A DNA inducing VLP vaccine designed for HIV and tested in mice

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 24;12(8):e0183803. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183803. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

We developed a DNA vaccine that induces the formation of a VLP in vivo. This VLP was designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies, to induce better T-cell responses and to activate the innate immune system. Overall, 5 groups of 10 mice were electroporated with the following constructs: pVLP-LTR-GagPro [full], pVLP-GagPro [VLP wihout RNA], pVLP-LTR-Gag [VLP immature], pVLP-Gag and pVLP-EnvBG505 [regular DNA vaccine] and a mock group. We performed ICS on the mouse spleens and performed ELISA for ENV antibodies and a Luminex assay for inflammatory cytokines. The VLP showed good binding to the neutralizing antibodies. The percentage of CD4 cells producing cytokines was 0.1% [IFNg], 0.15%[IL-2] and 0.2% [TNFa] for the construct pVLP-LTR-GagPro. The percentage of CD8 cells producing cytokines was 0.3%[IFNg], 0.2%[IL-2] and 0.25%[TNFa]. All pVLP constructs induced more antibodies for EnvBG505 than the regular DNA vaccine Env. The pVLP-LTR-GagPro induced more IL-1B than the other constructs 24 hours post-vaccination.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • AIDS Vaccines / genetics
  • AIDS Vaccines / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / biosynthesis
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Electroporation
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Mice
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology*
  • Virion / immunology*

Substances

  • AIDS Vaccines
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Cytokines
  • Vaccines, DNA

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a Gilead Foundation Fellowship Grant to Alexandre Calazans.