Cellular Immune Responses Induced with Dose-Sparing Intradermal Administration of HIV Vaccine to HIV-Uninfected Volunteers in the ANRS VAC16 Trial

The objective was to compare the safety and cellular immunogenicity of intradermal versus intramuscular immunization with an HIV-lipopeptide candidate vaccine (LIPO-4) in healthy volunteers.A randomized, open-label trial with 24 weeks of follow-up was conducted in France at six HIV-vaccine trial sites. Sixty-eight healthy 21- to 55-year-old HIV-uninfected subjects were randomized to receive the LIPO-4 vaccine (four HIV lipopeptides linked to a T-helper-stimulating epitope of tetanus-toxin protein) at weeks 0, 4 and 12, either intradermally (0.1 ml, 100 microg of each peptide) or intramuscularly (0.5 ml, 500 microg of each peptide). Comparative safety of both routes was evaluated. CD8+ T-cell immune responses to HIV epitopes (ELISpot interferon-gamma assay) and tetanus toxin-specific CD4+ T-cell responses (lymphoproliferation) were assessed at baseline, two weeks after each injection, and at week 24.No severe, serious or life-threatening adverse events were observed. Local pain was significantly more frequent after intramuscular injection, but local inflammatory reactions were more frequent after intradermal immunization. At weeks 2, 6, 14 and 24, the respective cumulative percentages of induced CD8+ T-cell responses to at least one HIV peptide were 9, 33, 39 and 52 (intradermal group) or 14, 20, 26 and 37 (intramuscular group), and induced tetanus toxin-specific CD4+ T-cell responses were 6, 27, 33 and 39 (intradermal), or 9, 46, 54 and 63 (intramuscular). In conclusion, intradermal LIPO-4 immunization was well tolerated, required one-fifth of the intramuscular dose, and induced similar HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses. Moreover, the immunization route influenced which antigen-specific T-cells (CD4+ or CD8+) were induced.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00121121

Modelling the response to vaccine in non-human primates to define SARS-CoV-2 mechanistic correlates of protection

The definition of correlates of protection is critical for the development of next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccine platforms. Here, we propose a model-based approach for identifying mechanistic correlates of protection based on mathematical modelling of viral dynamics and data mining of immunological markers. The application to three different studies in non-human primates evaluating SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on CD40-targeting, two-component spike nanoparticle and mRNA 1273 identifies and quantifies two main mechanisms that are a decrease of rate of cell infection and an increase in clearance of infected cells. Inhibition of RBD binding to ACE2 appears to be a robust mechanistic correlate of protection across the three vaccine platforms although not capturing the whole biological vaccine effect. The model shows that RBD/ACE2 binding inhibition represents a strong mechanism of protection which required significant reduction in blocking potency to effectively compromise the control of viral replication.Initiative for the creation of a Vaccine Research InstituteInfrastructure nationale pour la modélisation des maladies infectieuses humaine

Etude des réponses T CD4+ et CD8+ induites chez l’homme par différentes stratégies vaccinales anti-VIH-1 utilisant des lipopeptides

Since the 90’s, the ANRS (France Recherche Nord&Sud Sida-HIV hépatites) has been committed to an original program combining basic science and clinical research developing an epitope-based vaccine strategy to induce a multiepitopic cellular response against HIV-1 using lipopeptide vaccines. These lipid-conjugated peptides can induce cellular responses without adjuvant, because the palmitic acid compound of the lipid tail, which can also promote cross-presentation of CD8+ T-cell epitopes by dendritic cells, activates TLR2. LIPO-5 vaccine candidate, composed of HIV-1 Gag 17-35, Gag 253-284, Nef 66–97, Nef 116–145, and Pol 325–355 peptidic sequences containing different CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes from HIV-1 clade B linked to a monopalmitic acid via a lysine in C-terminus, is used in humans for nearly 20 years in different Phase I and II clinical trials.During this work, we focused on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses induced by lipopeptide vaccines developed by the ANRS, in particular LIPO-5 vaccine candidate used in ANRS VAC 18 and VRI 01 prophylactic vaccine trials and ANRS LIGHT and DALIA therapeutic ones. We identified and characterized post-vaccination CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in DALIA trial and compared them to the responses observed in other therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine trials involving the use of lipopeptides either alone or in combination with other vaccine candidates (ALVAC, MVA, DNA).We showed that immunodominance was not affected between healthy individuals or HIV-1-infected patients. Moreover, we showed that priming with LIPO-5 was very usefull to focus T-cell responses to the HIV-1-conserved regions included in this vaccine candidate. In addition, we demonstrated that LIPO-5-loaded DC was the most immunogenic vaccine candidate, confirming the benefits of this vaccine candidate for ex vivo DC targeting. Last but not least, we also observed that lipopeptide vaccination induced IL-13 secretion by HIV-1-specific CD4+ T cells and that these IL-13 responses were associated with a lower viral rebound during the treatment interruption phase of the DALIA trial.These results are important in the search for effective prophylactic and therapeutic HIV-1 vaccines.Depuis les années 1990, l’ANRS (France Recherche Nord&Sud Sida-HIV hépatites) a mis en place une stratégie de vaccination anti-VIH-1 originale fondée sur l’utilisation de peptides contenant des épitopes T couplés à une molécule lipidique et capables d’induire des réponses poly-épitopiques. Ces lipopeptides ont la particularité d’induire des réponses cellulaires sans nécessiter d’adjuvant via l’activation du TLR2 par l’acide palmitique composant la queue lipidique de ces lipopeptides qui permet également la cross-présentation d’épitopes T CD8+ par les cellules dendritiques. Le candidat vaccin LIPO-5, constitué de 5 longs peptides (Gag 17-35, Gag 253-284, Nef 66-97, Nef 116-145, et Pol 325-355) comportant différents épitopes T CD8+ et CD4+ du VIH-1 de sous-type B couplés en position C-terminale à un acide monopalmitique via une lysine, est utilisé chez l’homme depuis bientôt 20 ans dans différents essais cliniques de phase I et II.Lors de cette thèse, nous nous sommes focalisés sur l’étude des réponses T CD4+ et CD8+ induites par les vaccins lipopeptidiques développés par l’ANRS et plus particulièrement sur le candidat vaccin LIPO-5, utilisé notamment dans les essais prophylactiques ANRS VAC 18 et VRI 01, et les essais thérapeutiques ANRS LIGHT et DALIA. Nous avons identifié et caractérisé les réponses T CD8+ et CD4+ post-vaccinales lors de l’essai DALIA et comparé ces réponses avec celles observées dans différents essais de vaccination thérapeutique et prophylactique menés par l’ANRS, utilisant des lipopeptides associés ou non à d’autres candidats vaccin (ALVAC, MVA et ADN).Nous avons ainsi pu montrer que l’immunodominance de ces réponses n’était pas modifiée entre volontaires sains et patients infectés par le VIH-1. De plus nous avons montré que l’utilisation du candidat vaccin LIPO-5 en « prime » était particulièrement intéressante pour focaliser les réponses vaccinales sur les régions conservées du VIH-1 intégrées dans ce vaccin, et que le LIPO-5 chargé sur des cellules dendritiques induisait une meilleure immunogénicité, confirmant l’intérêt de ce vaccin pour la stratégie de « DC targeting » ex vivo. Enfin, nous avons également montré que la vaccination lipopeptidique permettait l’induction spécifique d’IL-13 par les LT CD4+ et que cette réponse était associée à un faible rebond viral lors de la phase d’interruption de traitement de l’essai ANRS DALIA.Ces résultats sont importants dans la quête de vaccins prophylactiques et thérapeutiques efficaces contre le VIH-1

Study of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses induced in humans by different anti-HIV-1 vaccination strategies using lipopeptides

Depuis les années 1990, l’ANRS (France Recherche Nord&Sud Sida-HIV hépatites) a mis en place une stratégie de vaccination anti-VIH-1 originale fondée sur l’utilisation de peptides contenant des épitopes T couplés à une molécule lipidique et capables d’induire des réponses poly-épitopiques. Ces lipopeptides ont la particularité d’induire des réponses cellulaires sans nécessiter d’adjuvant via l’activation du TLR2 par l’acide palmitique composant la queue lipidique de ces lipopeptides qui permet également la cross-présentation d’épitopes T CD8+ par les cellules dendritiques. Le candidat vaccin LIPO-5, constitué de 5 longs peptides (Gag 17-35, Gag 253-284, Nef 66-97, Nef 116-145, et Pol 325-355) comportant différents épitopes T CD8+ et CD4+ du VIH-1 de sous-type B couplés en position C-terminale à un acide monopalmitique via une lysine, est utilisé chez l’homme depuis bientôt 20 ans dans différents essais cliniques de phase I et II.Lors de cette thèse, nous nous sommes focalisés sur l’étude des réponses T CD4+ et CD8+ induites par les vaccins lipopeptidiques développés par l’ANRS et plus particulièrement sur le candidat vaccin LIPO-5, utilisé notamment dans les essais prophylactiques ANRS VAC 18 et VRI 01, et les essais thérapeutiques ANRS LIGHT et DALIA. Nous avons identifié et caractérisé les réponses T CD8+ et CD4+ post-vaccinales lors de l’essai DALIA et comparé ces réponses avec celles observées dans différents essais de vaccination thérapeutique et prophylactique menés par l’ANRS, utilisant des lipopeptides associés ou non à d’autres candidats vaccin (ALVAC, MVA et ADN).Nous avons ainsi pu montrer que l’immunodominance de ces réponses n’était pas modifiée entre volontaires sains et patients infectés par le VIH-1. De plus nous avons montré que l’utilisation du candidat vaccin LIPO-5 en « prime » était particulièrement intéressante pour focaliser les réponses vaccinales sur les régions conservées du VIH-1 intégrées dans ce vaccin, et que le LIPO-5 chargé sur des cellules dendritiques induisait une meilleure immunogénicité, confirmant l’intérêt de ce vaccin pour la stratégie de « DC targeting » ex vivo. Enfin, nous avons également montré que la vaccination lipopeptidique permettait l’induction spécifique d’IL-13 par les LT CD4+ et que cette réponse était associée à un faible rebond viral lors de la phase d’interruption de traitement de l’essai ANRS DALIA.Ces résultats sont importants dans la quête de vaccins prophylactiques et thérapeutiques efficaces contre le VIH-1.Since the 90’s, the ANRS (France Recherche Nord&Sud Sida-HIV hépatites) has been committed to an original program combining basic science and clinical research developing an epitope-based vaccine strategy to induce a multiepitopic cellular response against HIV-1 using lipopeptide vaccines. These lipid-conjugated peptides can induce cellular responses without adjuvant, because the palmitic acid compound of the lipid tail, which can also promote cross-presentation of CD8+ T-cell epitopes by dendritic cells, activates TLR2. LIPO-5 vaccine candidate, composed of HIV-1 Gag 17-35, Gag 253-284, Nef 66–97, Nef 116–145, and Pol 325–355 peptidic sequences containing different CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes from HIV-1 clade B linked to a monopalmitic acid via a lysine in C-terminus, is used in humans for nearly 20 years in different Phase I and II clinical trials.During this work, we focused on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses induced by lipopeptide vaccines developed by the ANRS, in particular LIPO-5 vaccine candidate used in ANRS VAC 18 and VRI 01 prophylactic vaccine trials and ANRS LIGHT and DALIA therapeutic ones. We identified and characterized post-vaccination CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in DALIA trial and compared them to the responses observed in other therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine trials involving the use of lipopeptides either alone or in combination with other vaccine candidates (ALVAC, MVA, DNA).We showed that immunodominance was not affected between healthy individuals or HIV-1-infected patients. Moreover, we showed that priming with LIPO-5 was very usefull to focus T-cell responses to the HIV-1-conserved regions included in this vaccine candidate. In addition, we demonstrated that LIPO-5-loaded DC was the most immunogenic vaccine candidate, confirming the benefits of this vaccine candidate for ex vivo DC targeting. Last but not least, we also observed that lipopeptide vaccination induced IL-13 secretion by HIV-1-specific CD4+ T cells and that these IL-13 responses were associated with a lower viral rebound during the treatment interruption phase of the DALIA trial.These results are important in the search for effective prophylactic and therapeutic HIV-1 vaccines

Negative modulation of suppressive HIV-specific regulatory T cells by IL-2 adjuvanted therapeutic vaccine.

