Molecular immune signatures of HIV-1 vaccines in human PBMCs

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 583; no. 18; pp. 3004 - 3008
• Main Authors: Monaco, Alessandro, Marincola, Francesco M., Sabatino, Marianna, Pos, Zoltan, Tornesello, Maria Lina, Stroncek, David F., Wang, Ena, Lewis, George K., Buonaguro, Franco M., Buonaguro, Luigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 17.09.2009
• Subjects: AIDS Vaccines - pharmacology; Case-Control Studies; Chemokines - biosynthesis; Gene Expression Profiling - methods; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Immunity, Innate - genetics; Immunogenomics; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Peripheral blood mononuclear cell; Vaccine; Viral Load; HIV-1; Vaccine; Immunogenomics; Peripheral blood mononuclear cell
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.07.060

The global transcriptional profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with HIV candidate vaccine (virus-like particles, VLPs) has been evaluated in HIV-infected patients with low/high viral load compared to healthy volunteers. Baseline activation of chemokine production was observed in PBMC from HIV-infected patients and innate immune stimulation with HIV-VLPs was not blunted. The immune profile among HIV-infected patients was found to be qualitatively similar but quantitatively extremely variable. This diversity was independent of viral load and it might be dependent on individual immunogenetic traits or concurrent immunological status. This ex vivo screening strategy represents an efficient tool for guiding modifications/optimizations of vaccination strategies and understanding failures in individuals enrolled in clinical trials.