title: HIV-1 env DNA vaccine administered to rhesus monkeys elicits MHC class II-restricted CD4+ T helper cells that secrete IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha.
abstract: The Th cell response elicited by an HIV-1 env plasmid DNA vaccine was assessed in rhesus monkeys by isolation of gp120-specific, MHC class II-restricted CD4+ T cell lines from PBL of vaccinated animals. The Env-specific CD4+ T cell lines recognized epitopes located in the second hypervariable region and in the carboxyl terminus of HIV-1 gp120. These cell lines proliferated in response to APC in the presence of recombinant gp120, as well as to APC expressing virally encoded Env. All of the CD4+ T cell lines responded to Env peptide by secreting IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha without appreciable IL-4 production. Recombinant gp120 stimulation of PBL from these vaccinated monkeys elicited the secretion of a similar profile of cytokines. Demonstration of a nucleotide vaccine eliciting a Th1-like immune response is consistent with the well documented ability of naked DNA vaccines to induce durable CD8+ CTL responses.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. clekutis@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lekutis
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shiver
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Letvin
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010455:Peptides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma