AEGiS-11IAC: The development of virus-like-particles (VLPs) as candidate vaccines based on the prevalent strains in HIV epidemic area of Southwest China.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

The development of virus-like-particles (VLPs) as candidate vaccines based on the prevalent strains in HIV epidemic area of Southwest China.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:441 (abstract no. Pub.A.1024)
Shao Y, Guan Y, Zhao Q, Zeng Y, Chang J, Wagner R, Wolf H; Institute of Virology, Chineses Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, China. Fax: 3532053. E-mail: yshao@net.tsinghua.edu.cn.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a candidate vaccines of VLPs based on the prevalent HIV strains in a epidemic area bordering Myanmar in the Southwest China.

METHODS: HIV-1 env and gag genes from local HIV-1 infected injecting drug users (IDU) were amplified and sequenced. The prevalent HIV strains of this region were selected and cloned. VLPs with V3 and gp120 of the local strains were constructed based on a recombinant HIV-1 Pr55 and tested in animals for imunogenecity.

RESULTS: Two subtypes of HIV-1, B and C, were found in samples of more than 100 IDU in this region. The subtype B strains existed at beginning of the epidemic in 1989. The subtype C strains were detected after 1993. Three clones, two B and one C subtypes, all with only one or two amino acid difference to their group consensus sequences in env C2 to V3 region, were selected. Firstly, recombinant baculoviruse expressing the gp 120 of the strains were constructed. Then, their V3 epitopes were inserted into Pr55gag-deletion constructs. The Gag-V3 chimeric VLPs and Gag- gp120 VLPs (by co-infection with recombinant baculoviruse expressing Pr55gag and gp120). were obtained from virus infected insect cells. The recombinant proteins reacted most strongly to sera of the HIV-infected IDU in their corresponding groups. In animal, these VLPs were shown to induce HIV specific neutralizing antibodies.Discussions: The prevalent HIV strains in a epidemic region of China were identified by follow-up sequencing of the HIV-infected IDU in this region. The HIV-gag based VLPs candidate vaccines were constructed aiming at the local prevalent HIV strains to induce complex CTL responses and neutralizing antibodies. The strong humoral responses including neutralizing antibodies can be induced by these immunogens. As reported earlier, HIV specific CD8+ CTL response were induced in mice and Rhesus macaques by VLPs constructed with lab HIV strains. Similar testing with the VLPs constructed with the Chinese HIV strains is pending.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV-1, AIDS Vaccines, Genes, gag, Vaccines, Epitopes, Vaccines, Synthetic, China, Myanmar, Animal, Mice, growth & development, genetics, ICA11

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