Influence of an HIV derived CD4+ T cell epitopes DNA vaccine priming in the immune responses against env protein.

• Grant number: 11/04362-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Santoro Rosa
• Grantee: Juliana de Souza Apostolico Andrade
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The epidemic caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the most important emerging infection in the last decades. In spite of the recent advances in the knowledge of the pathogenesis of HIV infection and the ensuing immune response, so far there is no effective vaccine against HIV infection. Several lines of evidence indicate that neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play an important role in immunity against HIV. In previous studies, our group reported that a DNA vaccine encoding eighteen CD4+ T cell epitopes derived from HIV-1 (HIVBr18) was able to induce broad specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in mice. Antibodies that are able to neutralize HIV are mainly directed to the virus envelope glycoprotein (Env); recently it was demonstrated that non-neutralizing antibodies may also play a protective role against HIV infection. Advances in the understanding of Env structure and function have begun to facilitate the development of new immunogens based on the glycoprotein g140 trimer. Due to the important role of CD4+ T cells responses in the generation of humoral responses in adjuvant-assisted immunizations, the main goal of the project is to evaluate whether pre immunization with a DNA vaccine encoding Env CD4+ T cells epitopes and other HIV-1 proteins (HIVBr18) is able to provide cognate help, increasing the magnitude/quality of the humoral responses against gp140. To achieve this goal, BALB/c mice will be immunized with the DNA vaccine HIVBr18 or the empty vector pVAX-1 and boosted with the gp140 trimer in the presence of several adjuvant formulations.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ANDRADE, Juliana de Souza Apostolico. Influence of an HIV derived CD4+ T cell epitopes DNA vaccine priming in the immune responses against env protein. 2013. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD) São Paulo.