title: Focus and breadth of cellular immune responses elicited by a heterologous insert prime-boost vaccine regimen in rhesus monkeys.
abstract: The global sequence diversity of HIV-1 presents a daunting challenge for vaccine development. We investigated whether a heterologous insert prime-boost regimen could expand global coverage by selectively boosting cellular immune responses to conserved epitopes. Rhesus monkeys were primed and boosted with recombinant adenovirus vectors expressing homologous or heterologous HIV-1 Gag sequences that were optimized to focus responses on highly conserved epitopes. We observed comparable responses directed to specific regions of the Gag protein in all experimental groups without evidence of improved coverage or expanded breadth in the heterologous insert group. These data suggest that antigen-independent factors contribute to the immunodominance patterns of vaccine-elicited cellular immune responses.
authors: Division of Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
authors: David R
authors: DR
authors: Kaufman
authors: Fusheng
authors: F
authors: Li
authors: Ashley N
authors: AN
authors: Cruz
authors: Steven G
authors: SG
authors: Self
authors: Dan H
authors: DH
authors: Barouch
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000939:Epitopes; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus