Transient global T cell activation after vaccination of rhesus macaques with a DNA-poxvirus vaccine regimen for HIV. Issue 30 (9th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Soares, Andreia; Müller, Tracey L.; Chege, Gerald K.; Williamson, Anna-Lise; Burgers, Wendy A.
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 33:Issue 30(2015)
• Page Start: 3435
• Page End: 3439
• Publication Date: 2015-07-09
• Subjects: T cell activation -- HIV vaccine -- DNA–MVA -- Poxvirus -- HIV risk; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.05.072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Abstract: Persistent T cell activation following immunization with HIV vaccines may increase HIV acquisition risk. We investigated the magnitude and kinetics of T cell activation following vaccination of rhesus macaques with a candidate HIV vaccine consisting of a recombinant DNA and MVA vaccination regimen. We show that global CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation, as measured by the expression of Ki67 and Bcl-2, peaked one week after boosting with MVA, but then waned rapidly to pre-vaccination levels. Furthermore, increased frequencies of CD4+ CCR5+ T cells, which represent potential HIV target cells, were short-lived and decreased to baseline levels within two months. Activated CD4+ T cells were predominantly of a central memory phenotype, and activated CD8+ T cells were distributed between central and effector memory phenotypes. Thus, only transient changes in T cell activation occurred following poxvirus vaccination, indicating a lack of persistent immune activation.