title: Cytokine-induced augmentation of DNA vaccine-elicited SIV-specific immunity in rhesus monkeys.
abstract: Plasmid DNA vaccination has recently emerged as a promising approach to elicit HIV- and SIV-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. However, the magnitude of immune responses induced by DNA vaccines alone has not been sufficient to protect primates against pathogenic lentivirus challenges. We investigated the ability of an IL-2/lg cytokine fusion protein and a plasmid expressing IL-2/lg to augment immune responses in rhesus monkeys induced by DNA vaccines encoding SIV gag and HIV-1 env 89.6P. We showed that both IL-2/lg protein and IL-2/lg plasmid augment DNA vaccine-elicited antibody and CTL responses. The most consistent and dramatic augmentation was observed using the IL-2/lg plasmid.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Barouch
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Letvin
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; C066594:Gag protein p27, Simian immunodeficiency virus; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015488:HIV Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA