title: Nedd4-mediated increase in HIV-1 Gag and Env proteins and immunity following DNA-vaccination of BALB/c mice.
abstract: The late assembly domain of many viruses is critical for budding. Within these domains, encoded in viral structural proteins, are the conserved motifs PTAP, PPxY and YPxL. These sequences are the key determinants for association of viral proteins with intracellular molecules such as Tsg101, Nedd4 and AIP1/ALIX. While roles for Tsg101 and AIP1/ALIX in HIV-1 budding have been well established, less is known about the role of Nedd4. Recent studies, however, have identified a function for Nedd4-like protein in HIV-1 release. In this study, we investigated post-transcriptional changes of Nedd4 following SHIVSF162P3 infection of rhesus macaques, its role on HIV-1 p24 and gp120 levels in vitro and its potential as an immune modulator in HIV vaccination of BALB/c mice. Increased Nedd4 protein levels were noted in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following SHIVSF162P3-infection of naïve macaques. Transient co-transfection studies in 293 cells with HXB2 and Nedd4 demonstrated a Nedd4-mediated increase in p24 and gp120 levels. This increase was found to be dependent on the Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated phospholipid binding C2 domain and not ubiquitin ligase activity or HIV LTR activity. Co-transfection of Nedd4 with plasmid DNA expressing Gag or Env was further shown to augment both intracellular and extracellular Gag or Env proteins. To assess the potential of Nedd4 as an immune modulator, BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with plasmid DNA encoding HIV gag, env and Nedd4. Nedd4 co-administration was found to increase serum anti-p24 but not anti-gp120 antibodies. Nedd4 co-injection was found to have no affect on Gag- or Env-specific IFNγ but had a trend of increased Gag-specific IL-6, IL-17A and TNFα that was not seen following Env stimulation. Based on our initial findings, Nedd4-mediated changes in HIV protein levels and its potential use in HIV-1 vaccine development warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hudacik
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galmin
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Maria Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Huaman
authors.affiliation: Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Cristillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D056827:Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D000075702:Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D056827:Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000075702:Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases; C000618483:Nedd4 protein, human; C000618461:Nedd4l protein, mouse; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D002118:Calcium