Abstract
Background. Gene-based vaccine delivery is an important strategy in the development of a preventive vaccine for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Vaccine Research Center (VRC) 004 is the first phase 1 dose-escalation study of a multiclade HIV-1 DNA vaccine. Methods. VRC-HIVDNA009-00-VP is a 4-plasmid mixture encoding subtype B Gag-Pol-Nef fusion protein and modified envelope (Env) constructs from subtypes A, B, and C. Fifty healthy, uninfected adults were randomized to receive either placebo (n = 10) or study vaccine at 2 mg (n = 5), 4 mg (n = 20), or 8 mg (n = 15) by needle-free intramuscular injection. Humoral responses (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, Western blotting, and neutralization assay) and T cell responses (measured by enzyme-linked immunospot assay and intracellular cytokine staining after stimulation with antigen-specific peptide pools) were measured. Results. The vaccine was well tolerated and induced cellular and humoral responses. The maximal CD4 + and CD8 + T cell responses occurred after 3 injections and were in response to Env peptide pools. The pattern of cytokine expression by vaccine-induced HIV-specific T cells evolved over time, with a diminished frequency of interferon-γ-producing T cells and an increased frequency of interleukin-2-producing T cells at 1 year. Conclusions. DNA vaccination induced antibody to and T cell responses against 3 major HIV-1 subtypes and will be further evaluated as a potential component of a preventive AIDS vaccine regimen.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1650-1660 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 194 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 15 2006 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Immunology