Desenvolvimento e avaliação de ferramentas de imunização baseadas na região globular da fibra adenoviral modificada com o domínio C4 da glicoproteína gp120 do HIV.

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Author(s):	Luis Ernesto Farinha Arcieri Total Authors: 1
Document type:	Doctoral Thesis
Press:	São Paulo.
Institution:	Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
Defense date:	2008-09-09
Examining board members:	Armando Morais Ventura; Eurico de Arruda Neto; Edison Luiz Durigon; Julia Maria Martins de Souza Felippe; Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira
Advisor:	Armando Morais Ventura
Abstract
HIV glycoprotein gp120 has conserved domains, one of them being the C4 domain. This region is involved in the recognition of the CD4 marker in target cells and antibodies that recognize this domain can block HIV infection. Previously, the C4 domain was introduced in the adenovirus fiber knob. As the adenovirus fiber stimulates de immune system, we decided to test the production of anti-C4 antibodies by this hybrid protein. We constructed plasmid and adenovirus vectors carrying the fiber knob modified with the C4 domain. Immunization of mice with these vectors showed the production of specific antibodies that recognized de gp120 glycoprotein. Also, we constructed a baculovirus vector expressing the hybrid protein, which was purified by HPLC. Mice immunized with this protein also produced antibodies capable of recognizing gp120. Our data suggest that the fiber knob is a good carrier protein for epitope immunization. (AU)