long-term survivors (LTS; n=7). Competition assay with sera and mAbs for binding to H9 cells infected with HIV-1 IIIB virus was done using flow cytometry. The results revealed that PCP sera as well as LTS sera inhibited the binding of all the three mAbs, and the PCP sera inhibited mAb T26 binding more efficiently than LTS. Therefore, PCP patients retain competing immunity to antibodies against not only the shared epitopes of the core structure (binding sites of mAbs 50.69 and 98.6) but also against oligomeric gp41 specific epitope (binding site of mAb T26).
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Usami
- Division of Infectious and Respiratory Diseases, Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-Ku, Sendai-si, Miyagi-ken, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
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Giacoia-Gripp CBW, Neves I, Galhardo MC, Morgado MG. Flow Cytometry Evaluation of the T-Cell ReceptorVβ Repertoire Among HIV-1 Infected Individuals Before and After Antiretroviral Therapy. J Clin Immunol 2005; 25:116-26. [PMID: 15821888 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-005-2817-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
HIV-1 infection leads to serious impairment of the immune system and perturbations in the T cell receptor Vbeta repertoire are also described. Immune reconstitution can be potentially achieved in response to HAART. In the present study 10 patients were investigated for the Vbeta pattern expression before and after six months of HAART. TCR were analyzed for T CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, separately, by flow cytometry, using a monoclonal antibody set of 24 different Vbeta chains. Compared to eight Brazilian healthy controls, no differences in Vbeta pattern of expression was observed for patients before or on antiretroviral therapy. Some chains such as Vbeta 3, 14, 16, 20 and 21.3 were over utilized by both T subsets, independently of HIV infection and/or antiretroviral treatment, differing from the ones described for individuals of other nationalities. However, when each patient was taken individually, particular alterations were detected for the Vbeta gene usage, compared to controls, for all individuals. After treatment, significant Vbeta usage changes were observed for seven patients. One or more chains on both T subsets were engaged in this process, defining a preferential oligoclonal profile for TCR repertoire distribution, after HAART. Although no pattern of specific Vbeta changes was detected in the circulating T cells, we cannot exclude that differential immune responses to HIV or other important antigens are being focused by these cells.
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Borkow G, Bentwich Z. Chronic immune activation associated with chronic helminthic and human immunodeficiency virus infections: role of hyporesponsiveness and anergy. Clin Microbiol Rev 2005; 17:1012-30, table of contents. [PMID: 15489359 PMCID: PMC523563 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.17.4.1012-1030.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic immune activation is one of the hallmarks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It is present also, with very similar characteristics, in very large human populations infested with helminthic infections. We have tried to review the studies addressing the changes in the immune profiles and responses of hosts infected with either one of these two chronic infections. Not surprisingly, several of the immune derangements and impairments seen in HIV infection, and considered by many to be the "specific" effects of HIV, can be found in helminth-infected but HIV-noninfected individuals and can thus be accounted for by the chronic immune activation itself. A less appreciated element in chronic immune activation is the immune suppression and anergy which it may generate. Both HIV and helminth infections represent this aspect in a very wide and illustrative way. Different degrees of anergy and immune hyporesponsiveness are present in these infections and probably have far-reaching effects on the ability of the host to cope with these and other infections. Furthermore, they may have important practical implications, especially with regard to protective vaccinations against AIDS, for populations chronically infected with helminths and therefore widely anergic. The current knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the generation of anergy by chronic immune activation is thoroughly reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadi Borkow
- Animal Scienes, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
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Thomas AM, Santarsiero LM, Lutz ER, Armstrong TD, Chen YC, Huang LQ, Laheru DA, Goggins M, Hruban RH, Jaffee EM. Mesothelin-specific CD8(+) T cell responses provide evidence of in vivo cross-priming by antigen-presenting cells in vaccinated pancreatic cancer patients. J Exp Med 2004; 200:297-306. [PMID: 15289501 PMCID: PMC2211979 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20031435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2003] [Accepted: 06/17/2004] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells can potentially be activated by two distinct mechanisms of major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted antigen presentation as follows: direct presentation by tumor cells themselves or indirect presentation by professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). However, controversy still exists as to whether indirect presentation (the cross-priming mechanism) can contribute to effective in vivo priming of tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells that are capable of eradicating cancer in patients. A clinical trial of vaccination with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor-transduced pancreatic cancer lines was designed to test whether cross-presentation by locally recruited APCs can activate pancreatic tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells. Previously, we reported postvaccination delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to autologous tumor in 3 out of 14 treated patients. Mesothelin is an antigen demonstrated previously by gene expression profiling to be up-regulated in most pancreatic cancers. We report here the consistent induction of CD8(+) T cell responses to multiple HLA-A2, A3, and A24-restricted mesothelin epitopes exclusively in the three patients with vaccine-induced DTH responses. Importantly, neither of the vaccinating pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed HLA-A2, A3, or A24. These results provide the first direct evidence that CD8 T cell responses can be generated via cross-presentation by an immunotherapy approach designed to recruit APCs to the vaccination site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Morck Thomas
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Bldg., Rm. 4M07, 1650 Orleans St., Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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Yang C, Li M, Cowart F, Rudolph D, Parekh B, McDougal JS, Lal RB. Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 from HIV-1 seropositive cases with undetectable viremia. J Clin Virol 2004; 30:224-8. [PMID: 15135739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2003.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2003] [Revised: 10/27/2003] [Accepted: 11/04/2003] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral load has become a standard of care among HIV-1-infected patients; however, a small number of patients have undetectable viral load even though they have never been treated. METHODS By using RT-PCR and DNA-PCR, and followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, a detailed molecular characterization was carried out from five HIV-1-seropositive patients who had undetectable viral load by commercially available ultrasensitive viral load assays. RESULTS Of the four patients whose plasmas were available, viral RNAs were detected in three of them by using an in-house RT-PCR in at least one of the three regions (integrase, protease or envgp41). The fourth patient had positive RT-PCR signals in these regions only when RNA isolated from the supernatant of cocultivated patient PBLs with PHA-stimulated HIV-1 negative donor PBLs was used. Further analysis of DNA extracted from the PBMCs revealed that four of the five patients had detectable proviral sequences in at least two of the three regions. The fifth patient had only positive PCR results in all three regions when DNA isolated from PHA-stimulated patient's PBLs was used. Phylogenetic analysis of protease and envgp41 regions revealed that three patients were infected with subtype B viruses while the remaining two patients were infected with subtype C and CRF02_AG viruses. These subtypes coincided with geographic origin and known molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 infection. CONCLUSION These data provide evidence that both subtype B and non-B HIV-1 infection can result in undetectable viral load in HIV-1-infected patients and that efforts should continue to further characterize these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunfu Yang
- National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail Stop D-12, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Rodriguez WR, Addo MM, Rathod A, Fitzpatrick CA, Yu XG, Perkins B, Rosenberg ES, Altfeld M, Walker BD. CD8+ T lymphocyte responses target functionally important regions of Protease and Integrase in HIV-1 infected subjects. J Transl Med 2004; 2:15. [PMID: 15154967 PMCID: PMC441415 DOI: 10.1186/1479-5876-2-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2004] [Accepted: 05/21/2004] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background CD8+ T cell responses are known to be important to the control of HIV-1 infection. While responses to reverse transcriptase and most structural and accessory proteins have been extensively studied, CD8 T cell responses specifically directed to the HIV-1 enzymes Protease and Integrase have not been well characterized, and few epitopes have been described in detail. Methods We assessed comprehensively the CD8 T cell responses to synthetic peptides spanning Protease and Integrase in 56 HIV-1 infected subjects with acute, chronic, or controlled infection using IFN-γ-Elispot assays and intracellular cytokine staining. Fine-characterization of novel CTL epitopes was performed on peptide-specific CTL lines in Elispot and 51Chromium-release assays. Results Thirteen (23%) and 38 (68%) of the 56 subjects had detectable responses to Protease and Integrase, respectively, and together these targeted most regions within both proteins. Sequence variability analysis confirmed that responses cluster largely around conserved regions of Integrase, but responses against a large, highly conserved region of the N-terminal DNA-binding domain of Integrase were not readily detected. CD8 T cell responses targeted regions of Protease that contain known Protease inhibitor mutation residues, but strong Protease-specific CD8 T cell responses were rare. Fine-mapping of targeted epitopes allowed the identification of three novel, HLA class I-restricted, frequently-targeted optimal epitopes. There were no significant correlations between CD8 T cell responses to Protease and Integrase and clinical disease category in the study subjects, nor was there a correlation with viral load. Conclusions These findings confirm that CD8 T cell responses directed against HIV-1 include potentially important functional regions of Protease and Integrase, and that pharmacologic targeting of these enzymes will place them under both drug and immune selection pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Rodriguez
- Partners AIDS Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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33
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Wilson CC, McKinney D, Anders M, MaWhinney S, Forster J, Crimi C, Southwood S, Sette A, Chesnut R, Newman MJ, Livingston BD. Development of a DNA vaccine designed to induce cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to multiple conserved epitopes in HIV-1. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2004; 171:5611-23. [PMID: 14607970 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.10.5611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Epitope-based vaccines designed to induce CTL responses specific for HIV-1 are being developed as a means for addressing vaccine potency and viral heterogeneity. We identified a set of 21 HLA-A2, HLA-A3, and HLA-B7 restricted supertype epitopes from conserved regions of HIV-1 to develop such a vaccine. Based on peptide-binding studies and phenotypic frequencies of HLA-A2, HLA-A3, and HLA-B7 allelic variants, these epitopes are predicted to be immunogenic in greater than 85% of individuals. Immunological recognition of all but one of the vaccine candidate epitopes was demonstrated by IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays in PBMC from HIV-1-infected subjects. The HLA supertypes of the subjects was a very strong predictor of epitope-specific responses, but some subjects responded to epitopes outside of the predicted HLA type. A DNA plasmid vaccine, EP HIV-1090, was designed to express the 21 CTL epitopes as a single Ag and tested for immunogenicity using HLA transgenic mice. Immunization of HLA transgenic mice with this vaccine was sufficient to induce CTL responses to multiple HIV-1 epitopes, comparable in magnitude to those induced by immunization with peptides. The CTL induced by the vaccine recognized target cells pulsed with peptide or cells transfected with HIV-1 env or gag genes. There was no indication of immunodominance, as the vaccine induced CTL responses specific for multiple epitopes in individual mice. These data indicate that the EP HIV-1090 DNA vaccine may be suitable for inducing relevant HIV-1-specific CTL responses in humans.
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MESH Headings
- AIDS Vaccines/administration & dosage
- AIDS Vaccines/chemical synthesis
- AIDS Vaccines/immunology
- Adult
- Amino Acid Motifs/immunology
- Animals
- Cell Line, Transformed
- Conserved Sequence/immunology
- Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic/methods
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/isolation & purification
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV-1/immunology
- HIV-1/isolation & purification
- HLA-A2 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-A2 Antigen/immunology
- HLA-A3 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-A3 Antigen/immunology
- HLA-B7 Antigen/genetics
- HLA-B7 Antigen/immunology
- Histocompatibility Testing
- Humans
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/virology
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Superantigens/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/virology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/chemical synthesis
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara C Wilson
- University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA
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Nair MPN, Mahajan S, Hewitt R, Whitney ZRB, Schwartz SA. Association of drug abuse with inhibition of HIV-1 immune responses: studies with long-term of HIV-1 non-progressors. J Neuroimmunol 2004; 147:21-5. [PMID: 14741421 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2003.10.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recreational drug use has been proposed to affect the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. To investigate the effects of substance abuse on HIV infections, we compared virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and the expression of IL-16, TGF-beta1, and CXCR4 in three different cohorts of HIV-infected patients: (1) long-term nonprogressors (LT-NPs) of HIV infection who do not use recreational drugs; (2) nondrugs using normal progressors (NPs), and (3) drugs using NPs. Our results show that LT-NPs manifest increased CTL activity and IL-16 expression and decreased expression of TGF-beta1 and CXCR4 compared to NPs, regardless of recreational drug usage. Furthermore, drugs using NPs showed significantly lower levels of CTL and IL-16 expression and increased TGF-beta1 and CXCR4 expression compared to nondrugs using NPs. Our results suggest that recreational drug use may reduce CTL and IL-16 expression and increase the expression of TGF-beta1 and CXCR4, all of which may facilitate progression of HIV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhavan P N Nair
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Kaleida Health/Buffalo General Hospital, 100 High Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
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Resino S, Bellón JM, Pérez A, Gurbindo Gutiérrez MD, Muñoz-Fernández MA. Subpoblaciones de células T CD8+ en niños asintomáticos infectados verticalmente por el VIH-1. Med Clin (Barc) 2004; 122:6-11. [PMID: 14733867 DOI: 10.1016/s0025-7753(04)74125-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE HIV-infection has distinct patterns of disease progression with heterogeneous manifestations. We analyzed the subsets of CD8+ T cells in a group of long term asymptomatic (LTA) HIV-1-infected children who had stable CD4+ T cell counts (> 600/l). PATIENTS AND METHODS Cross-sectional study in HIV-1-vertically infected children older than 7 years who were rated into two groups according to the clinical and immunological classification: a) LTA: 7 asymptomatic HIV-1-infected children in A1, and b) rapid progressor (PR): 14 age-matched C3 HIV-1-infected children. Controls included 17 age-matched uninfected children. Characterization of CD8+ T-cell subsets was done by three-color flow cytometry. RESULTS LTA children displayed similar values of memory CD8+ T cells (CD8+CD45RO+, CD8+CD45RA-CD28+, CD8+ CD45RA-CD62L+) as controls but lower than PR children. LTA patients also showed similar values of naïve CD8+ T cells (CD8+CD45RA+CD62L+, CD8+CD45RA+CD28+, CD8+CD45RA+, CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD62L+) as controls but higher values than PR children. The values of CD8+CD38+ T cells were similar in LTA and controls but lower in PR. However, LTA children had higher values of CD8+HLA-DR+CD38+ and CD8+HLA-DR+ T cells than controls. Additionally, LTA patients had higher values of pre-effector CD8+ T cells than controls yet the values of effector CD8+ T-cells were similar in both LTA and controls. Moreover, the LTA group had lower values of CD8+CD11b+ T cells than controls. CONCLUSIONS Asymptomatic HIV-1 infected children have an almost normal CD8+ subset distribution, with the exception of activated and pre-effector CD8+ T cells which were higher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Resino
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular. Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Madrid. Spain
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Haridas V, McCloskey TW, Pahwa R, Pahwa S. Discordant expression of perforin and granzyme A in total and HIV-specific CD8 T lymphocytes of HIV infected children and adolescents. AIDS 2003; 17:2313-22. [PMID: 14571182 DOI: 10.1097/00002030-200311070-00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Perforin and granzyme are cytotoxic effector molecules that are believed to play essential roles in cytotoxic T cell (CTL) activity. We tested the hypothesis that dysregulation of these effector molecules contributes to defects of CD8 antiviral immune responses in pediatric subjects in chronic stages of perinatal HIV infection. DESIGN/METHOD Studies of CD8 T cells were conducted in 33 treatment experienced HIV+ patients (median age, 10.6 years) and in 14 age-matched healthy controls. CD8 T cells specific for HIV Gag and Pol peptides were identified in HLA-A2+ patients by tetramer binding assays. HIV-specific and total CD8 T cells were examined for perforin, granzyme and expression of CD27, a marker that is lost in terminally differentiated cells. RESULTS Three populations of CD8 T cells were identified: granzyme+ perforin+; granzyme+ perforin- and cells negative for both perforin and granzyme. In HIV infected patients, granzyme+ cells were increased in total CD8 T cells (39% versus 13% in controls) and were highest in HIV Gag-specific CD8 cells (42%). Perforin+ CD8 T cells were approximately fivefold fewer than granzyme+ CD8 T cells and were enriched in CD27 negative cells. Most HIV-specific CD8 cells were CD27+. Granzyme expression in CD8 T cells correlated negatively with CD4 percentage and positively with virus load. CONCLUSION A disproportionate and generalized increase in CD27+, granzyme+, CD8 T cells is a hallmark of established pediatric HIV infection. These findings support the concept of skewed maturation, with failure of CD8 T cells to mature into perforin-enriched, CD27-negative, effector cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraga Haridas
- North Shore-Long Island Jewish Research Institute, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset, New York, USA
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Sabbaj S, Bansal A, Ritter GD, Perkins C, Edwards BH, Gough E, Tang J, Szinger JJ, Korber B, Wilson CM, Kaslow RA, Mulligan MJ, Goepfert PA. Cross-reactive CD8+ T cell epitopes identified in US adolescent minorities. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2003; 33:426-38. [PMID: 12869831 DOI: 10.1097/00126334-200308010-00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines designed to bring forth CD8+ T cell responses in different racial and ethnic groups will require inclusion of T cell epitopes presented by various MHC class I molecules. This study was designed to identify new CD8+ T cell epitopes in HIV-infected African American and Hispanic youth as well as to determine the frequency of responses to both novel and previously described HIV-1 epitopes in a cohort of racially and ethnically diverse individuals. We found 8 MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes that had not been previously described, another 8 epitopes that were restricted by class I alleles not previously associated with these epitopes, and 8 additional epitopes that have been described previously. In a larger cohort, we demonstrated that 11 (69%) of these 16 newly described immunogens were recognized by individuals of different race or ethnicity. Most HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell epitopes identified were either novel or restricted by alternative MHC class I alleles. Frequent recognition of several of these CTL epitopes in persons of diverse racial backgrounds bodes well for the development of a broadly reactive HIV-1 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffanie Sabbaj
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA.
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Trachtenberg E, Korber B, Sollars C, Kepler TB, Hraber PT, Hayes E, Funkhouser R, Fugate M, Theiler J, Hsu YS, Kunstman K, Wu S, Phair J, Erlich H, Wolinsky S. Advantage of rare HLA supertype in HIV disease progression. Nat Med 2003; 9:928-35. [PMID: 12819779 DOI: 10.1038/nm893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 259] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2003] [Accepted: 06/02/2003] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules help to determine the specificity and repertoire of the immune response. The great diversity of these antigen-binding molecules confers differential advantages in responding to pathogens, but presents a major obstacle to distinguishing HLA allele-specific effects. HLA class I supertypes provide a functional classification for the many different HLA alleles that overlap in their peptide-binding specificities. We analyzed the association of these discrete HLA supertypes with HIV disease progression rates in a population of HIV-infected men. We found that HLA supertypes alone and in combination conferred a strong differential advantage in responding to HIV infection, independent of the contribution of single HLA alleles that associate with progression of the disease. The correlation of the frequency of the HLA supertypes with viral load suggests that HIV adapts to the most frequent alleles in the population, providing a selective advantage for those individuals who express rare alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Trachtenberg
- Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, 5700 Martin Luther King Jr. Way Oakland, California 94609, USA
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Stebbing J, Gazzard B, Kim L, Portsmouth S, Wildfire A, Teo I, Nelson M, Bower M, Gotch F, Shaunak S, Srivastava P, Patterson S. The heat-shock protein receptor CD91 is up-regulated in monocytes of HIV-1-infected "true" long-term nonprogressors. Blood 2003; 101:4000-4. [PMID: 12531796 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2002-11-3353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A small proportion of patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remains asymptomatic for a long period after infection. It is thought that a vigorous immune response may contribute to long-term nonprogression, though studies are confounded by heterogeneity among patients. We studied the levels of HIV-1 receptors, costimulatory T-cell molecules, and dendritic cell (DC) numbers in 18 patients with long-term infection, CD4 counts greater than 400 cells/mm(3), and HIV-1 viral loads lower than 50 copies/mL. These patients were further differentiated through the presence or absence of 2-LTR DNA circles, a possible marker for residual ongoing HIV-1 replication. A statistically significant increase in levels of CD91, the heat-shock protein (HSP) receptor, was observed in therapy-naive patients who had no evidence of ongoing viral replication (P =.01). This difference was most notable on their monocytes. High levels of CD91 may be a host factor that contributes to the maintenance of long-term nonprogression. The ability of CD91 to internalize alpha-defensins and to cross-present exogenous antigen to cytotoxic T lymphocytes through major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1 may maintain CD8(+) responses in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Stebbing
- Department of Immunology, Division of Investigative Science, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
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Resino S, Correa R, Bellón JM, Muñoz-Fernández MA. Preserved immune system in long-term asymptomatic vertically HIV-1 infected children. Clin Exp Immunol 2003; 132:105-12. [PMID: 12653844 PMCID: PMC1808687 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2003.02116.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to study immune system status in long-term asymptomatic (LTA) HIV-1-infected children. A cross-sectional study was used, involving HIV-1-infected children over 7 years of age who were rated into two groups according to their clinical and immunological classification: (a) LTA: 7 asymptomatic HIV-1-infected children in A1; (b) Rapid progressor (RP): 14 age-matched C3 HIV-1-infected children. The control group consisted of 17 age-matched uninfected children. The characterization of CD4+ T-cell subsets was determined by three-colour flow cytometry. The proliferative response and cytokine production by activated peripheral blood T-cells were also measured. IL-7 levels were measured in serum. Thymic production of T-cells was quantified by TCR rearrangement excision circles (TRECs). The LTA children showed similar proliferative responses to PHA, PWM and anti-CD3+ anti-CD28, but lower responses to tetanus toxoid and streptokinase, in comparison with the controls but always higher responses in comparison with the RP group. The production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma was similar in the LTA and control groups, and both were higher than the levels