6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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Novel muramyl tripeptide (MTP-PE) adjuvant formulations for enhancement of immunity to recombinant HIV-1 gp120 envelope antigens.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:326 (abstract no. 1050)
Van Nest G, Barchfeld G, Haigwood N, Ott G, Wentworth P, Steimer K; Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, California, USA

OBJECTIVE: To develop adjuvant formulations suitable for human vaccine use that surpass alum in their ability to enhance immunity to HIV-1 subunit immunogens.

METHODS: A series of adjuvant formulations consisting of MTP-PE in metabolizable oil emulsions have been compared to conventional adjuvants such as alum and Freund's. Experimental animals were immunized with recombinant HIV-1 gp120 antigens (both non-glycosylated denatured and fully glycosylated native versions) in the various formulations, their sera were tested for ELISA-reactive and virus neutralizing antibodies and their helper T cell responses were assessed by lymphoproliferative assays.

RESULTS: Most of these novel adjuvant formulations were effective in guinea pigs, mice and rabbits. However, the properties of the emulsion dramatically influenced the efficacy of these formulations in larger animals such as goats and baboons. One new formulation was as effective as Freund's incomplete adjuvant and was also at least 10-fold more effective than alum in enhancing antibody responses, neutralizing antibody titers and lymphoproliferative responses to recombinant gp120 antigens in large animals.

CONCLUSIONS: Improved adjuvants with the potential of enhancing immune responses to recombinant HIV-1 gp120 antigens in humans have been developed. Further immunogenicity studies and extensive safety trials with these formulations are in progress.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine, HIV Antigens, Adjuvants, Immunologic, Phosphatidylethanolamines, HIV-1, Freund's Adjuvant, Antigens, Antibody Formation, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine, muramyl tripeptide, incomplete Freund's adjuvant, aluminum sulfate, Animal, Human, Mice, Rabbits, immunology, ICA6

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1050

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.