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Khatri V, Chauhan N, Vishnoi K, von Gegerfelt A, Gittens C, Kalyanasundaram R. Corrigendum to "Prospects of developing a prophylactic vaccine against human lymphatic filariasis - evaluation of protection in non-human primates" [Int. J. Parasitol. 48 (2018) 773-783]. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:1071. [PMID: 30287077 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Khatri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Nikhil Chauhan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Kanchan Vishnoi
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Khatri V, Chauhan N, Vishnoi K, von Gegerfelt A, Gittens C, Kalyanasundaram R. Prospects of developing a prophylactic vaccine against human lymphatic filariasis - evaluation of protection in non-human primates. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:773-783. [PMID: 29885437 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) affects 120 million people around the world and another 856 million people are at risk of acquiring the infection. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) spearheaded by the World Health Organization is the only current strategy to control this infection. Recent reports suggest that despite several rounds of MDA, elimination has not been achieved and there is a need for more stringent control strategies for control of LF. An effective prophylactic vaccine combined with MDA has significant potential. Initial trials using a prophylactic trivalent recombinant Brugia malayi heat shock protein 12.6, abundant larval transcript -2 and tetraspanin large extra-cellular loop (rBmHAT) vaccine developed in our laboratory conferred only 35% protection in macaques. Therefore, the focus of the present study was to improve the current vaccine formulation to obtain better protection in non-human primates. We made two modifications to the current formulation: (i) the addition of another antigen, thioredoxin peroxidase-2 (TPX-2) to make it a tetravalent vaccine (rBmHAXT) and (ii) the inclusion of an adjuvant; AL019 (alum plus glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant-stable emulsion) that is known to promote a balanced Th1/Th2 response. A double-blinded vaccination trial was performed with 40 macaques that were divided into three treatment groups and one control group (n = 10/group). Vaccinated animals received 4 immunisations at 1 month intervals with 150 µg/ml of rBmHAT plus alum, rBmHAT plus AL019 or rBmHAXT plus AL019. Control animals received AL019 only. All vaccinated macaques developed significant (P ≤ 0.003) titers of antigen-specific IgG antibodies (1:20,000) compared with the controls. One month after the last dose, all macaques were challenged s.c. with 130-180 B. malayi L3s. Our results showed that seven out of 10 (70%) of macaques given the improved rBmHAXT vaccine did not develop the infection compared with AL019 controls, of which seven out of 10 macaques developed the infection. Titers of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher in vaccinated animals and there was an increase in the percentage of IL-4 and IFN-γ secreting antigen-responding memory T cells. These studies demonstrated that the improved formulation (rBmHAXT plus AL019) is a promising vaccine candidate against human lymphatic filariasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Khatri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Nikhil Chauhan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Kanchan Vishnoi
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Dakshinamoorthy G, von Gegerfelt A, Andersen H, Lewis M, Kalyanasundaram R. Evaluation of a multivalent vaccine against lymphatic filariasis in rhesus macaque model. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112982. [PMID: 25401783 PMCID: PMC4234504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis affects 120 million people worldwide and another 1.2 billion people are at risk of acquiring the infection. Chemotherapy with mass drug administration is substantially reducing the incidence of the infection. Nevertheless, an effective vaccine is needed to prevent the infection and eradicate the disease. Previously we reported that a multivalent fusion protein vaccine (rBmHAT) composed of small heat shock proteins 12.6 (HSP12.6), abundant larval transcript-2 (ALT-2) and large extracellular domain of tetraspanin (TSP LEL) could confer >95% protection against the challenge infection with Brugia malayi infective larvae (L3) in mouse and gerbil models. In this study we evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of rBmHAT fusion protein vaccine in a rhesus macaque model. Our results show that rBmHAT is highly immunogenic in rhesus macaques. All the vaccinated monkeys developed significant titers of antigen-specific IgG antibodies against each of the component antigens (16,000 for rBmHSP12.6), (24,000 for rBmALT-2) and (16,000 for rBmTSP-LEL). An in vitro antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay performed using the sera samples from vaccinated monkeys showed that the anti-rBmHAT antibodies are functional with 35% killing of B. malayi L3s. Vaccinated monkeys also had antigen responding cells in the peripheral blood. Vaccine-induced protection was determined after challenging the monkeys with 500 B. malayi L3. Following challenge infection, 3 out of 5 vaccinated macaques failed to develop the infection. These three protected macaques had high titers of IgG1 antibodies and their PBMC secreted significantly high levels of IFN-γ in response to the vaccine antigens. The two vaccinated macaques that picked the infection had slightly low titers of antibodies and their PBMC secreted high levels of IL-10. Based on these findings we conclude that the rBmHAT vaccine is highly immunogenic and safe and can confer significant protection against challenge infections in rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gajalakshmi Dakshinamoorthy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
| | | | - Hanne Andersen
- Bioqual Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mark Lewis
- Bioqual Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Byrareddy SN, Ayash-Rashkovsky M, Kramer VG, Lee SJ, Correll M, Novembre FJ, Villinger F, Johnson WE, von Gegerfelt A, Felber BK, Ruprecht RM. Live attenuated Rev-independent Nef¯SIV enhances acquisition of heterologous SIVsmE660 in acutely vaccinated rhesus macaques. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75556. [PMID: 24098702 PMCID: PMC3787041 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhesus macaques (RMs) inoculated with live-attenuated Rev-Independent Nef¯ simian immunodeficiency virus (Rev-Ind Nef¯SIV) as adults or neonates controlled viremia to undetectable levels and showed no signs of immunodeficiency over 6-8 years of follow-up. We tested the capacity of this live-attenuated virus to protect RMs against pathogenic, heterologous SIVsmE660 challenges. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Three groups of four RM were inoculated with Rev-Ind Nef¯SIV and compared. Group 1 was inoculated 8 years prior and again 15 months before low dose intrarectal challenges with SIVsmE660. Group 2 animals were inoculated with Rev-Ind Nef¯SIV at 15 months and Group 3 at 2 weeks prior to the SIVsmE660 challenges, respectively. Group 4 served as unvaccinated controls. All RMs underwent repeated weekly low-dose intrarectal challenges with SIVsmE660. Surprisingly, all RMs with acute live-attenuated virus infection (Group 3) became superinfected with the challenge virus, in contrast to the two other vaccine groups (Groups 1 and 2) (P=0.006 for each) and controls (Group 4) (P=0.022). Gene expression analysis showed significant upregulation of innate immune response-related chemokines and their receptors, most notably CCR5 in Group 3 animals during acute infection with Rev-Ind Nef¯SIV. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We conclude that although Rev-Ind Nef¯SIV remained apathogenic, acute replication of the vaccine strain was not protective but associated with increased acquisition of heterologous mucosal SIVsmE660 challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddappa N. Byrareddy
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mila Ayash-Rashkovsky
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Victor G. Kramer
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sandra J. Lee
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mick Correll
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Francis J. Novembre
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Francois Villinger
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Welkin E. Johnson
- Biology Department, Boston College, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Agneta von Gegerfelt
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Barbara K. Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ruth M. Ruprecht
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Jalah R, Patel V, Kulkarni V, Rosati M, Alicea C, Ganneru B, von Gegerfelt A, Huang W, Guan Y, Broderick KE, Sardesai NY, LaBranche C, Montefiori DC, Pavlakis GN, Felber BK. IL-12 DNA as molecular vaccine adjuvant increases the cytotoxic T cell responses and breadth of humoral immune responses in SIV DNA vaccinated macaques. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2012; 8:1620-9. [PMID: 22894956 DOI: 10.4161/hv.21407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Intramuscular injection of macaques with an IL-12 expression plasmid (0.1 or 0.4 mg DNA/animal) optimized for high level of expression and delivered using in vivo electroporation, resulted in the detection of systemic IL-12 cytokine in the plasma. Peak levels obtained by day 4-5 post injection were paralleled by a rapid increase of IFN-γ, indicating bioactivity of the IL-12 cytokine. Both plasma IL-12 and IFN-γ levels were reduced to basal levels by day 14, indicating a short presence of elevated levels of the bioactive IL-12. The effect of IL-12 as adjuvant together with an SIVmac239 DNA vaccine was further examined comparing two groups of rhesus macaques vaccinated in the presence or absence of IL-12 DNA. The IL-12 DNA-adjuvanted group developed significantly higher SIV-specific cellular immune responses, including IFN-γ (+) Granzyme B (+) T cells, demonstrating increased levels of vaccine-induced T cells with cytotoxic potential, and this difference persisted for 6 mo after the last vaccination. Coinjection of IL-12 DNA led to increases in Gag-specific CD4 (+) and CD4 (+) CD8 (+) double-positive memory T cell subsets, whereas the Env-specific increases were mainly mediated by the CD8 (+) and CD4 (+) CD8 (+) double-positive memory T cell subsets. The IL-12 DNA-adjuvanted vaccine group developed higher binding antibody titers to Gag and mac251 Env, and showed higher and more durable neutralizing antibodies to heterologous SIVsmE660. Therefore, co-delivery of IL-12 DNA with the SIV DNA vaccine enhanced the magnitude and breadth of immune responses in immunized rhesus macaques, and supports the inclusion of IL-12 DNA as vaccine adjuvant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Jalah
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section; Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
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Kulkarni V, Jalah R, Ganneru B, Bergamaschi C, Alicea C, von Gegerfelt A, Patel V, Zhang GM, Chowdhury B, Broderick KE, Sardesai NY, Valentin A, Rosati M, Felber BK, Pavlakis GN. Comparison of immune responses generated by optimized DNA vaccination against SIV antigens in mice and macaques. Vaccine 2011; 29:6742-54. [PMID: 21195080 PMCID: PMC3115438 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.12.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Optimized DNA vectors were constructed comprising the proteome of SIV including the structural, enzymatic, regulatory, and accessory proteins. In addition to native antigens as produced by the virus, fusion proteins and modified antigens with altered secretion, cellular localization and stability characteristics were generated. The DNA vectors were tested for expression upon transfection in human cells. In addition, the vectors were tested either alone or in combinations in mice and macaques, which provided an opportunity to compare immune responses in two animal models. DNA only immunization using intramuscular injection in the absence or presence of in vivo electroporation did not alter the phenotype of the induced T cell responses in mice. Although several fusion proteins induced immune responses to all the components of a polyprotein, we noted fusion proteins that abrogated immune response to some of the components. Since the expression levels of such fusion proteins were not affected, these data suggest that the immune recognition of certain components was altered by the fusion. Testing different DNA vectors in mice and macaques revealed that a combination of DNAs producing different forms of the same antigen generated more balanced immune responses, a desirable feature for an optimal AIDS vaccine.
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MESH Headings
- AIDS Vaccines/administration & dosage
- AIDS Vaccines/immunology
- Animals
- Antigens, Viral/immunology
- Cloning, Molecular
- Electroporation
- Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay
- Female
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Products, env/genetics
- Gene Products, env/immunology
- Gene Products, env/metabolism
- Gene Products, gag/genetics
- Gene Products, gag/immunology
- Gene Products, gag/metabolism
- Genetic Vectors
- HEK293 Cells
- HIV-1/genetics
- HIV-1/immunology
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Immunity, Humoral
- Interferon-gamma/immunology
- Macaca mulatta
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Plasmids/genetics
- Plasmids/metabolism
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism
- SAIDS Vaccines/administration & dosage
- SAIDS Vaccines/immunology
- Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/genetics
- Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology
- Transfection
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Kulkarni
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Rashmi Jalah
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Brunda Ganneru
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Cristina Bergamaschi
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Candido Alicea
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Agneta von Gegerfelt
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Vainav Patel
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Gen-Mu Zhang
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Bhabadeb Chowdhury
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | | | | | - Antonio Valentin
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Margherita Rosati
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - Barbara K. Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
| | - George N. Pavlakis
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
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von Gegerfelt A, Valentin A, Alicea C, Van Rompay KKA, Marthas ML, Montefiori DC, Pavlakis GN, Felber BK. Emergence of simian immunodeficiency virus-specific cytotoxic CD4+ T cells and increased humoral responses correlate with control of rebounding viremia in CD8-depleted macaques infected with Rev-independent live-attenuated simian immunodeficiency virus. J Immunol 2010; 185:3348-58. [PMID: 20702730 PMCID: PMC7316374 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1000572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Indian rhesus macaques infected with the Rev-independent live-attenuated SIVmac239 strains control viremia to undetectable levels, have persistent but low cellular and humoral anti-SIV responses, and show no signs of immune deficiency. To analyze the immune mechanisms responsible for viral control, five macaques infected at day 1 after birth were subjected to CD8(+) cell depletion at 6.7 y postinfection. This resulted in viremia increases to 3.7-5.5 log(10) RNA copies, supporting a role of CD8-mediated responses in the control of viral replication. The rebounding viremia was rapidly controlled to levels below the threshold of detection, and occurred in the absence of SIV-specific CD8(+) T cells and significant CD8(+) T cell recovery in four of the five animals, suggesting that other mechanisms are involved in the immunological control of viremia. Monitoring immune responses at the time of viral control demonstrated a burst of circulating SIV-specific CD4(+) T cells characterized as CD45RA(-)CD28(+)CD95(+)CCR7(-) and also granzyme B(+), suggesting cytotoxic ability. Control of viremia was also concomitant with increases in humoral responses to Gag and Env, including a transient increase in neutralizing Abs against the neutralization-resistant SIVmac239 in four of five animals. These data demonstrate that a combination of cellular responses mediated by CD4(+) T cells and humoral responses was associated with the rapid control of the rebounding viremia in macaques infected by the Rev-independent live-attenuated SIV, even in the absence of measurable SIV-specific CD8(+) T cells in the blood, emphasizing the importance of different components of the immune response for full control of SIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agneta von Gegerfelt
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Antonio Valentin
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Candido Alicea
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Koen K. A. Van Rompay
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Marta L. Marthas
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - David C. Montefiori
- Department of Surgery, Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
| | - George N. Pavlakis
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Barbara K. Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702
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Rosati M, Valentin A, Jalah R, Patel V, von Gegerfelt A, Bergamaschi C, Alicea C, Weiss D, Treece J, Pal R, Markham PD, Marques ETA, August JT, Khan A, Draghia-Akli R, Felber BK, Pavlakis GN. Increased immune responses in rhesus macaques by DNA vaccination combined with electroporation. Vaccine 2008; 26:5223-9. [PMID: 18468743 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.03.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We used optimized DNA expression vectors to compare two gene delivery methodologies in rhesus macaques, namely direct DNA injection and in vivo adaptive constant-current electroporation via the intramuscular route. The use of in vivo electroporation increased levels of gene expression and immune responses. We used an optimized HIV gag expression plasmid to show the development of new cellular immune responses in SIV-infected animals controlling viremia. Furthermore, after vaccination with SIV expression plasmids the recall responses to the SIV antigens were very high, indicating that DNA is a strong boost in the presence of antiretroviral treatment in SIV-infected animals. There was substantial animal-to-animal variability in DNA expression, revealed by plasma measurements of IL-15 produced by co-injected IL-15 DNA. IL-15 expression levels correlated with peak immune responses. Electroporation led to an expansion of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of both central and effector memory phenotype. These results indicate that improved gene delivery and expression by electroporation dramatically increases immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. Electroporation is thus an important method to improve the effectiveness of DNA vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Rosati
