Novel mucosal DNA-MVA HIV vaccination in which DNA-IL-12 plus Cholera Toxin B subunit (CTB) cooperates to enhance cellular systemic and mucosal genital tract immunity

Induction of local antiviral immune responses at the mucosal portal surfaces where HIV-1 and other viral pathogens are usually first encountered remains a primary goal for most vaccines against mucosally acquired viral infections. Exploring mucosal immunization regimes in order to find optimal vector combinations and also appropriate mucosal adjuvants in the HIV vaccine development is decisive. In this study we analyzed the interaction of DNA-IL-12 and cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) after their mucosal administration in DNA prime/MVA boost intranasal regimes, defining the cooperation of both adjuvants to enhance immune responses against the HIV-1 Env antigen. Our results demonstrated that nasal mucosal DNA/MVA immunization schemes can be effectively improved by the co-delivery of DNA-IL-12 plus CTB inducing elevated HIV-specific CD8 responses in spleen and more importantly in genital tract and genito-rectal draining lymph nodes. Remarkably, these CTL responses were of superior quality showing higher avidity, polyfunctionality and a broader cytokine profile. After IL-12+CTB co-delivery, the cellular responses induced showed an enhanced breadth recognizing with higher efficiency Env peptides from different subtypes. Even more, an in vivo CTL cytolytic assay demonstrated the higher specific CD8 T-cell performance after the IL-12+CTB immunization showing in an indirect manner its potential protective capacity. Improvements observed were maintained during the memory phase where we found higher proportions of specific central memory and T memory stem-like cells T-cell subpopulations. Together, our data show that DNA-IL-12 plus CTB can be effectively employed acting as mucosal adjuvants during DNA prime/MVA boost intranasal vaccinations, enhancing magnitude and quality of HIV-specific systemic and mucosal immune responses.Fil: Maeto, Cynthia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Holgado, María Pía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Falivene, Juliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Gherardi, Maria Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; Argentin

Th17 and Th17/Treg ratio at early HIV infection associate with protective HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses and disease progression

The aim of this study was to analyze Th17 and Treg subsets and their correlation with anti-HIV T-cell responses and clinical parameters during (acute/early) primary HIV infection (PHI) and up to one year post-infection (p.i). Samples from 14 healthy donors (HDs), 40 PHI patients, 17 Chronics, and 13 Elite controllers (ECs) were studied. The percentages of Th17 and Treg subsets were severely altered in Chronics, whereas all HIV-infected individuals (including ECs) showed Th17/Treg imbalance compared to HDs, in concordance with higher frequencies of activated CD8+ T-cells (HLA-DR+/CD38+). Better clinical status (higher CD4 counts, lower viral loads and activation) was associated with higher Th17 and lower Treg levels. We found positive correlations between Th17 at baseline and anti-HIV CD8+ T-cell functionality: viral inhibitory activity (VIA) and key polyfunctions (IFN-γ+/CD107A/B+) at both early and later times p.i, highlighting the prognostic value of Th17 cells to preserve an effective HIV T-cell immunity. Th17/Treg ratio and the IL-17 relative mean fluorescence intensity (rMFI of IL-17) were also positively correlated with VIA. Taken together, our results suggested a potential link between Th17 and Th17/Treg ratio with key HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses against the infection.Fil: Falivene, Juliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Ghiglione, Yanina Alexandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Laufer, Natalia Lorna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Socías, María Eugenia. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Holgado, María Pía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Maria Julia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Maeto, Cynthia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Figueroa, María Inés. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Giavedoni, Luis D.. Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Cahn, Pedro. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; Argentina. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Salomon, Horacio Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Sued, Omar Gustavo. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Turk, Gabriela Julia Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Gherardi, Maria Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentin

T-Cell Immune Responses Against Env from CRF12_BF and Subtype B HIV-1 Show High Clade-Specificity that Can Be Overridden by Multiclade Immunizations

