Subcutaneous administration CpG-ODNs acts as a potent adjuvant for an HIV-1-tat-based vaccine candidate to elicit cellular immunity in BALB/c mice

Biotechnol Lett. 2018 Mar;40(3):527-533. doi: 10.1007/s10529-017-2497-9. Epub 2018 Jan 8.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the combined effects of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) adjuvant and subcutaneous injection route on efficacy of a HIV-1-tat DNA vaccine candidate using BALB/c mice as an animal model.

Results: Evaluation of cellular and humoral immunity of mice injected subcutaneously with HIV-1-tat gene cloned into a pcDNA3.1 vector indicated that significant levels of IFN-γ cytokine secretion (900 pg/ml), lymphocyte proliferation (2.5 stimulation index) and IgG2a (1.45 absorbance 450 nm) production could be achieved. These indicators of stimulated cellular immunity were elicited 2 weeks after the last injection (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Formulation of HIV-1-tat DNA vaccine candidate with CpG-ODNs as an adjuvant while administrated subcutaneously are a promising approach to induce effective cellular immunity responses against HIV-1 infection.

Keywords: CpG-ODNs; DNA vaccine; HIV vaccine; HIV-1; Subcutaneous injection; Tat.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • AIDS Vaccines / genetics
  • AIDS Vaccines / immunology*
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • HIV-1
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Interferon-gamma / analysis
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / administration & dosage
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / immunology*
  • Vaccines, DNA / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, DNA / immunology*

Substances

  • AIDS Vaccines
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • CPG-oligonucleotide
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Vaccines, DNA
  • human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat vaccine
  • Interferon-gamma