in the RP group. The LTA group showed a lower percentage of memory CD4+ T-cells (CD4+ CD45RO+, CD4+ CD45RA-CD62L+) than the control and RP groups. The LTA group also showed lower percentages of CD4+ CD7- cells than the controls. As for naïve CD4+ T-cells (CD4+ CD45RA+ CD62L+), CD4+ CD45RA+ and CD4+ CD62L+ cells, the LTA group showed higher values than the control and RP groups. The LTA group showed higher percentages of CD4+ HLA-DR+ CD38+ than the controls, but lower values than the RP group. In contrast, the LTA group had percentages of CD4+ HLA-DR-CD38+ T-cells higher than both the control and RP groups, whereas CD4+ CD38+ levels were only higher in the LTA group in comparison with the controls. CD4+ HLA-DR+ CD38- and CD4+ HLA-DR+ cell numbers were lower in the LTA group in comparison with the RP group. We found almost normal values of TRECs and IL-7 in the LTA group, but lower values in the RP group. Moreover, we found an inverse relation between TREC levels and IL-7 in plasma from HIV-infected children. Asymptomatic HIV-1 infected children have a well preserved immune system similar to that of control uninfected children in spite of HIV-infection for more than 7 years. Moreover, our results identified new markers of HIV disease, such as TRECs and IL-7, that could be used to monitor disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Resino
- Laboratory of Immno-Molecular Biology, General University Hospital 'Gregorio Marañón', Madrid, Spain
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Costa P, Rusconi S, Fogli M, Mavilio D, Murdaca G, Puppo F, Mingari MC, Galli M, Moretta L, De Maria A. Low expression of inhibitory natural killer receptors in CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes in long-term non-progressor HIV-1-infected patients. AIDS 2003; 17:257-60. [PMID: 12545087 DOI: 10.1097/00002030-200301240-00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated whether a different pattern of HLA-specific inhibitory natural killer receptor (iNKR) expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of long-term non-progressor (LTNP) patients explained their benign course of HIV-1 infection. The surface expression of p70, p140 and CD94/NKG2A in their CD3+CD8+ PBMC was comparable to that of uninfected donors. The lack of iNKR-mediated functional inhibition of HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vitro could provide an additional mechanism for the efficient control of virus spread in LTNP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Costa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
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Buseyne F, Scott-Algara D, Porrot F, Corre B, Bellal N, Burgard M, Rouzioux C, Blanche S, Rivière Y. Frequencies of ex vivo-activated human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific gamma-interferon-producing CD8+ T cells in infected children correlate positively with plasma viral load. J Virol 2002; 76:12414-22. [PMID: 12438567 PMCID: PMC136692 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.76.24.12414-12422.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2002] [Accepted: 08/26/2002] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV-specific CD8+ T cells are critical in controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. We present the evaluation of a gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma)-based enzyme linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay for the quantification of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells from HIV-infected children. We studied 20 HLA-A*0201-positive HIV-infected children. The IFN-gamma production in response to stimulation with two HLA-A*0201-restricted immunodominant CD8 epitopes (SLYNTVATL [SL9] in Gag and ILKEPVHGV [IV9] in Pol) was tested using the ELISPOT assay. The results were compared to labeling with the corresponding tetramers. Among the 20 children, 18 had detectable responses against the SL9 and/or the IV9 epitope using the ELISPOT assay (medians, 351 and 134 spot-forming cells/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells, respectively). Comparison of results from the tetramer and ELISPOT assays suggests that only a fraction of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells were able to produce IFN-gamma. Most importantly, we found that the frequencies of IFN-gamma-producing CD8+ T cells were positively correlated with the viral load whereas the frequencies of tetramer-binding CD8+ T cells were not. The high sensitivity of the ELISPOT assay and the fact that this functional assay provided information different from that of tetramer labeling support its use for measurement of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, our results show that the ex vivo-activated IFN-gamma-producing HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell subset is dependent upon continuous antigenic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Buseyne
- Laboratoire d'Immunopathologie Virale, Département de Médecine Moléculaire, URA CNRS 1930, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France.
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43
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Bodman-Smith MD, Williams I, Johnstone R, Boylston A, Lydyard PM, Zumla A. T cell receptor usage in patients with non-progressing HIV infection. Clin Exp Immunol 2002; 130:115-20. [PMID: 12296861 PMCID: PMC1906494 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01944.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It is still unclear why some patients with HIV progress more slowly than others to developing full blown AIDS. In this study using flow cytometry we have investigated the TCRBV repertoire of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in 17 long-term non-progressing HIV patients (LTNP) to determine if there is a biased usage of T cell receptor V gene products. Patients were identified from hospital records and entered into the study. Three colour flow cytometry was used to determine the expression of the TCRBV3S5, BV5S1, BV5S2, BV5S3, BV6S1, BV7S1, BV9, BV11, BV12, BV13, BV14, BV16, BV17, BV18, BV20, BV21S3, BV22, and BV23 by CD8 and CD4 positive cells isolated from the peripheral blood of patients and controls. Increases in the absolute numbers of CD8+ T cells expressing TCRBV2 and 8 were observed in the HIV-LTNP population (P < 0.05 in both cases). No differences were seen in numbers of CD8+ T cells expressing other TCRBV or in any TCRBV within the CD4+ T cell popu-lation. At follow up (1-2 years later), those patients in which CD4 levels were below 500 x 106/l were those initially found to have lower levels of TCRBV8 +ve CD8 cells. A significant increase in the absolute numbers of T cells coexpressing the gamma delta (gammadelta) T cell receptor and CD8 were also seen in the HIV-LTNP patients compared with controls (P = 0.002). The increase in CD8+ T cells in the HIV-LTNP patients may be interpreted as either an antigen specific, or group of antigen specific responses to viral antigen, or less likely a viral superantigen. A low level of TCRBV8, CD8+ T cells might be predictive of a more rapid disease progression and might indicate a protective role for this population in HIV infected patients. The increase in gammadeltaT cells bearing the CD8 coreceptor suggests a role for this cell type in the response to HIV infection.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- Disease Progression
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
- HIV Infections/immunology
- HIV Long-Term Survivors
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/analysis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/analysis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/analysis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Bodman-Smith
- Dept of Immunology and Molecular Pathology and Centre for Infectious Diseases and Department of Medicine, royal Free and University College Medical School, Leeds, UK
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De Groot AS, Sbai H, Aubin CS, McMurry J, Martin W. Immuno-informatics: Mining genomes for vaccine components. Immunol Cell Biol 2002; 80:255-69. [PMID: 12067413 DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1711.2002.01092.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The complete genome sequences of more than 60 microbes have been completed in the past decade. Concurrently, a series of new informatics tools, designed to harness this new wealth of information, have been developed. Some of these new tools allow researchers to select regions of microbial genomes that trigger immune responses. These regions, termed epitopes, are ideal components of vaccines. When the new tools are used to search for epitopes, this search is usually coupled with in vitro screening methods; an approach that has been termed computational immunology or immuno-informatics. Researchers are now implementing these combined methods to scan genomic sequences for vaccine components. They are thereby expanding the number of different proteins that can be screened for vaccine development, while narrowing this search to those regions of the proteins that are extremely likely to induce an immune response. As the tools improve, it may soon be feasible to skip over many of the in vitro screening steps, moving directly from genome sequence to vaccine design. The present article reviews the work of several groups engaged in the development of immuno-informatics tools and illustrates the application of these tools to the process of vaccine discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne S De Groot
- TB/HIV Research Laboratory, Brown University,Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
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Paroli M, Propato A, Accapezzato D, Francavilla V, Schiaffella E, Barnaba V. The immunology of HIV-infected long-term non-progressors--a current view. Immunol Lett 2001; 79:127-9. [PMID: 11595299 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-2478(01)00274-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Long-term non-progressors (LTNP) are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals characterized by the absence of disease, low viral loads and stable or even increasing CD4(+) T cell counts for prolonged periods of time. In these subjects, an HIV-specific immune response which is either stronger or directed against a wider array of viral epitopes than that seen in progressors, can be often detected. Here, we summarize the characteristics of HIV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses in LTNP, and discuss how a highly effective T cell-mediated immune response against HIV might contribute to the establishment of this particular condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Paroli
- Fondazione Andrea Cesalpino c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy
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