Work

Rabies Virus-Based Vectors Expressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Envelope Protein Induce a Strong, Cross-Reactive Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Response against Envelope Proteins from Different HIV-1 Isolates

Year: 2001

Type: article

Abstract: Novel viral vectors that are able to induce both strong and long-lasting immune responses may be required as effective vaccines for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Our previous experiments with a replication-competent vaccine strain-based rabies virus (RV) expressing HIV-1 envelope protein from a laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strain (NL4-3) and a primary HIV-1 isolate (89.6) showed that RV-based vectors are excellent for B-cell priming. Here we report that cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses against HIV-1 gp160 are induced by recombinant RVs. Our results indicated that a single inoculation of mice with an RV expressing HIV-1 gp160 induced a solid and long-lasting memory CTL response specific for HIV-1 envelope protein. Moreover, CTLs from immunized mice were not restricted to the homologous HIV-1 envelope protein and were able to cross-kill target cells expressing HIV-1 gp160 from heterologous HIV-1 strains. These studies further suggest promise for RV-based vectors to elicit a persistent immune response against HIV-1 and their potential utility as efficacious anti-HIV-1 vaccines.

Source: Journal of Virology

DOI: 10.1128/jvi.75.9.4430-4434.2001

Authors: James P. McGettigan, Heather D. Foley, Igor M. Belyakov, Jay A. Berzofsky, Roger J. Pomerantz, Matthias J. Schnell

Institutions: Thomas Jefferson University, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute

Language: English

Topic: HIV Research and Treatment

Subfield: Virology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Thomas Jefferson University, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases