title: DNA immunization with HIV-1 tat mutated in the trans activation domain induces humoral and cellular immune responses against wild-type Tat.
abstract: Intramuscular immunization of mice with plasmids encoding two transdominant negative mutants of the HIV-1 Tat protein (Tat22 and Tat22/37) elicited a humoral response to wild-type Tat that is comparable to that induced by inoculation of wild-type tat DNA or Tat protein. The percentage of the responders and the Ab titers continued to increase after three additional DNA boosts and pretreatment with bupivacaine at the site of inoculation, without a significant difference (p > 0.05) among the three groups of mice immunized with mutant and wild-type tat genes. By utilizing synthetic peptides representing the amino acid sequence of Tat, one major B cell epitope was defined within the cysteine-rich domain of Tat. Anti-Tat IgG Abs directed against this epitope were found in mice immunized with all tat DNA constructs, whereas different Tat epitopes were detected in mice immunized with the Tat protein. Similarly, IgG2a was the predominant isotype in DNA-immunized mice, with both mutants and wild-type tat genes, as compared with protein immunization, which induced mostly IgG1 and IgG3. Sera from most immunized mice neutralized the effect of extracellular Tat in activating HIV-1 replication. A cellular response was also elicited as indicated by the proliferation of splenocytes when stimulated with wild-type Tat. These results indicate that the wild-type Tat Ag is recognized by Abs and T cells induced by DNA immunization with mutated tat genes, suggesting the possible use of these Tat transdominant mutants, lacking viral trans activation activity and capable of blocking wild-type Tat activity, in the development of an anti-HIV-1 vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Section of Microbiology, Interdepartmental Center for Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betti
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Balboni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boarini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cafaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbanti-Brodano
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ensoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caputo
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking / Q000494:pharmacology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000276:immunology*; D015756:Genes, tat / Q000276:immunology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed / Q000276:immunology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D007106:Immune Sera; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus