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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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Tang A, Freed DC, Li F, Meschino S, Prokop M, Bett A, Casimiro D, Wang D, Fu TM. Functionally inactivated dominant viral antigens of human cytomegalovirus delivered in replication incompetent adenovirus type 6 vectors as vaccine candidates. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2017; 13:2763-2771. [PMID: 28494195 PMCID: PMC5718781 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2017.1308988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell immunity is critical in controlling human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in transplant recipients, and T cells targeting viral immediate early proteins such as IE1, IE2 and pp65 have been speculated to be more effective against reactivation. Here we report efforts to construct replication incompetent adenovirus 6 vectors expressing these viral antigens as vaccine candidates. To reduce the potential liabilities of these viral proteins as vaccine antigens, we introduced mutations to inactivate their reported functions including their nuclear localization signals. The modifications greatly reduced their localization to the nuclei, thus limiting their interactions with cellular proteins important for cell cycle modulation and transactivation. The immunogenicity of modified pp65, IE1 and IE2 vaccines was comparable to their wild-type counterparts in mice and the immunogenicity of the modified antigens was demonstrated in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimin Tang
- a MRL, Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , NJ , USA
| | | | - Fengsheng Li
- a MRL, Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , NJ , USA
| | | | | | - Andrew Bett
- a MRL, Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , NJ , USA
| | | | - Dai Wang
- a MRL, Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , NJ , USA
| | - Tong-Ming Fu
- a MRL, Merck & Co., Inc. , Kenilworth , NJ , USA
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Abstract
Immunity to targeted infectious diseases may be conferred or enhanced by vaccines, which are manufactured from recombinant forms as well as inactivated or attenuated organisms. These vaccines have to meet requirements for safety, quality, and efficacy. In addition to antigenic components, various adjuvants may be included in vaccines to evoke an effective immune response. To ensure the safety of new vaccines, preclinical toxicology studies are conducted prior to the initiation of, and concurrently with, clinical studies. There are five different types of preclinical toxicology study in the evaluation of vaccine safety: single and/or repeat dose, reproductive and developmental, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and safety pharmacology. If any adverse effects are observed in the course of these studies, they should be fully evaluated and a final safety decision made accordingly. Successful preclinical toxicology studies depend on multiple factors including using the appropriate study designs, using the right animal model, and evoking an effective immune response. Additional in vivo and in vitro assays that establish the identity, purity, safety, and potency of the vaccine play a significant role in assessing critical characteristics of vaccine safety.
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Characterization of T-cell responses to conserved regions of the HIV-1 proteome in BALB/c mice. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2014; 21:1565-72. [PMID: 25230940 PMCID: PMC4248756 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00587-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A likely requirement for a protective vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)/AIDS is, in addition to eliciting antibody responses, induction of effective T cells. To tackle HIV-1 diversity by T-cell vaccines, we designed an immunogen, HIVconsv, derived from the most functionally conserved regions of the HIV-1 proteome and demonstrated its high immunogenicity in humans and rhesus macaques when delivered by regimens combining plasmid DNA, nonreplicating simian (chimpanzee) adenovirus ChAdV-63, and nonreplicating modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) as vectors. Here, we aimed to increase the decision power for iterative improvements of this vaccine strategy in the BALB/c mouse model. First, we found that prolonging the period after the ChAdV63.HIVconsv prime up to 6 weeks increased the frequencies of HIV-1-specific, gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing T cells induced by the MVA.HIVconsv boost. Induction of strong responses allowed us to map comprehensively the H-2d-restricted T-cell responses to these regions and identified 8 HIVconsv peptides, of which three did not contain a previously described epitope and were therefore considered novel. Induced effector T cells were oligofunctional and lysed sensitized targets in vitro. Our study therefore provides additional tools for studying and optimizing vaccine regimens in this commonly used small animal model, which will in turn guide vaccine improvements in more expensive nonhuman primate and human clinical trials.
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Lebron JA, Wolf JJ, Kaplanski CV, Ledwith BJ. Ensuring the quality, potency and safety of vaccines during preclinical development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 4:855-66. [PMID: 16372881 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.4.6.855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
There is an abundance of vaccines currently in development, with most of them exploring novel mechanisms, adjuvants and/or delivery systems not only for traditional prophylactic use, but also for therapeutic uses. As vaccines are generally administered to healthy individuals, ensuring their quality, potency and safety becomes crucial, especially prior to evaluation in humans. To ensure these key attributes, vaccine developers need to incorporate them as early in the development program as possible, starting in basic research and continuing through preclinical, clinical and postmarketing development. Fortunately for vaccine developers, ample guidance is available from various regulatory agencies to enlighten the long and arduous path of vaccine development. This review will highlight these regulatory expectations, and provide some clarity as to why they are in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Lebron
- Senior Research Fellow, Merck Research Laboratories, Discovery and Biologics Safety Assessment, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA 19486, USA.
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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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Singh M. Strategies for the Nonclinical Safety Assessment of Vaccines. NOVEL IMMUNE POTENTIATORS AND DELIVERY TECHNOLOGIES FOR NEXT GENERATION VACCINES 2013. [PMCID: PMC7120100 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5380-2_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Over the past century, vaccines have made a large impact on public health. Prophylactic vaccines prevent disability and disease, saving millions of dollars in potential health-care spending. Since prophylactic vaccines are administered to healthy individuals, including infants and children, it is important to demonstrate the safety of vaccines preclinically prior to testing the vaccine in clinical studies. A benefit-to-risk profile is considered for each individual vaccine and depends on many factors including preclinical and clinical toxicities that are observed, frequency of administration and intended target population. For prophylactic vaccines, in particular, the concerns about potential risks often outweigh the perception of benefit [1]. Therefore, over the past decade, there has been an increased focus on nonclinical safety assessment of vaccines, including toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manmohan Singh
- Novartis Vaccines Research, Cambridge, 02139 Massachusetts USA
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Abstract
To ensure the safe administration of vaccines to humans, vaccines (just like any new chemical entity) are evaluated in a series of nonclinical safety assessment studies that aim at identifying the potential toxicities associated with their administration. The nonclinical safety assessment of vaccines, however, is only part of a testing battery performed prior to human administration, which includes (1) the evaluation of the vaccine in efficacy and immunogenicity studies in animal models, (2) a quality control testing program, and (3) toxicology (nonclinical safety assessment) testing in relevant animal models. Although each of these evaluations plays a critical role in ensuring vaccine safety, the nonclinical safety assessment is the most relevant to the evaluation in human clinical trials, as it allows the identification of potential toxicities to be monitored in human trials, and in some cases, eliminates candidates that have unacceptable risks for human testing. This review summarizes the requirements for the nonclinical testing of vaccines and adjuvants needed in support of all phases of human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanthi J Wolf
- Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, PA, USA
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Earl PL, Cotter C, Moss B, VanCott T, Currier J, Eller LA, McCutchan F, Birx DL, Michael NL, Marovich MA, Robb M, Cox JH. Design and evaluation of multi-gene, multi-clade HIV-1 MVA vaccines. Vaccine 2009; 27:5885-95. [PMID: 19654066 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2009] [Revised: 06/30/2009] [Accepted: 07/15/2009] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA) expressing HIV-1 genes are promising vaccine candidates. Toward the goal of conducting clinical trials with one or a cocktail of recombinant viruses, four rMVAs expressing env and gag-pol genes from primary HIV-1 isolates representing predominant subtypes from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Thailand (A, C, D, and CRF01_AE, respectively) were constructed. Efficient expression, processing, and function of Env and Gag were demonstrated. All inserted genes were shown to be genetically stable after repeated passage in cell culture. Strong HIV-specific cellular and humoral immune responses were elicited in mice immunized with each individual vaccine candidate. The MVA/CMDR vaccine candidate expressing CRF01_AE genes has elicited HIV-specific T-cell responses in two independent Phase I clinical trials. Further testing of the other rMVA is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L Earl
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Peruzzi D, Mori F, Conforti A, Lazzaro D, De Rinaldis E, Ciliberto G, La Monica N, Aurisicchio L. MMP11: a novel target antigen for cancer immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2009; 15:4104-13. [PMID: 19509157 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-3226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are zinc-dependent endopeptidases that mediate numerous physiologic and pathologic processes, including matrix degradation, tissue remodeling, inflammation, and tumor metastasis. To develop a vaccine targeting stromal antigens expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts, we focused on MMP11 (or stromelysin 3). MMP11 expression correlates with aggressive profile and invasiveness of different types of carcinoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN To show the efficacy of a vaccine targeting MMP11, we constructed a series of plasmid DNA vectors expressing murine MMP11. Mice were vaccinated by i.m. injection followed by in vivo DNA electroporation. A chemically induced, MMP11-overexpressing colon cancer model was established and characterized. Antibody and T-cell responses were determined, and immunoreactive epitopes were characterized. To analyze the possible use of MMP11 as tumor-associated antigen in cancer patients, HLA-A2.1 transgenic mice (HHD) were used to identify reactive epitopes as tools to assess immunogenicity in humans. RESULTS Using microarray, we confirmed the overexpression of MMP11 mRNA in a large panel of human tumor samples. MMP11 vaccine induced cell mediated and antibody immune response and exerted significant antitumoral protection in mice with colon cancer in prophylactic and therapeutic settings. HHD transgenic mice were vaccinated with a plasmid encoding human MMP11, and a HLA-A2.1--restricted epitope (hMMP(237)) was identified. hMMP(237) was shown to be immunogenic in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by in vitro priming. CONCLUSION Our study describes the identification of MMP11 as a novel broadly expressed tumor associated antigen as target candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Peruzzi
- Istituto di Ricerca di Biologia Molecolare-Merck Research Laboratories, Rome, Italy
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Japanese encephalitis virus-based replicon RNAs/particles as an expression system for HIV-1 Pr55 Gag that is capable of producing virus-like particles. Virus Res 2009; 144:298-305. [PMID: 19406175 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2009.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2008] [Revised: 04/16/2009] [Accepted: 04/20/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Ectopic expression of the structural protein Pr55(Gag) of HIV-1 has been limited by the presence of inhibitory sequences in the gag coding region that must normally be counteracted by HIV-1 Rev and RRE. Here, we describe a cytoplasmic RNA replicon based on the RNA genome of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) that is capable of expressing HIV-1 gag without requiring Rev/RRE. This replicon system was constructed by deleting all three JEV structural protein-coding regions (C, prM, and E) from the 5'-proximal region of the genome and simultaneously inserting an HIV-1 gag expression cassette driven by the internal ribosome entry site of encephalomyocarditis virus into the 3'-proximal noncoding region of the genome. Transfection of this JEV replicon RNA led to expression of Pr55(Gag) in the absence of Rev/RRE in the cytoplasm of hamster BHK-21, human HeLa, and mouse NIH/3T3 cells. Production of the Pr55(Gag) derived from this JEV replicon RNA appeared to be increased by approximately 3-fold when compared to that based on an alphavirus replicon RNA. Biochemical and morphological analyses demonstrated that the Pr55(Gag) proteins were released into the culture medium in the form of virus-like particles. We also observed that the JEV replicon RNAs expressing the Pr55(Gag) could be encapsidated into single-round infectious JEV replicon particles when transfected into a stable packaging cell line that provided the three JEV structural proteins in trans. This ectopic expression of the HIV-1 Pr55(Gag) by JEV-based replicon RNAs/particles in diverse cell types may represent a useful molecular platform for various biological applications in medicine and industry.
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Yu S, Feng X, Shu T, Matano T, Hasegawa M, Wang X, Ma H, Li H, Li Z, Zeng Y. Potent specific immune responses induced by prime-boost-boost strategies based on DNA, adenovirus, and Sendai virus vectors expressing gag gene of Chinese HIV-1 subtype B. Vaccine 2008; 26:6124-31. [PMID: 18812199 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2008] [Revised: 08/22/2008] [Accepted: 09/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
To study the immune responses elicited by multiple vectors and develop vaccines strategies against prevalent HIV-1 strains in China, we have examined the potency of vaccine regimens of plasmid DNA, adenovirus, and Sendai virus vectors expressing HIV-1 gag consensus sequence of HIV-1 isolates from China for inducing specific immune responses. In BALB/c mice, combination of these vectors induced higher Gag-specific cellular immune response than any regimen using single vector alone. The prime-boost-boost regimen consisting of the triple heterologous vectors induced Gag-specific T-cell responses the most efficiently. In rhesus macaques, the prime-boost-boost regimen induced potent Gag-specific cellular immune responses as well as long lasting humoral immune response, and each booster resulted in rapid and efficient expansion of Gag-specific T cells. These results indicate that this prime-boost-boost regimen using triple heterologous vectors is a promising AIDS vaccine candidate for efficiently inducing HIV-1-specific cellular and humoral immune responses. Its further studies as a promising scheme for therapeutic and/or prophylactic HIV-1 vaccines should be grounded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China
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14
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Enhanced in vivo transgene expression and immunogenicity from plasmid vectors following electrostimulation in rodents and primates. Vaccine 2008; 26:5202-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Abstract
HIV-1 resistance to currently employed antiretroviral drugs and drug-associated adverse reactions and toxicity point to a need for additional measures to control HIV-1 replication in HIV-infected patients. The immune system of HIV-infected individuals mount an immune response against the regions harboring drug-resistance mutations, sometimes stronger than that against the parental wild-type sequences. A potent cross-reactive immune response against drug-resistant pol proteins can suppress the replication of drug-escaping HIV. This suggests the possibility for a vaccination against existing and anticipated drug-resistant HIV variants. If successful, therapeutic vaccines against drug resistance would ease the therapeutic modalities and limit the spread of drug-resistant HIV. A better understanding of the complex interactions between patterns of drug-resistance mutations, immune responses against these mutations and their antigen presentation by particular human lymphocyte antigen alleles could help to tailor these vaccines after new drugs/new mutations. In this review, we describe the developments in the field of immunization against mutations conferring drug resistance and evaluate their prospects for human vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Boberg
- Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, 171 82 Solna, Sweden.
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16
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Shephard E, Burgers WA, Van Harmelen JH, Monroe JE, Greenhalgh T, Williamson C, Williamson AL. A multigene HIV type 1 subtype C modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine efficiently boosts immune responses to a DNA vaccine in mice. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2008; 24:207-17. [PMID: 18240963 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2007.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterologous prime-boost vaccine strategies have generated high frequencies of antigen-specific T cells in preclinical and clinical trials of candidate HIV vaccines. We have developed a DNA (SAAVI DNA-C) and MVA (SAAVI MVA-C) vaccine based on HIV-1 subtype C for testing in clinical trials. Both vaccines contain five subtype C genes: gag, reverse transcriptase, tat, and nef, expressed as a polyprotein, and a truncated env (gp150). The individual vaccines induced CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cells specific for the vaccine-expressed antigens in BALB/c mice. Combining the vaccines in a DNA prime and MVA boost regimen increased the cumulative peptide response compared to the DNA vaccine alone 10-fold, to over 6000 SFU/10(6) splenocytes in the IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay. Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels from HIV-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cells increased 20- and 8-fold, respectively, with a SAAVI MVA-C boost. Effector and effector memory RT- and Env-specific memory CD8(+) T cell subsets were boosted after MVA immunization, and over time the cells returned to an intermediate memory phenotype similar to that prior to the boost. Immunization of guinea pigs with the DNA-MVA combination induced high titers of antibodies to gp120, although neutralizing activity was weak or absent. The demonstration that these vaccines induce potent cellular immune responses merits their testing in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enid Shephard
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Medical Virology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- MRC/UCT Liver Research Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wendy A. Burgers
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Medical Virology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joanne H. Van Harmelen
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Medical Virology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Carolyn Williamson
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Medical Virology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna-Lise Williamson
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Division of Medical Virology, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Services, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
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17
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Tatsis N, Lin SW, Harris-McCoy K, Garber DA, Feinberg MB, Ertl HCJ. Multiple immunizations with adenovirus and MVA vectors improve CD8+ T cell functionality and mucosal homing. Virology 2007; 367:156-67. [PMID: 17590405 PMCID: PMC2043483 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2007.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2007] [Revised: 05/16/2007] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant adenovirus vectors and MVA vectors were used in prime boost vaccine regimens to address the impact of repeated immunizations on transgene product-specific CD8(+) T cell frequencies, phenotypes, function, and localization. We show that a regimen with three immunizations incorporating MVA, human adenovirus serotype 5 and chimpanzee-derived adenoviruses serotype 68 or 7 yields high transgene product-specific CD8(+) T cell frequencies in spleen, blood, lymph nodes, and peritoneal lavage. Furthermore, upon triple immunization increased frequencies of transgene-specific T cells were measured at mucosal sites such as mesenteric lymph nodes, intestinal epithelium, and Peyer's patches. Multiple dose vaccine regimens that markedly increase functionally active transgene-specific T cells and target them to the appropriate ports of entry may be important in protection against pathogens such as HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia Tatsis
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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18
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Döşkaya M, Kalantari-Dehaghi M, Walsh CM, Hiszczyńska-Sawicka E, Davies DH, Felgner PL, Larsen LSZ, Lathrop RH, Hatfield GW, Schulz JR, Gürüz Y, Jurnak F. GRA1 protein vaccine confers better immune response compared to codon-optimized GRA1 DNA vaccine. Vaccine 2007; 25:1824-37. [PMID: 17234306 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2006] [Revised: 10/26/2006] [Accepted: 10/30/2006] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The present study evaluates immunogenicity and protection potency of a codon-optimized GRA1 DNA vaccine, wild type GRA1 DNA vaccine and an adjuvanted recombinant GRA1 protein vaccine candidate in BALB/c mice against lethal toxoplasmosis. Of the three GRA1 vaccines tested, the recombinant GRA1 protein vaccine results reveal significant increase in immune response and prolonged survival against acute toxoplasmosis compared to DNA vaccinations. Immune response and protection conferred by codon-optimized GRA1 DNA vaccine was slightly better than wild type GRA1 DNA vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mert Döşkaya
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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19
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Capone S, Zampaglione I, Vitelli A, Pezzanera M, Kierstead L, Burns J, Ruggeri L, Arcuri M, Cappelletti M, Meola A, Ercole BB, Tafi R, Santini C, Luzzago A, Fu TM, Colloca S, Ciliberto G, Cortese R, Nicosia A, Fattori E, Folgori A. Modulation of the immune response induced by gene electrotransfer of a hepatitis C virus DNA vaccine in nonhuman primates. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2007; 177:7462-71. [PMID: 17082666 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.177.10.7462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Induction of multispecific, functional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is the immunological hallmark of acute self-limiting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in humans. In the present study, we showed that gene electrotransfer (GET) of a novel candidate DNA vaccine encoding an optimized version of the nonstructural region of HCV (from NS3 to NS5B) induced substantially more potent, broad, and long-lasting CD4+ and CD8+ cellular immunity than naked DNA injection in mice and in rhesus macaques as measured by a combination of assays, including IFN-gamma ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining, and cytotoxic T cell assays. A protocol based on three injections of DNA with GET induced a substantially higher CD4+ T cell response than an adenovirus 6-based viral vector encoding the same Ag. To better evaluate the immunological potency and probability of success of this vaccine, we have immunized two chimpanzees and have compared vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity to that measured in acute self-limiting infection in humans. GET of the candidate HCV vaccine led to vigorous, multispecific IFN-gamma+CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocyte responses in chimpanzees, which were comparable to those measured in five individuals that cleared spontaneously HCV infection. These data support the hypothesis that T cell responses elicited by the present strategy could be beneficial in prophylactic vaccine approaches against HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Capone
- Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare, P. Angeletti, Rome, Italy
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20
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Prather KLJ, Edmonds MC, Herod JW. Identification and characterization of IS1 transposition in plasmid amplification mutants of E. coli clones producing DNA vaccines. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2006; 73:815-26. [PMID: 16941177 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-006-0532-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2006] [Revised: 05/31/2006] [Accepted: 06/01/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Merck Research Laboratories has developed a highly productive Escherichia coli fermentation process to produce plasmid DNA for use as vaccines. The process consists of a fed-batch fermentation in a chemically defined medium. Initiation of the feed stream precedes a growth-limited phase in which plasmid DNA is amplified. The fermentation is only maximally productive for a small fraction of E. coli transformants designated as high-producers, while the predominant low-producer population does not amplify plasmid DNA. In experiments undertaken to probe this phenomenon, transposition of the 768-bp E. coli insertion sequence IS1 into an HIV DNA vaccine vector was observed in several low-producer clones. IS1 was found to insert in or near the neomycin resistance gene in nearly a dozen unique sites from within a single population of plasmid molecules. The fraction of IS1-containing plasmids within several clones was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and was found to increase with increasing cultivation time in the chemically defined medium. Because transposition into an antibiotic-resistance gene is unlikely to affect plasmid amplification, the genomes of high- and low-producers of three different HIV DNA vaccine vectors were subsequently profiled by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. In all three cases, IS1 insertional mutations were found in the genomes of the predominant low-producers, while the genomes of the high-producers were indistinguishable from untransformed cells. The insertions reside on similarly sized fragments for two of the low-producer clones, and the fragment size is smaller for the third clone. The third clone also produces much less plasmid DNA than a typical low-producer. The results suggest the presence of an IS1 insertional mutation that affects plasmid replication and amplification, possibly in a position-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristala L Jones Prather
- Biocatalysis and Fermentation Development, Bioprocess R&D, Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ 07062, USA.
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21
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Elia L, Mennuni C, Storto M, Podda S, Calvaruso F, Salucci V, Aurisicchio L, Scarito A, Ciliberto G, La Monica N, Palombo F. Genetic vaccines against Ep-CAM break tolerance to self in a limited subset of subjects: initial identification of predictive biomarkers. Eur J Immunol 2006; 36:1337-49. [PMID: 16619291 DOI: 10.1002/eji.200535514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial cell adhesion molecule, Ep-CAM, has been historically considered a target of passive immunotherapy using monoclonal antibodies, and more recently, of a first Pox-vector-based cancer vaccine Phase I trial in colorectal cancer patients. To shed further light on the use of this antigen, we isolated the mouse and rhesus homologues of human Ep-CAM and explored different genetic vaccination modalities based on the use of adenoviral vectors as well as DNA electroporation (DNA-EP). Immune responses to Ep-CAM were measured by IFN-gamma ELISPOT and intracellular staining assays using overlapping sets of peptides covering the entire coding regions. We found the most powerful vaccination regimen to be constituted by DNA-EP-prime/Adeno-boost mixed-modality protocols. Vaccination in rhesus macaques resulted in breakage of immunological tolerance in a minority of cases. Similarly, a low frequency of responders was observed with the mouse Ep-CAM vaccine in outbred CD1 mice. When immunized CD1 mice were analyzed for MHC haplotype and TCR expression levels, we observed that immune responders all had the same q/q MHC class I haplotype and showed higher expression levels of the TCRVbeta4 and TCRVbeta8 T cell receptors. Our results underscore the current limitations in our capacity to induce efficient cancer vaccines against self antigens like Ep-CAM, but also represent a first effort to identify predictive biomarkers of response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Elia
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, IRBM P. Angeletti, Pomezia, Italy
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22
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Baliga CS, van Maanen M, Chastain M, Sutton RE. Vaccination of mice with replication-defective human immunodeficiency virus induces cellular and humoral immunity and protects against vaccinia virus-gag challenge. Mol Ther 2006; 14:432-41. [PMID: 16713742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2006.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2005] [Revised: 02/07/2006] [Accepted: 02/23/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we describe as a potential vaccine candidate a replication-defective HIV that encodes multiple viral genes in addition to a cassette that includes both truncated cyclin T1 and an autofluorescent protein. After confirming functionality of the cyclin T1, we immunized mice intramuscularly once or twice with the replication-defective HIV vector pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G protein (RD HIV), a plasmid encoding CMV-driven gag (gag DNA), or adenovirus gag (Ad5-gag). Capsid-specific antibody titers following RD HIV immunization were >10(6)/ml and approximately equivalent to those induced by gag DNA and Ad5-gag. Antibodies against the autofluorescent protein and VSV G were also detected. After RD HIV immunization ELISpot assays demonstrated Gag-specific interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) SFU equivalent to that of Ad5-gag and fourfold greater than that of gag DNA. HIV polymerase-specific IFN-gamma SFU values were similar, and boosting increased both antibody titers and the IFN-gamma response. Challenge using vaccinia virus (VV)-gag demonstrated significantly lower recoverable VV for RD HIV-immunized mice compared to controls. No significant differences were observed in vaccinated mice challenged with wild-type VV. This study demonstrates the efficacy of RD HIV in conferring HIV-specific immunity and protection in mice and suggests its potential use in humans as either a prophylactic or a therapeutic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Baliga
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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23
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Burgers WA, van Harmelen JH, Shephard E, Adams C, Mgwebi T, Bourn W, Hanke T, Williamson AL, Williamson C. Design and preclinical evaluation of a multigene human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype C DNA vaccine for clinical trial. J Gen Virol 2006; 87:399-410. [PMID: 16432028 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.81379-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the design and preclinical development of a multigene human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C DNA vaccine are described, developed as part of the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI). Genetic variation remains a major obstacle in the development of an HIV-1 vaccine and recent strategies have focused on constructing vaccines based on the subtypes dominant in the developing world, where the epidemic is most severe. The vaccine, SAAVI DNA-C, contains an equimolar mixture of two plasmids, pTHr.grttnC and pTHr.gp150CT, which express a polyprotein derived from Gag, reverse transcriptase (RT), Tat and Nef, and a truncated Env, respectively. Genes included in the vaccine were obtained from individuals within 3 months of infection and selection was based on closeness to a South African subtype C consensus sequence. All genes were codon-optimized for increased expression in humans. The genes have been modified for safety, stability and immunogenicity. Tat was inactivated through shuffling of gene fragments, whilst maintaining all potential epitopes; the active site of RT was mutated; 124 aa were removed from the cytoplasmic tail of gp160; and Nef and Gag myristylation sites were inactivated. Following vaccination of BALB/c mice, high levels of cytotoxic T lymphocytes were induced against multiple epitopes and the vaccine stimulated strong CD8+ gamma interferon responses. In addition, high titres of antibodies to gp120 were induced in guinea pigs. This vaccine is the first component of a prime-boost regimen that is scheduled for clinical trials in humans in the USA and South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Burgers
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Joanne H van Harmelen
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Enid Shephard
- MRC/UCT Liver Research Centre, UCT, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Craig Adams
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Thandiswa Mgwebi
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - William Bourn
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Tomáš Hanke
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, The John Radcliffe, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna-Lise Williamson
- National Health Laboratory Services, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Carolyn Williamson
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM) and Division of Medical Virology, University of Cape Town (UCT), Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
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24
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Thomson SA, Jaramillo AB, Shoobridge M, Dunstan KJ, Everett B, Ranasinghe C, Kent SJ, Gao K, Medveckzy J, Ffrench RA, Ramshaw IA. Development of a synthetic consensus sequence scrambled antigen HIV-1 vaccine designed for global use. Vaccine 2005; 23:4647-57. [PMID: 15964105 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2005] [Revised: 03/18/2005] [Accepted: 04/28/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Induction of high levels of broadly reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) remains a promising approach for an effective HIV-1 vaccine. We have developed a novel genetic-based vaccine strategy that encodes consensus overlapping peptide sets from all HIV-1 proteins scrambled together. This synthetic scrambled antigen vaccine (SAVINE) strategy has significant advantages, e.g. capacity to encode more antigens safely and is very flexible compared to traditional isolate-based strategies. The SAVINE vaccine strategy is clearly immunogenic, being able to restimulate a range of human HIV-1 specific responses in vitro and induce HIV-1 specific immunity in vivo in mice. Interestingly, different in vivo delivery strategies affected the resulting immunity and immunodominance pattern in mice. This platform strategy could be used for other infections and cancers where T cell responses are important for protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Thomson
- Division of Immunology and Genetics, John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR), Australian National University, P.O. Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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25
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Salucci V, Lena AM, Ciliberto G, Scarselli E, La Monica N. Adenovirus Transduction and Culture Conditions Affect the Immunogenicity of Murine Dendritic Cells. Scand J Immunol 2005; 62:206-17. [PMID: 16179007 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2005.01658.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Adenovirus vectors encoding carcinoembryonic antigen (Ad-CEA) or costimulatory molecules CD80, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and leucocyte function-associated antigen-3 (LFA-3) (Ad-STIM) were used to transduce murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC). BMDC were characterized for expression of activation markers and for their ability to elicit protective immunity against MC38-CEA tumours in wildtype and CEA-transgenic (CEA-tg) mice. To determine optimal culture conditions, studies were conducted using BMDC cultured in heterologous bovine serum or autologous mouse serum. Transduction of cells grown in presence of heterologous serum increased the expression of costimulatory molecules, major histocompatibility complex class II, of IL-6 and IL-12. Upon vaccination, tumour protection was not specific and was observed also with untransduced cells. Transduced BMDC cultured in the presence of autologous serum showed low expression of the activation markers, did not express IL-6 and had reduced ability to stimulate T-cell proliferation. Nonetheless, CEA-specific CD8+ T-cell response was enhanced upon coinfection of Ad-STIM and Ad-CEA in both mouse strains, although this immune response was not sufficient to protect CEA-tg mice from tumour challenge. These studies support the use of BMDC transduced with Ad vectors encoding tumour antigens for cancer immunotherapy and demonstrate that culture conditions greatly affect the immunological properties of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Salucci
- Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare (IRBM), Pomezia, Italy
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26
