DNA vaccination in mice using HIV-1 nef, rev and tat genes in self-replicating pBN-vector

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 19; no. 15; pp. 2039 - 2047
• Main Authors: Tähtinen, Marja, Strengell, Mari, Collings, Auni, Pitkänen, Jukka, Kjerrström, Anne, Hakkarainen, Kati, Peterson, Pärt, Kohleisen, Birgit, Wahren, Britta, Ranki, Annamari, Ustav, Mart, Krohn, Kai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 28.02.2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: AIDS Vaccines - administration & dosage; AIDS Vaccines - genetics; AIDS Vaccines - pharmacology; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Biolistics; Biological and medical sciences; COS Cells; Cricetinae; DNA vaccination; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Genes, nef; Genes, rev; Genes, tat; Genes, Viral; Genetic Vectors; HIV Antibodies - biosynthesis; HIV-1; HIV-1 - genetics; HIV-1 - immunology; human immunodeficiency virus 1; Immunity, Cellular; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Nef; nef gene; plasmid pBN; Plasmids - genetics; Rev; rev gene; Tat; tat gene; Transfection; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Vaccines, DNA - administration & dosage; Vaccines, DNA - genetics; Vaccines, DNA - pharmacology; Virology; HIV-1; Rev; DNA vaccination; Tat; Nef; HIV-1 virus; Rodentia; Retroviridae; Cellular immunity; Recombinant DNA; Genetic vaccine; Lentivirus; Virus; Plasmid; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Immunogenicity; Mouse; Human immunodeficiency virus; Vector; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(00)00420-5

The immunogenicity of a self-replicating DNA-vector containing HIV-1 nef gene (pBN-Nef) was characterized using various DNA delivery methods. In addition, gene gun immunisation was used for assessing immunogenicity of two other HIV-1 genes (rev and tat) given in the same vector. The pBN-Nef was the most immunogenic raising both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in mice; these responses lasted for up to six months. The pBN-Nef vector was immunogenic also when given intramuscularly or intradermally. The pBN-Rev construct did not elicit humoral responses but did elicit proliferative as well as CTL-response against the corresponding protein. The pBN-Tat was a poor immunogen in all respects. The antibodies elicited with various DNA delivery methods belonged to different antibody subclasses; however, two main epitopes in Nef were frequently recognized by all of them.