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HIV vaccine testing in primates is an important method for determining the possibility of vaccine benefit in humans. Goals of HIV-1 vaccination include establishing neutralizing antibodies and a strong CD8(+) T-cell response. We tested a novel vaccine conjugate for its ability to elicit relevant immune responses to HIV proteins and peptides in rhesus macaques. A neutralizing epitope, V3 loop peptide from HIV-1 envelope, was coupled to heat-inactivated Brucella abortus (V3-HKBA). Rhesus macaques were immunized with this conjugate in the anterior thigh. After two immunizations V3-specific antibodies were found in the sera and at mucosal sites. Neutralizing activity of these antibodies was demonstrated by syncytia inhibition assays. Cellular immune recall responses were demonstrated by antigen-specific induction of interferon-gamma and Regulation on Activation Noraml T Cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) secretion in vitro. These results confirm and extend preliminary studies in mice that suggest HKBA is an effective carrier that promotes neutralizing antibody secretion at relevant mucosal sites, as well as cellular immune responses that are correlated with viral protection.

In the present study inactivated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was conjugated to Brucella abortus and tested for immunogenicity in normal and anti-L3T4-treated BALB/c mice. HIV-BA was more immunogenic than uncoupled HIV in normal mice, since 6-fold less virus in HIV-BA preparations elicited higher titer responses than HIV-1 alone. Furthermore, the HIV-BA antibody response reached higher levels before the HIV-1 response. Immunoblot analysis showed that most of the HIV-1 antigens were recognized by antibodies induced by either HIV-1 or HIV-BA. Isotype analysis revealed that HIV-1 induced similar levels of IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies, whereas the IgG2a responses to HIV-BA were more pronounced than the IgG1 response. These different IgG subclass patterns suggest that conjugation of HIV-1 to BA changed the immunogenic nature of HIV-1. The requirement for helper T cells was examined by immunizing mice that were depleted of CD4+ T cells by in vivo anti-L3T4 treatment. Under these conditions the IgG responses to HIV-1 were completely eliminated. Although HIV-BA antibody responses were markedly reduced in anti-L3T4-treated mice, anti-HIV-1 antibodies, mainly of the IgG2a isotype, were produced. The antibodies generated by HIV-1 and HIV-BA immunization were also tested for their ability to inhibit syncytia formed by infecting CD4 + CEM cells with gp160 vaccinia. Sera from normal mice, immunized with either HIV-1 or HIV-BA were capable of inhibiting syncytia. In contrast, following anti-L3T4 treatment, only mice immunized with HIV-BA, but not HIV-1, produced antibodies capable of inhibiting syncytia.

In view of its unique ability to stimulate human B cells, we have considered using Brucella abortus (BA) as a carrier for human vaccines. Recently we showed that HIV-1 coupled to BA, but not unconjugated HIV-1, was able to stimulate murine responses even in the relative absence of CD4+ T cells. This result suggested that HIV-BA may be useful in boosting the immunity of individuals infected with HIV-1 and who have impaired CD4+ T cell function. In order to refine this carrier we purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from BA and examined its effects on immune responses. Similar to LPS from E. coli (LPS-EC), LPS-BA was capable of stimulating mouse B cells to proliferate. In addition, LPS-BA could activate mouse spleen cells to secrete antibodies in vitro. Isotype analysis revealed that IgM and all the IgG subclasses were elicited. When comparing these responses to those of LPS-EC, LPS-BA induced a greater percentage of IgG2a and LPS-EC evoked more IgG3. IgG2a is probably important in protection against murine viral infection. LPS-BA was haptenated with trinitrophenol TNP-LPS (BA) and tested for carrier effect. Similar to TNP-BA and TNP-LPS (EC), TNP-LPS (BA) triggered anti-TNP antibody of the IgM and all IgG subclasses. In contrast, TNP-ficoll induced mainly IgM and only small amounts of IgG3. These results suggest that LPS-BA, like intact BA, behaves as a T-independent type 1 carrier, and as such may be advantageous as a carrier for human vaccines development