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Fuhrmann M, Oertel W, Berthold P, Hegemann P. Removal of mismatched bases from synthetic genes by enzymatic mismatch cleavage. Nucleic Acids Res 2005; 33:e58. [PMID: 15800209 PMCID: PMC1072809 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gni058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of long polynucleotide de novo synthesis is largely dependent on the quality and purity of the oligonucleotides used. Generally, the primary product of any synthesis reaction is directly cloned, and clones with correct products have to be identified. In this study, a novel strategy has been established for removing undesired sequence variants from primary gene synthesis products. Single base-pair mismatches, insertions and deletions were cleaved with specific endonucleases. Three different enzymes--T7 endonuclease I, T4 endonuclease VII and Escherichia coli endonuclease V--have been tested. As a model, a synthetic polynucleotide encoding the bacterial chloramphenicol-acetyltransferase (cat) was synthesized using different methods for one step polynucleotide synthesis based on ligation of oligonucleotides. The influence of enzymatic mismatch cleavage (EMC) as an error correction step on the frequency of correct products was analyzed by functional cloning of the synthetic cat and comparing the error rate with that of untreated products. Significant reduction of all mutation types was observed. Statistical analysis revealed that the T4 and E.coli endonucleases reduced the occurrence of mutations in cloned synthetic gene products. The EMC treatment was successful especially in the removal of deletions and insertions from the primary ligation products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Fuhrmann
- Universität Regensburg, Kompetenzzentrum für Fluoreszente Bioanalytik Josef-Engert-Strasse 9, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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27
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Mennuni C, Calvaruso F, Facciabene A, Aurisicchio L, Storto M, Scarselli E, Ciliberto G, La Monica N. Efficient induction of T-cell responses to carcinoembryonic antigen by a heterologous prime-boost regimen using DNA and adenovirus vectors carrying a codon usage optimized cDNA. Int J Cancer 2005; 117:444-55. [PMID: 15906358 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.21188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The immunogenic properties of plasmid DNA and recombinant adenovirus (Ad) encoding the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were examined in mice by measuring both the amplitude and type of immune response, and the immunogenicity of codon usage optimized cDNA encoding CEA (CEAopt) was assessed both in C57Bl/6 and CEA transgenic mice. Vectors were injected into quadriceps muscle either alone or in combination, and plasmid DNA was electroporated to enhance gene expression efficiency and immunogenicity. Injection of plasmid pVIJ/CEA followed by Ad-CEA boost elicited the highest amplitude of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell response to the target antigen, measured by both IFNgamma-ELIspot assay and intracellular staining. Vectors carrying cDNA of CEAopt expressed a greater amount of the CEA protein than their wild-type counterparts, and this enhanced expression was associated with greater immunogenicity. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes were mapped in the C-terminal portion of the protein. In CEA transgenic mice, only immunization based on repeated injections of pVIJ/CEAopt followed by Ad-CEAopt was able to elicit a CEA-specific CD8+ T-cell response, whereas the wild-type vectors did not break tolerance to this target antigen. MC38-CEA tumor cells injected s.c. in CEA transgenic mice vaccinated with CEAopt vectors exhibited delayed growth kinetics. These studies demonstrate that this type of genetic vaccine is highly immunogenic and can break tolerance to CEA tumor antigen in CEA transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Mennuni
- Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare (IRBM), Pomezia, Italy
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28
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Evans RK, Nawrocki DK, Isopi LA, Williams DM, Casimiro DR, Chin S, Chen M, Zhu DM, Shiver JW, Volkin DB. Development of stable liquid formulations for adenovirus-based vaccines. J Pharm Sci 2004; 93:2458-75. [PMID: 15349956 DOI: 10.1002/jps.20157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We have evaluated the stability profiles of adenovirus type-5 (Ad5)-based vaccine formulations to identify liquid formulations that are stable during long-term storage at 4 degrees C. By identifying the major physiochemical inactivation pathway(s) during storage, formulations of Ad5 were designed with specific pharmaceutical excipients leading to greatly enhanced stability. For example, results indicate that Ad5 is stabilized by non-ionic surfactants and cryoprotectants as well as excipients known to inhibit free-radical oxidation. A non-ionic surfactant is necessary to prevent adsorption of adenovirus to glass surfaces during storage, and a cryoprotectant is needed to prevent freeze-thaw-induced virus inactivation. In a base formulation (A105) containing sucrose as the cryoprotectant and polysorbate-80 as the non-ionic surfactant, metal-ion catalyzed free-radical oxidation is an important mechanism of Ad5 inactivation. The free-radical oxidation inhibitors ethanol and histidine, combined with the metal-ion chelator ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), were determined to be effective stabilizers of Ad5. Arrhenius plots of stability data are consistent with a first-order inactivation mechanism with apparent activation energies for virus inactivation of 26.5 +/- 0.9 and 28.7 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol in the absence and presence of free-radical oxidation inhibitors, respectively. Optimization of formulation pH, as well as the EDTA and ethanol concentrations, allowed for the identification of formulations that further enhanced long-term storage stability. For example, Ad5 in an optimized liquid formulation (A195) lost <0.1 logs of infectivity after 24 months of storage at 4 degrees C. The immunogenicity of a recombinant Ad5-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine candidate expressing HIV-1 gag (MRKAd5gag) formulated in A195, was shown to be equivalent to the same vaccine formulated in A105. Therefore, the use of EDTA, ethanol, and histidine did not significantly alter the immunogenicity of the vaccine in mice. The identification of 4 degrees C stable liquid formulations should significantly enhance the utility of Ad5 as a vector for vaccines and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Evans
- Department of Vaccine Pharmaceutical Research, Merck Research Laboratories, WP78-302, Sumneytown Pike, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
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Isaguliants MG, Zuber B, Boberg A, Sjöstrand D, Belikov SV, Rollman E, Zuber AK, Rechinsky VO, Rytting AS, Källander CFR, Hinkula J, Kochetkov SN, Liu M, Wahren B. Reverse transcriptase-based DNA vaccines against drug-resistant HIV-1 tested in a mouse model. Vaccine 2004; 22:1810-9. [PMID: 15068865 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2003.10.052] [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] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance is becoming a problem in the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1). To obtain therapeutic DNA vaccines that would target multiple drug-resistance (DR) mutations, we cloned genes for DR HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and codon-optimized synthetic genes encoding clusters of human CTL epitopes located at the sites of DR-mutations (RT minigenes) and antibody and CTL-epitope tags. Expression of RT genes/minigenes in eukaryotic cells was confirmed by Western blotting and immunofluoresence staining with RT- or tag-specific antibodies. Immunization of mice with DR-RT gene induced no RT-specific antibodies. Immunization of HLA-A(*)0201-transgenic mice with RT minigenes induced RT-specific cellular responses detected by interferon-gamma secretion. This documents first steps in creating therapeutic vaccine against drug-resistant HIV strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria G Isaguliants
- Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, SE-171 82 Solna, Sweden.
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Abstract
Vaccine approaches against AIDS have focused on inducing cellular immune responses, since many studies revealed the role of T cell responses in the control of human immunodeficiency virus or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections. The experimental infection of rhesus macaques with SIV or chimeric SHIV is routinely used as a model for AIDS. In such models, DNA immunization is a tool to elicit specific T cell responses and to study their protective efficacy. DNA immunogenicity in primates depends on parameters such as level of antigen expression, choice of the antigen among SIV proteins, use of fusion proteins, route of immunization, and addition of adjuvants. Recent results suggest that priming with DNA and boosting with attenuated recombinant viral vectors, each expressing corresponding SIV antigens, leads to improved specific immunity and, in some cases, affords protection against pathogenic challenge. After preclinical evaluations, DNA has entered clinical trials for a therapeutic or prophylactic gene-based AIDS vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Laure Puaux
- Departement des Retrovirus, Unité de Recombinaison et Expression Génétique, INSERM U 163, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 15 75724, Paris cedex, France
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Calarota SA, Otero M, Hermanstyne K, Hermanstayne K, Lewis M, Rosati M, Felber BK, Pavlakis GN, Boyer JD, Weiner DB. Use of interleukin 15 to enhance interferon-gamma production by antigen-specific stimulated lymphocytes from rhesus macaques. J Immunol Methods 2003; 279:55-67. [PMID: 12969547 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1759(03)00246-1] [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: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The enzyme-linked immune spot (ELISPOT) assay is receiving increased attention as a means for quantifying antigen-specific CD8 T-cell responses in rhesus macaques. Further improving the sensitivity of this assay could aid in the evaluation of vaccine candidates and/or immune therapeutic candidates. Interleukin (IL)-15 has been demonstrated to stimulate expansion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and to regulate homeostatic proliferation of CD8+ memory cells. We evaluated the in vitro effect of IL-15 to increase the detection of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by antigen-specific stimulated lymphocytes from a group of rhesus macaques exposed to simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) and a second group infected with SIVmac251, before and after antiretroviral treatment (ART). Results from these studies demonstrate that the presence of IL-15 during stimulation in a peptide-based ELISPOT assay greatly enhanced IFN-gamma production in both SHIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques. IFN-gamma production was mainly mediated by CD8 lymphocytes. The optimal concentrations of IL-15 that give enhancement of IFN-gamma production to specific antigen, without a significant increase in the spontaneous IFN-gamma release, ranged from 0.5 to 2.5 ng/ml. The mean number of IFN-gamma spots was increased 3.1- to 3.6-fold in response to SIV gag or HIV env peptide pools, respectively, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from SHIV-infected macaques. Similarly, in SIV-infected macaques, IL-15 increased the mean number of IFN-gamma spots 2.7-fold in response to both SIV gag and env peptide pools. In samples obtained after ART in the same macaques, the increase factor was 2.5 for SIV gag and 1.8 for the env peptide pools. Thus, the sensitivity of the ELISPOT assay can be enhanced by addition of IL-15. This modified assay will be useful for detection of low frequencies of IFN-gamma producing cells in rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra A Calarota
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Abstract
Distinct populations of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) memory T cells have been identified on the basis of their location (lymphoid versus non-lymphoid tissues) and function. There have been several recent advances in our understanding of the factors that govern the generation and maintenance of T-cell memory in vivo. Utilising this knowledge could contribute to the refinement of DNA vaccine technology to induce more robust and longer-lasting protective T-cell based immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna R Kirman
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington South, New Zealand.
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Jounai N, Okuda K, Kojima Y, Toda Y, Hamajima K, Ohba K, Klinman D, Xin KQ. Contribution of the rev gene to the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines targeting the envelope glycoprotein of HIV. J Gene Med 2003; 5:609-17. [PMID: 12825200 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Rev protein of HIV plays a critical role in the export of viral mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm of infected cells. This work examines the effect of introducing rev into a DNA vaccine encoding the Env protein of HIV, and compares the activity of env genes regulated by CMV versus CAG promoters. METHODS The HIV Env gp160 encoding gene with or without the rev gene was subcloned into a CMV promoter or a CAG promoter-driven expression plasmid. The Env protein expression of the plasmids was examined in vitro and the HIV-specific immunity was explored in BALB/c mice by an intramuscular route. The immune mice were intraperitoneally challenged with an HIV Env-expression vaccinia virus. RESULTS Results indicate that the CAG promoter induces significantly higher levels of Env expression, and better immune responses, than the CMV promoter. Incorporating the rev gene into these plasmids further boosts antigen expression and immunogenicity. Indeed, vaccination with the pCAGrev/env or pCMVrev/env plasmid resulted in 1000-fold lower viral load than that with pCMVenv when the mice were challenged with an Env-expressing vaccinia virus. CONCLUSIONS Incorporating rev into a DNA vaccine significantly increases the level of expression and immunogenicity of a co-expressed env gene, and that protective efficacy is further improved by utilizing a pCAG promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nao Jounai
- Department of Bacteriology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
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zur Megede J, Otten GR, Doe B, Liu H, Leung L, Ulmer JB, Donnelly JJ, Barnett SW. Expression and immunogenicity of sequence-modified human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype B pol and gagpol DNA vaccines. J Virol 2003; 77:6197-207. [PMID: 12743276 PMCID: PMC154993 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.77.11.6197-6207.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of the worldwide AIDS pandemic may require not only preventive but also therapeutic immunization strategies. To meet this challenge, the next generation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccines must stimulate broad and durable cellular immune responses to multiple HIV antigens. Results of both natural history studies and virus challenge studies with macaques indicate that responses to both Gag and Pol antigens are important for the control of viremia. Previously, we reported increased Rev-independent expression and improved immunogenicity of DNA vaccines encoding sequence-modified Gag derived from the HIV-1(SF2) strain (J. zur Megede, M. C. Chen, B. Doe, M. Schaefer, C. E. Greer, M. Selby, G. R. Otten, and S. W. Barnett, J. Virol. 74: 2628-2635, 2000). Here we describe results of expression and immunogenicity studies conducted with novel sequence-modified HIV-1(SF2) GagPol and Pol vaccine antigens. These Pol antigens contain deletions in the integrase coding region and were mutated in the reverse transcriptase (RT) coding region to remove potentially deleterious enzymatic activities. The resulting Pol sequences were used alone or in combination with sequence-modified Gag. In the latter, the natural translational frameshift between the Gag and Pol coding sequences was either retained or removed. Smaller, in-frame fusion gene cassettes expressing Gag plus RT or protease plus RT also were evaluated. Expression of Gag and Pol from GagPol fusion gene cassettes appeared to be reduced when the HIV protease was active. Therefore, additional constructs were evaluated in which mutations were introduced to attenuate or inactivate the protease activity. Nevertheless, when these constructs were delivered to mice as DNA vaccines, similar levels of CD8(+) T-cell responses to Gag and Pol epitopes were observed regardless of the level of protease activity. Overall, the cellular immune responses against Gag induced in mice immunized with multigenic gagpol plasmids were similar to those observed in mice immunized with the plasmid encoding Gag alone. Furthermore, all of the sequence-modified pol and gagpol plasmids expressed high levels of Pol-specific antigens in a Rev-independent fashion and were able to induce potent Pol-specific T- and B-cell responses in mice. These results support the inclusion of a gagpol in-frame fusion gene in future HIV vaccine approaches.
