title: Transient global T cell activation after vaccination of rhesus macaques with a DNA-poxvirus vaccine regimen for HIV.
abstract: Persistent T cell activation following immunization with HIV vaccines may increase HIV acquisition risk. We investigated the magnitude and kinetics of T cell activation following vaccination of rhesus macaques with a candidate HIV vaccine consisting of a recombinant DNA and MVA vaccination regimen. We show that global CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation, as measured by the expression of Ki67 and Bcl-2, peaked one week after boosting with MVA, but then waned rapidly to pre-vaccination levels. Furthermore, increased frequencies of CD4+ CCR5+ T cells, which represent potential HIV target cells, were short-lived and decreased to baseline levels within two months. Activated CD4+ T cells were predominantly of a central memory phenotype, and activated CD8+ T cells were distributed between central and effector memory phenotypes. Thus, only transient changes in T cell activation occurred following poxvirus vaccination, indicating a lack of persistent immune activation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Tracey L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Gerald K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Chege
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Anna-Lise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: wendy.burgers@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Burgers
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D004337:Drug Carriers; C560489:MVA vaccine; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines
keywords: DNA–MVA; HIV risk; HIV vaccine; Poxvirus; T cell activation