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, United States
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Felber BK, von Gegerfelt A, Valentin A, Rosati M, Alicea C, Bergamaschi C, Patel V, Jalah R, Pavlakis GN. Preservation of a subset of SIV-specific central memory CD4+ T cells correlates with control of viremia in SIVmac251 infected macaques. Retrovirology 2006. [PMCID: PMC1717008 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-3-s1-s93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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10
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Smulevitch S, Bear J, Alicea C, Rosati M, Jalah R, Zolotukhin AS, von Gegerfelt A, Michalowski D, Moroni C, Pavlakis GN, Felber BK. RTE and CTE mRNA export elements synergistically increase expression of unstable, Rev-dependent HIV and SIV mRNAs. Retrovirology 2006; 3:6. [PMID: 16412225 PMCID: PMC1363727 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-3-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2005] [Accepted: 01/13/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of retroviral mRNA export identified two distinct RNA export elements utilizing conserved eukaryotic mRNA export mechanism(s), namely the Constitutive Transport Element (CTE) and the RNA Transport Element (RTE). Although RTE and CTE are potent in nucleocytoplasmic mRNA transport and expression, neither element is as powerful as the Rev-RRE posttranscriptional control. Here, we found that whereas CTE and the up-regulatory mutant RTEm26 alone increase expression from a subgenomic gag and env clones, the combination of these elements led to a several hundred-fold, synergistic increase. The use of the RTEm26-CTE combination is a simple way to increase expression of poorly expressed retroviral genes to levels otherwise only achieved via more cumbersome RNA optimization. The potent RTEm26-CTE element could be useful in lentiviral gene therapy vectors, DNA-based vaccine vectors, and gene transfer studies of other poorly expressed genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Smulevitch
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Jenifer Bear
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Candido Alicea
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Margherita Rosati
- Human Retrovirus Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Rashmi Jalah
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Andrei S Zolotukhin
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Agneta von Gegerfelt
- Human Retrovirus Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Daniel Michalowski
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Christoph Moroni
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie Universitaet Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - George N Pavlakis
- Human Retrovirus Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Barbara K Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
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Rosati M, von Gegerfelt A, Roth P, Alicea C, Valentin A, Robert-Guroff M, Venzon D, Montefiori DC, Markham P, Felber BK, Pavlakis GN. DNA vaccines expressing different forms of simian immunodeficiency virus antigens decrease viremia upon SIVmac251 challenge. J Virol 2005; 79:8480-92. [PMID: 15956591 PMCID: PMC1143718 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.13.8480-8492.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2004] [Accepted: 03/07/2005] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We have tested the efficacy of DNA immunization as a single vaccination modality for rhesus macaques followed by highly pathogenic SIVmac251 challenge. To further improve immunogenicity of the native proteins, we generated expression vectors producing fusion of the proteins Gag and Env to the secreted chemokine MCP3, targeting the viral proteins to the secretory pathway and to a beta-catenin (CATE) peptide, targeting the viral proteins to the intracellular degradation pathway. Macaques immunized with vectors expressing the MCP3-tagged fusion proteins developed stronger antibody responses. Following mucosal challenge with pathogenic SIVmac251, the vaccinated animals showed a statistically significant decrease in viral load (P = 0.010). Interestingly, macaques immunized with a combination of vectors expressing three forms of antigens (native protein and MCP3 and CATE fusion proteins) showed the strongest decrease in viral load (P = 0.0059). Postchallenge enzyme-linked immunospot values for Gag and Env as well as gag-specific T-helper responses correlated with control of viremia. Our data show that the combinations of DNA vaccines producing native and modified forms of antigens elicit more balanced immune responses able to significantly reduce viremia for a long period (8 months) following pathogenic challenge with SIVmac251.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Rosati
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, Bldg. 535, Rm. 210, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA
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