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Casimiro DR, Chen L, Fu TM, Evans RK, Caulfield MJ, Davies ME, Tang A, Chen M, Huang L, Harris V, Freed DC, Wilson KA, Dubey S, Zhu DM, Nawrocki D, Mach H, Troutman R, Isopi L, Williams D, Hurni W, Xu Z, Smith JG, Wang S, Liu X, Guan L, Long R, Trigona W, Heidecker GJ, Perry HC, Persaud N, Toner TJ, Su Q, Liang X, Youil R, Chastain M, Bett AJ, Volkin DB, Emini EA, Shiver JW. Comparative immunogenicity in rhesus monkeys of DNA plasmid, recombinant vaccinia virus, and replication-defective adenovirus vectors expressing a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag gene. J Virol 2003; 77:6305-13. [PMID: 12743287 PMCID: PMC154996 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.77.11.6305-6313.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 344] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular immune responses, particularly those associated with CD3(+) CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), play a primary role in controlling viral infection, including persistent infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Accordingly, recent HIV-1 vaccine research efforts have focused on establishing the optimal means of eliciting such antiviral CTL immune responses. We evaluated several DNA vaccine formulations, a modified vaccinia virus Ankara vector, and a replication-defective adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) vector, each expressing the same codon-optimized HIV-1 gag gene for immunogenicity in rhesus monkeys. The DNA vaccines were formulated with and without one of two chemical adjuvants (aluminum phosphate and CRL1005). The Ad5-gag vector was the most effective in eliciting anti-Gag CTL. The vaccine produced both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses, with the latter consistently being the dominant component. To determine the effect of existing antiadenovirus immunity on Ad5-gag-induced immune responses, monkeys were exposed to adenovirus subtype 5 that did not encode antigen prior to immunization with Ad5-gag. The resulting anti-Gag T-cell responses were attenuated but not abolished. Regimens that involved priming with different DNA vaccine formulations followed by boosting with the adenovirus vector were also compared. Of the formulations tested, the DNA-CRL1005 vaccine primed T-cell responses most effectively and provided the best overall immune responses after boosting with Ad5-gag. These results are suggestive of an immunization strategy for humans that are centered on use of the adenovirus vector and in which existing adenovirus immunity may be overcome by combined immunization with adjuvanted DNA and adenovirus vector boosting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo R Casimiro
- Department of Viral Vaccine Research, Merck and Company, West Point, Pennsylvania 19486, USA.
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36
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Draenert R, Altfeld M, Brander C, Basgoz N, Corcoran C, Wurcel AG, Stone DR, Kalams SA, Trocha A, Addo MM, Goulder PJR, Walker BD. Comparison of overlapping peptide sets for detection of antiviral CD8 and CD4 T cell responses. J Immunol Methods 2003; 275:19-29. [PMID: 12667667 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1759(02)00541-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Increasing efforts are directed towards the development of effective vaccines through induction of virus-specific T cell responses. Although emerging data indicate a significant role of these cells in determining viral set point in infections such as HIV, there is as yet no consensus as to the best methods for assaying the breadth of these responses. In this study, we used sensitive interferon gamma-based intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and Elispot assays to determine the optimal overlapping peptide set to screen for these responses. Twenty persons with established HIV infection were studied, focusing on responses to the highly immunogenic Nef protein. Six different HIV-1 Nef peptide sets were used, ranging in length from 15 to 20 amino acids (aa), in overlap from 10 to 11 amino acids, and derived from two different B clade sequences. A total of 54 CD8 T cell responses to Nef peptides were found in this cohort, of which only 12 were detected using previously defined Nef optimal epitopes. No single peptide set detected all responses. Though there was a trend of the shorter peptides detecting more CD8 T cell responses than the 20 amino acid long peptides and longer peptides detecting more CD4 T cell responses, neither was statistically significant. There was no difference between an overlap of 10 or 11 amino acids. All responses detected with the six different sets of overlapping peptides were towards the more highly conserved regions of Nef. We conclude that peptides ranging from 15 to 20 amino acids yield similar results in IFN-gamma-based Elispot and ICS assays, and that all are likely to underestimate the true breadth of responses to a given reference strain of virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rika Draenert
- Partners AIDS Research Center and Infectious Disease Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Division of AIDS, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
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Kong W, Tian C, Liu B, Yu XF. Stable expression of primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 structural gene products by use of a noncytopathic sindbis virus vector. J Virol 2002; 76:11434-9. [PMID: 12388704 PMCID: PMC136792 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.76.22.11434-11439.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient expression of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) structural gene products Gag, Pol, and Env involves the regulation by viral Rev and Rev-responsive elements (RRE). Removal of multiple inhibitory sequences (INS) in the coding regions of these structural genes or modification of the codon usage patterns of HIV-1 genes to those used by highly expressed human genes has been found to significantly increase HIV-1 structural protein expression in the absence of Rev and RRE. In this study, we show that efficient and stable expression of the HIV-1 structural gene products Gag and Env could be achieved by transfection with a noncytopathic Sindbis virus expression vector by using HIV-1 sequences from primary isolates without any sequence modification. Stable expression of these Gag and Env proteins was observed for more than 12 months. The fact that the Sindbis virus expression vector replicates its RNA only in the cytoplasm of the transfected cells and the fact that the lack of expression of HIV-1 Gag by the DNA vector containing unmodified HIV-1 gag sequences was associated with a lack of detectable cytoplasmic gag RNA suggest that a major blockage in the expression of HIV-1 structural proteins in the absence of Rev/RRE is caused by inefficient accumulation of mRNA in the cytoplasm. Efficient long-term expression of structural proteins of diverse HIV-1 strains by the noncytopathic Sindbis virus expression system may be a useful tool for functional study of HIV-1 gene products and vaccine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Kong
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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