Increased immune response elicited by DNA vaccination with a synthetic gp120 sequence with optimized codon usage

DNA vaccination elicits humoral and cellular immune responses and has been shown to confer protection against several viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens. Here we report that optimized codon usage of an injected DNA sequence considerably increases both humoral and cellular immune responses. We recently generated a synthetic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp120 sequence in which most wild-type codons were replaced with codons from highly expressed human genes (syngp120). In vitro expression of syngp120 is considerably increased in comparison to that of the respective wild-type sequence. In BALB/c mice, DNA immunization with syngp120 resulted in significantly increased antibody titers and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte reactivity, suggesting a direct correlation between expression levels and the immune response. Moreover, syngp120 is characterized by rev-independent expression and a low risk of recombination with viral sequences. Thus, synthetic genes with optimized codon usage represent a novel strategy to increase the efficacy and safety of DNA vaccination

AIDS em mulheres adultas no município do Rio de Janeiro

Este trabalho apresenta as principais características epidemiológicas descritivas da distribuição de AIDS em mulheres adultas no Município do Rio de Janeiro, ao longo da década de oitenta. Pode-se observar uma participação crescente das mesmas, com elevadas taxas de incidência comparativamente com coeficientes para todo o Brasil, bem como para o Canadá. A contaminação transfusional, predominante no início da epidemia, vem cedendo lugar à transmissão sexual e por utilização de drogas endovenosas. Observa-se, também, uma distribuição espacial definida na ocorrência dos casos, com participação crescente das mulheres jovens. O trabalho ressalta a importância da tuberculose como segunda causa de complicação mais freqüente entre as infecções oportunistas observadas. Finalmente, são apontadas algumas das questões cruciais a serem abordadas no futuro, tendo em vista a compreensão e o controle na difusão da epidemia no grupo estudado.<br>This paper presents the main epidemiological characteristics of AIDS cases observed among adult women in Rio de Janeiro Municipality (Rio) during 1980-89. Higher incidence rates as compared to Brazilian and Canadian women, rising participation of either sexual transmission and EV drug addiction and an increasing involvement of young women were also observed. The disease does not present a random spatial distribution in Rio, and case clusters in definite high risks areas were shown. Tuberculosis was found to be the second most frequent opportunistic infection detected among cases. Finally, some of the main trends and questions related to AIDS control among women in the studied area are discussed