Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid is the most effective TLR adjuvant for SIV Gag protein-induced T cell responses in nonhuman primates

J Immunol. 2013 Apr 15;190(8):4103-15. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1202958. Epub 2013 Mar 15.

Abstract

Prime-boost immunization with heterologous vaccines elicits potent cellular immunity. In this study, we assessed the influence of various TLR ligands on SIV Gag-specific T cell immunity and protection following prime-boost immunization. Rhesus macaques (RMs) were primed with SIV Gag protein emulsified in Montanide ISA51 with or without TLR3 (polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly-IC]), TLR4 (monophosphoryl lipid A), TLR7/8 (3M-012), TLR9 (CpG), or TLR3 (poly-IC) combined with TLR7/8 ligands, then boosted with replication defective adenovirus 5 expressing SIV Gag (rAd5-Gag). After priming, RMs that received SIV Gag protein plus poly-IC developed significantly higher frequencies of SIV Gag-specific CD4(+) Th1 responses in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid lymphocytes compared with all other adjuvants, and low-level SIV Gag-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. After the rAd5-Gag boost, the magnitude and breadth of SIV Gag-specific CD8(+) T cell responses were significantly increased in RM primed with SIV Gag protein plus poly-IC, with or without the TLR7/8 ligand, or CpG. However, the anamnestic, SIV Gag-specific CD8(+) T cell response to SIVmac251 challenge was not significantly enhanced by SIV Gag protein priming with any of the adjuvants. In contrast, the anamnestic SIV Gag-specific CD4(+) T cell response in BAL was enhanced by SIV Gag protein priming with poly-IC or CpG, which correlated with partial control of early viral replication after SIVmac251 challenge. These results demonstrate that prime-boost vaccination with SIV Gag protein/poly-IC improves magnitude, breadth, and durability of CD4(+) T cell immune responses, which could have a role in the control of SIV viral replication.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage*
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / metabolism
  • Gene Products, gag / administration & dosage*
  • Gene Products, gag / immunology
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Mannitol / administration & dosage
  • Mannitol / analogs & derivatives
  • Mannitol / therapeutic use
  • Oleic Acids / administration & dosage
  • Oleic Acids / therapeutic use
  • Poly I-C / administration & dosage*
  • Poly I-C / therapeutic use
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / physiology*
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / virology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Gene Products, gag
  • Oleic Acids
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • montanide ISA 51
  • Mannitol
  • Poly I-C