The potential benefit in using IL-2 in immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmunity has been linked to the modulation of immune responses, which partly relies on a direct effect on Tregs populations. Here, we revisited the role of IL-2 in HIV infection and investigated whether its use as an adjuvant with therapeutic vaccination, impacts on HIV-specific responses. Antiretroviral therapy treated-patients were randomized to receive 4 boosts of vaccination (ALVACHIV/Lipo-6T, weeks 0/4/8/12) followed by 3 cycles of IL-2 (weeks 16/24/32) before treatment interruption (TI) at week40. IL-2 administration increased significantly HIV-specific CD4+CD25+CD134+ T-cell responses, which inversely correlated with viral load after TI (r = -0.7, p <0.007) in the vaccine/IL-2 group. IL-2 increased global CD25+CD127lowFoxP3+Tregs (p <0.05) while it decreased HIV- but not CMV- specific CD39+FoxP3+CD25+CD134+Tregs (p <0.05). HIV-specific Tregs were inversely correlated with IFN-γ producing specific-effectors (p = 0.03) and positively correlated with viral load (r = 0.7, p = 0.01), revealing their undesired presence during chronic infection. Global Tregs, but not HIV-specific Tregs, inversely correlated with a decrease in exhausted PD1+CD95+ T-cells (p = 0.001). Altogether, our results underline the negative impact of HIV-specific Tregs on HIV-specific effectors and reveal the beneficial use of IL-2 as an adjuvant as its administration increases global Tregs that impact on T-cell exhaustion and decreases HIV-specific CD39+Tregs by shifting the balance towards effectors

Decreased HIV-Specific T-Regulatory Responses Are Associated with Effective DC-Vaccine Induced Immunity

International audienceThe role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vaccination has been poorly investigated. We have reported that vaccination with ex vivo-generated dendritic-cells (DC) loaded with HIV-lipopeptides (LIPO-5-DC vaccine) in HIV-infected patients was well tolerated and highly immunogenic. These responses and their relation to viral replication following analytical treatment interruption (ATI) were variable. Here, we investigated whether the presence of HIV-specific Tregs might explain these differences. Co-expression of CD25, CD134, CD39 and FoxP3 was used to delineate both antigen-specific Tregs and effectors T cells (Teffs). Median LIPO-5 specific-CD25+CD134+ polyfunctional T cells increased from 0.1% (IQR 0-0.3) before vaccination (week -4) to 2.1% (IQR 1.1-3.9) at week 16 following 4 immunizations (p=0.001) and were inversely correlated with maximum viral load following ATI (r=-0.77, p=0.001). Vaccinees who displayed lower levels of HIV-specific CD4+CD134+CD25+CD39+FoxP3+ Tregs responded better to the LIPO-5-DC vaccine. After vaccination, the frequency of HIV-specific Tregs decreased (from 69.3 at week -4 to 31.7% at week 16) and inversely correlated with HIV-specific IFN-γ-producing cells (r=-0.64, p=0.002). We show that therapeutic immunization skewed the HIV-specific response from regulatory to effector phenotype which impacts on the magnitude of viral replication following ATI

Long-Term Specific Immune Responses Induced in Humans by a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Lipopeptide Vaccine: Characterization of CD8(+)-T-Cell Epitopes Recognized

We studied the effect of booster injections and the long-term immune response after injections of an anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) lipopeptide vaccine. This vaccine was injected alone or with QS21 adjuvant to 28 HIV-uninfected volunteers. One month later, after a fourth injection of the vaccine, B- and T-cell anti-HIV responses were detected in >85% of the vaccinated volunteers. One year after this injection, a long-term immune response was observed in >50% of the volunteers. At this point, a positive QS21 effect was observed only in the sustained B-cell and CD4(+)-T-cell responses. To better characterize the CD8(+)-T-cell response, we used a gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot method and a bank of 59 HIV-1 epitopes. For the six most common HLA molecules (HLA-A2, -A3, -A11, -A24, -B7 superfamily, and -B8), an average of 10 (range, 3 to 15) HIV-1 epitopes were tested. CD8(+)-T-cell responses were evaluated according to the HLA class I molecules of the volunteers. Each assessment was based on 18 HIV-1 epitopes in average. We showed that 31 HIV-1 epitopes elicited specific CD8(+)-T-cell responses after vaccination. The most frequently recognized peptides were Nef 68-76 (-B7), Nef 71-79 (-B7), Nef 84-92 (-A11), Nef 135-143 (-B7), Nef 136-145 (-A2), Nef 137-145 (-A2), Gag 259-267 (-B8), Gag 260-268 (-A2), Gag 267-274 (-A2), Gag 267-277 (-B7), and Gag 276-283 (A24). We found that CD8(+)-T-cell epitopes were induced at a higher number after a fourth injection (P < 0.05 compared to three injections), which indicates an increase in the breadth of HIV CD8(+)-T-cell epitope recognition after the boost

Additional file 5: Figure S4. of Optimization and evaluation of Luminex performance with supernatants of antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Non-linear relationship between %CV and mean cytokine concentration. %CVs concentration (mean CVs for four different donors and four conditions [NS, PPD, SEB and ESAT-6 stimulations] calculated using culture triplicates for each of the 11 cytokines analyzed) plotted against corresponding mean concentrations for Ozyme, Millipore and Bio-Rad kits. (PDF 98 kb

Helminth exposure and immune response to the two-dose heterologous Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo Ebola vaccine regimen

International audienceBACKGROUND: The exposure to parasites may influence the immune response to vaccines in endemic African countries. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between helminth exposure to the most prevalent parasitic infections, schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminths infection and filariasis, and the Ebola virus glycoprotein (EBOV GP) antibody concentration in response to vaccination with the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo vaccine regimen in African and European participants using samples obtained from three international clinical trials. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a study in a subset of participants in the EBL2001, EBL2002 and EBL3001 clinical trials that evaluated the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo vaccine regimen against EVD in children, adolescents and adults from the United Kingdom, France, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone. Immune markers of helminth exposure at baseline were evaluated by ELISA with three commercial kits which detect IgG antibodies against schistosome, filarial and Strongyloides antigens. Luminex technology was used to measure inflammatory and activation markers, and Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines at baseline. The association between binding IgG antibodies specific to EBOV GP (measured on day 21 post-dose 2 and on Day 365 after the first dose respectively), and helminth exposure at baseline was evaluated using a multivariable linear regression model adjusted for age and study group. Seventy-eight (21.3%) of the 367 participants included in the study had at least one helminth positive ELISA test at baseline, with differences of prevalence between studies and an increased prevalence with age. The most frequently detected antibodies were those to Schistosoma mansoni (10.9%), followed by Acanthocheilonema viteae (9%) and then Strongyloides ratti (7.9%). Among the 41 immunological analytes tested, five were significantly (p &lt; .003) lower in participants with at least one positive helminth ELISA test result: CCL2/MCP1, FGFbasic, IL-7, IL-13 and CCL11/Eotaxin compared to participants with negative helminth ELISA tests. No significant association was found with EBOV-GP specific antibody concentration at 21 days post-dose 2, or at 365 days post-dose 1, adjusted for age group, study, and the presence of any helminth antibodies at baseline. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: No clear association was found between immune markers of helminth exposure as measured by ELISA and post-vaccination response to the Ebola Ad26.ZEBOV/ MVA-BN-Filo vaccine regimen. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02416453, NCT02564523, NCT02509494. ClinicalTrials.gov