Incorporation of a GPI-anchored engineered cytokine as a molecular adjuvant enhances the immunogenicity of HIV VLPs

Sci Rep. 2015 Jul 7:5:11856. doi: 10.1038/srep11856.

Abstract

HIV vaccines should elicit immune responses at both the mucosal portals of entry to block transmission and systemic compartments to clear disseminated viruses. Co-delivery of mucosal adjuvants has been shown to be essential to induce effective mucosal immunity by non-replicating vaccines. A novel cytokine, GIFT4, engineered by fusing GM-CSF and interleukin-4, was previously found to simulate B cell proliferation and effector function. Herein a membrane-anchored form of GIFT4 was constructed by fusing a glycolipid (GPI)-anchoring sequence and incorporated into Env-enriched HIV virus-like particles (VLPs) as a molecular adjuvant. Guinea pigs were immunized with the resulting HIV VLPs through an intramuscular priming-intranasal boosting immunization route. The GIFT4-containing VLPs induced higher levels of systemic antibody responses with significantly increased binding avidity and improved neutralizing breadth and potency to a panel of selected strains, as well as higher levels of IgG and IgA at several mucosal sites. Thus, the novel GPI-GIFT4-containging VLPs have the potential to be developed into a prophylactic HIV vaccine. Incorporation of GPI-anchored GIFT4 into VLPs as a molecular adjuvant represents a novel approach to increase their immunogenicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / metabolism
  • Antibody Affinity / immunology
  • Female
  • Glycolipids / chemistry*
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism*
  • Guinea Pigs
  • HIV / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Mucosal
  • Immunoglobulin A / blood
  • Immunoglobulin A / metabolism
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism*
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / genetics
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / immunology*
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / metabolism

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Glycolipids
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle
  • Interleukin-4
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor