A single administration of lentiviral vectors expressing either full-length human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)(HXB2) Rev/Env or codon-optimized HIV-1(JR-FL) gp120 generates durable immune responses in mice.
Genetic immunization using viral vectors provides an effective means to elicit antigen-specific cellular immune responses. Several viral vectors have proven efficacious in inducing immune responses after direct injection in vivo. Among them, recombinant, self-inactivating lentiviral vectors are very attractive delivery systems, as they are able to efficiently transduce into and express foreign genes in a wide variety of mammalian cells. A self-inactivating lentiviral vector was evaluated for the delivery of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) envelope sequences in mice in order to elicit specific immune responses. With this aim, BALB/c mice were immunized with a single injection of self-inactivating lentiviral vectors carrying either the full-length HIV-1(HXB2) Rev/Env (TY2-IIIBEnv) or the codon-optimized HIV-1(JR-FL) gp120 (TY2-JREnv) coding sequence. Both vectors were able to elicit specific cellular responses efficiently, as measured by gamma interferon ELISPOT and chromium-release assays, upon in vitro stimulation of splenocytes from BALB/c immunized mice. However, only the TY2-JREnv-immunized mice were able to elicit specific humoral responses, measured as anti-gp120 antibody production. These data provide the first evidence that a single, direct, in vivo administration of a lentiviral vector encoding a viral gene might represent a useful strategy for vaccine development.
Buffa
Viviana
V
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Negri
Donatella R M
DRM
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Leone
Pasqualina
P
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Bona
Roberta
R
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Borghi
Martina
M
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Bacigalupo
Ilaria
I
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Carlei
Davide
D
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Sgadari
Cecilia
C
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Ensoli
Barbara
B
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Cara
Andrea
A
National AIDS Center, Department of Drugs and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D003062:Codon; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015752:Genes, env; D015757:Genes, rev; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D003062:Codon; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015694:Gene Products, rev; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D007371:Interferon-gamma