BACKGROUND: The extreme genetic diversity of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) poses a daunting challenge to the generation of an effective AIDS vaccine. In Argentina, the epidemic is characterized by the high prevalence of infections caused by subtype B and BF variants. The aim of this study was to characterize in mice the immunogenic and antigenic properties of the Env protein from CRF12_BF in comparison with clade B, employing prime-boost schemes with the combination of recombinant DNA and vaccinia virus (VV) vectors. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: As determined by ELISPOT from splenocytes of animals immunized with either EnvBF or EnvB antigens, the majority of the cellular responses to Env were found to be clade-specific. A detailed peptide mapping of the responses reveal that when there is cross-reactivity, there are no amino acid changes in the peptide sequence or were minimal and located at the peptide ends. In those cases, analysis of T cell polifunctionality and affinity indicated no differences with respect to the cellular responses found against the original homologous sequence. Significantly, application of a mixed immunization combining both clades (B and BF) induced a broader cellular response, in which the majority of the peptides targeted after the single clade vaccinations generated a positive response. In this group we could also find significant cellular and humoral responses against the whole gp120 protein from subtype B. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This work has characterized for the first time the immunogenic peptides of certain EnvBF regions, involved in T cell responses. It provides evidence that to improve immune responses to HIV there is a need to combine Env antigens from different clades, highlighting the convenience of the inclusion of BF antigens in future vaccines for geographic regions where these HIV variants circulate

IL-12 and GM-CSF in DNA/MVA Immunizations against HIV-1 CRF12_BF Nef Induced T-Cell Responses With an Enhanced Magnitude, Breadth and Quality

In Argentina, the HIV epidemic is characterized by the co-circulation of subtype B and BF recombinant viral variants. Nef is an HIV protein highly variable among subtypes, making it a good tool to study the impact of HIV variability in the vaccine design setting. We have previously reported a specific cellular response against NefBF with low cross-reactivity to NefB in mice. The aim of this work was to analyze whether the co-administration of IL-12 and GM-CSF, using DNA and MVA vaccine vectors, could improve the final cellular response induced. Mice received three DNA priming doses of a plasmid that express NefBF plus DNAs expressing IL-12 and/or GM-CSF. Afterwards, all the groups were boosted with a MVAnefBF dose. The highest increase in the magnitude of the NefBF response, compared to that induced in the control was found in the IL-12 group. Importantly, a response with higher breadth was detected in groups which received IL-12 or GM-CSF, evidenced as an increased frequency of recognition of homologous (BF) and heterologous (B) Nef peptides, as well as a higher number of other Nef peptide pools representing different viral subtypes. However, these improvements were lost when both DNA cytokines were simultaneously administered, as the response was focused against the immunodominant peptide with a detrimental response towards subdominant epitopes. The pattern of cytokines secreted and the specific-T-cell proliferative capacity were improved in IL-12 and IL-12+GM-CSF groups. Importantly IL-12 generated a significant higher T-cell avidity against a B heterologous peptide

Optimización de un esquema de inmunización de mucosas frente al HIV basado en la combinación de los vectores ADN y del virus Vaccinia Ankara Modificado (MVA) (ADN/MVA): ADN-IL-12 junto con la subunidad B de la toxina colérica (CTB) cooperan en el incremento de la respuesta celular a nivel sistémico y de la mucosa del tracto genital

Un desafío importante para el desarrollo de vacunas frente a infecciones adquiridas por vía de mucosas es poder inducir una respuesta inmune local, con el fin de evitar la diseminación del patógeno al resto del organismo. Actualmente, el esquema de inmunización utilizado ampliamente en ensayos clínicos para HIV, y otros patógenos para los cuales se requiere inducir una respuesta inmune celular específica, es el denominado “prime-boost” que consiste en la utilización de distintos vectores vacunales durante la inmunización tales como los vectores de ADN recombinantes y aquellos basados en el virus Vaccinia Ankara Modificado (MVA). En este trabajo de tesis doctoral se utilizó un esquema ADN-prime/MVA-boost por ruta de mucosas, donde ambos vectores expresan la glicoproteína de envoltura de HIV y se analizó el efecto adyuvante de ADN-IL-12 con la subunidad B de la toxina colérica (CTB) en ratones BALB/c con el fin de potenciar la respuesta inmune específica frente al HIV a nivel sistémico y de la mucosa del tracto genital. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que esta combinación de adyuvantes mejoró la respuesta inmune celular no sólo a nivel sistémico, sino también en ganglios drenantes de la mucosa genito-rectal, y más importante aún, en el tracto genital, observándose un incremento en la magnitud, amplitud y calidad de la respuesta. En conclusión, la combinación de los adyuvantes ADN-IL-12 + CTB podría ser potencialmente utilizada como adyuvantes de mucosas en vacunas ADN/MVA, no sólo para antígenos de HIV sino también para otras enfermedades infecciosas con impacto en mucosas

CD8⁺ T-cell quality measured by its proliferative potential and its ability to recognized cross-reactive peptides.

<p>Specific cellular immune responses were analyzed at 10, 30 or 53 days after the immunization in groups of six BALB/c mice. Pooled splenocytes of DNA-EnvB/MVA-EnvB (grey bars) and DNA-EnvB+DNA-IL-12₅₀+CTB/MVA-EnvB+CTB (black bars) groups were evaluated. (A) CFSE-labeled cells were stimulated <i>in vitro</i> during 4 days with the specific V3 loop peptide and then stained with surface antibodies (CD3 and CD8). Proliferating CFSE low CD8 T-cells was determined by flow cytometry. A representative dot plot is depicted (left panel) and percentage of proliferating cells were analyzed (right panel). (B) Ten and 53 days after immunization, splenocytes were stimulated with different pools of Env PTE peptides and evaluated by ELISPOT. Bars represented the accumulated number of IFN-γ spot forming units (SFU)/10⁶ cells for the total PTE peptide-pools. (C) Magnitude of the response against the individual PTE peptide-pools is depicted. (B) and (C): Data are representative of two independent experiments. Bars represent the average +SD for duplicate samples. Background values were subtracted in each case. Statistical differences between groups: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001 by Student's T test. (D) Scheme indicating the gp160 region included in the different PTE peptide pools.</p

T-cell response improvements afforded by DNA-IL-12 plus CTB administration during DNA/MVA immunizations were maintained during the memory phase of the adaptive response.

<p>Thirty or 53 days post- immunization, Env specific IFNγ and IL-2 secreting T-cells were evaluated by ELISPOT using pooled cells from six mice in (A) spleen, (B) iliac lymph nodes (ILNs) and (C) genital tract for DNA-EnvB/MVA-EnvB control group (grey bars), and DNA-EnvB+DNA-IL-12₅₀+CTB/MVA-EnvB+CTB group (black bars). Bars represent the average of spot forming units (SFU)/10⁶ cells +SD for duplicate or triplicate wells. Background values of negative control wells were subtracted. Data are representative of three (30 days) and two (53 days) independent experiments. Statistical differences between groups: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001 by Student's T test.</p

Study of T-cell functional avidity and in vivo T-cell specific killing activity.

<p>Pooled splenocytes from control and IL-12₅₀+CTB groups (three to six mice/group), were analyzed for functional avidity of the V3- loop specific T-cells at (A) 10 and (B) 30 days after immunization, by ELISPOT using serial dilutions of the peptide from 20 to 0.00002 µg/ml for triplicate wells. Data represents the average percentage of the maximal response. SD50: sensitizing dose of peptide required to yield 50% of maximal T-cell triggering IFN-γ production. (C) <i>In vivo</i> cytotoxicity was analyzed adoptive transfer of control CFSElow and Env-peptide pulsed CFSEhigh dye cells. At 10 and 30 days after immunization, individual spleens of mice from naïve (I), DNA-EnvB/MVA-EnvB (II) and DNA-EnvB+DNA-IL-12₅₀+CTB/MVA-EnvB+CTB (III) groups were analyzed at the indicated times after adoptive transfer. A representative histogram is depicted in the left panel. Dots represent each analyzed mice. Lines represent median Statistical differences between groups: *p<0.05; **p<0.01 by Mann-Whitney test.</p