Superior induction of T cell responses to conserved HIV-1 regions by electroporated alphavirus replicon DNA compared to that with conventional plasmid DNA vaccine.

ABSTRACT: Vaccination using "naked" DNA is a highly attractive strategy for induction of pathogen-specific immune responses; however, it has been only weakly immunogenic in humans. Previously, we constructed DNA-launched Semliki Forest virus replicons (DREP), which stimulate pattern recognition receptors and induce augmented immune responses. Also, in vivo electroporation was shown to enhance immune responses induced by conventional DNA vaccines. Here, we combine these two approaches and show that in vivo electroporation increases CD8(+) T cell responses induced by DREP and consequently decreases the DNA dose required to induce a response. The vaccines used in this study encode the multiclade HIV-1 T cell immunogen HIVconsv, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Using intradermal de

SUBMITTER: Knudsen ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3318663 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature