Immunization of BLT Humanized Mice Redirects T Cell Responses to Gag and Reduces Acute HIV-1 Viremia.

ABSTRACT: BLT (bone marrow-liver-thymus) humanized mice, which reconstitute a functional human immune system, develop prototypic human virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses following infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We explored the utility of the BLT model for HIV-1 vaccine development by immunizing BLT mice against the conserved viral Gag protein, utilizing a rapid prime-boost protocol of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid microparticles and a replication-defective herpes simplex virus (HSV) recombinant vector. After HIV-1 challenge, the mice developed broad, proteome-wide gamma interferon-positive (IFN-γ+) T cell responses against HIV-1 that reached magnitudes equivalent to what is observed in HIV-1-infected individuals. The functionality of these responses was underscored by

SUBMITTER: Claiborne DT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6798105 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature