ABSTRACT
A synthetic cycloimmunogen targeting the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5 was evaluated for its capacity to induce CCR5-specific Abs with anti-HIV-1 activity in cynomolgus macaques. The cyclic closed-chain dodecapeptide (cDDR5) mimicking the conformation-specific domain of human CCR5 was chemically prepared, in which the Gly-Glu dipeptide links the amino and carboxy termini of the decapeptidyl linear chain (Arg168 to Thr177) derived from the undecapeptidyl arch (Arg168 to Cys178) of extracellular loop-2 in CCR5. The immunization of cynomolgus macaques with the cDDR5-conjugated multiple-Ag peptide (cDDR5-MAP) induced anti-cDDR5 serum production for approximately 15 wk after the third immunization. The antisera raised against cDDR5-MAP reacted with both human and macaque CCR5s, and potently suppressed infection by the R5 HIV-1 laboratory isolate (HIV JRFL), R5 HIV-1 primary isolates (clade A:HIV 93RW004 and clade C:HIV MJ4), and a pathogenic simian/HIV (SHIV SF162P3) bulk isolate in vitro. To examine the prophylactic efficacy of anti-CCR5 serum Ab for acute HIV-1 infection, cynomolgus macaques were challenged with SHIV SF162P3. The cDDR5-MAP immunization attenuated the acute phase of SHIV SF162P3 replication. The geometric mean plasma viral load in the vaccinated macaques was 217.10 times lower than that of the control macaques at 1 wk postchallenge. Taken together, these results suggest that cDDR5-MAP immunization is an effective prophylactic vaccine strategy that suppresses and delays viral propagation during the initial HIV-1 transmission for the containment of HIV-1 replication subsequent to infection.
Subject(s)
AIDS Vaccines/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Receptors, CCR5/immunology , Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/immunology , Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology , Animals , Autoantibodies/immunology , Autoantibodies/pharmacology , HIV Antigens/chemistry , HIV Antigens/immunology , HIV-1/drug effects , Humans , Macaca fascicularis , Peptides, Cyclic/chemistry , Peptides, Cyclic/immunology , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Receptors, CCR5/chemistry , Simian Immunodeficiency Virus/drug effects , Viral LoadABSTRACT
A cyclic chimeric dodecapeptide (cCD) mimicking the conformation-specific domains of CCR5 and CXCR4 was prepared in which Gly-Asp links the amino and carboxyl termini of two combined pentapeptides (S169-G173 of CCR5; E179-R183 of CXCR4) derived from human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) coreceptors. The immunization of Balb/c mice with cCD conjugated with a multiple-antigen peptide (cCD-MAP) induced seven cCD-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs, CPMAb-I to -VII) that reacted with native CCR5 and CXCR4. Among the tested mAbs, CPMAb-I and -II potently inhibited the infection of both the R5 and X4 laboratory strains. CPMAb-III and -VI were effective against only R5 laboratory strains, and also against some X4 and R5 primary isolates. CPMAb-IV and -V had potent antiviral activities against the R5 and X4 primary isolates. In particular, CPMAb-VII was protective against not only R5 and X4 laboratory strains, but also most of the R5 and X4 primary isolates. Moreover, cCD-MAP immunization also induced antibodies that were effective against R5 and X4 multiclade HIV-1 isolates in vitro in two of three cynomolgus monkeys. Taken together, the results suggest that cCD-MAP is a candidate multiclade immunogen that can be used to block multiclade R5 and X4 HIV-1 infections.
