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TLR3 agonist and CD40-targeting vaccination induces immune responses and reduces HIV-1 reservoirs
Liang Cheng, … , Yves Levy, Lishan Su
Liang Cheng, … , Yves Levy, Lishan Su
Published August 27, 2018
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2018;128(10):4387-4396. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI99005.
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Research Article AIDS/HIV Vaccines

TLR3 agonist and CD40-targeting vaccination induces immune responses and reduces HIV-1 reservoirs

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Abstract

Activation of HIV-1 reservoirs and induction of anti–HIV-1 T cells are critical to control HIV-1 rebound after combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Here we evaluated in humanized mice (hu-mice) with persistent HIV-1 infection the therapeutic effect of TLR3 agonist and a CD40-targeting HIV-1 vaccine, which consists of a string of 5 highly conserved CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitope-rich regions of HIV-1 Gag, Nef, and Pol fused to the C-terminus of a recombinant anti-human CD40 antibody (αCD40.HIV5pep). We show that αCD40.HIV5pep vaccination coadministered with poly(I:C) adjuvant induced HIV-1–specific human CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses in hu-mice. Interestingly, poly(I:C) treatment also reactivated HIV-1 reservoirs. When administrated in therapeutic settings in HIV-1–infected hu-mice under effective cART, αCD40.HIV5pep with poly(I:C) vaccination induced HIV-1–specific CD8+ T cells and reduced the level of cell-associated HIV-1 DNA (or HIV-1 reservoirs) in lymphoid tissues. Most strikingly, the vaccination significantly delayed HIV-1 rebound after cART cessation. In summary, the αCD40.HIV5pep with poly(I:C) vaccination approach both activates replication of HIV-1 reservoirs and enhances the anti–HIV-1 T cell response, leading to a reduced level of cell-associated HIV-1 DNA or reservoirs. Our proof-of-concept study has significant implication for the development of CD40-targeting HIV-1 vaccine to enhance anti–HIV-1 immunity and reduce HIV-1 reservoirs in patients with suppressive cART.

Authors

Liang Cheng, Qi Wang, Guangming Li, Riddhima Banga, Jianping Ma, Haisheng Yu, Fumihiko Yasui, Zheng Zhang, Giuseppe Pantaleo, Matthieu Perreau, Sandra Zurawski, Gerard Zurawski, Yves Levy, Lishan Su

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Figure 5

Hu-mice receiving αCD40.HIV5pep plus poly(I:C) therapeutic vaccination show improved control of HIV-1 replication after cART discontinuation.

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Hu-mice receiving αCD40.HIV5pep plus poly(I:C) therapeutic vaccination s...
(A) Schematic diagram of the experimental design. Hu-mice infected with HIV-1 were treated with cART from 4 wpi to 11 wpi. The mice were vaccinated with αCD40.HIV5pep plus poly(I:C) or treated with poly(I:C) or PBS as control at 7.5 wpi and 10 wpi. Virus rebound was detected by PCR weekly after cART cessation at 11 wpi. (B) Plasma HIV-1 RNA in each group at indicated time points. (C) Kinetic analysis of HIV-1 rebound after cART cessation. (D) Plasma HIV-1 RNA at 12, 13, 14, 15 wpi from each mouse in different treatment groups. (B–D) Combined data from 2 independent experiments with mean values ± SEM (HIV+cART+PBS, n = 6; HIV+cART+poly(I:C), n = 7; HIV+cART+poly(I:C)+αCD40.HIV5pep, n = 8). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test (C) or 1-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post hoc test (D) was performed.
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