Macromolecular assemblage in the design of a synthetic AIDS vaccine

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 May 1;89(9):3879-83. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.9.3879.

Abstract

We describe a peptide vaccine model based on the mimicry of surface coat protein of a pathogen. This model used a macromolecular assemblage approach to amplify peptide antigens in liposomes or micelles. The key components of the model consisted of an oligomeric lysine scaffolding to amplify peptide antigens covalently 4-fold and a lipophilic membrane-anchoring group to further amplify noncovalently the antigens many-fold in liposomal or micellar form. A peptide antigen derived from the third variable domain of glycoprotein gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), consisting of neutralizing, T-helper, and T-cytotoxic epitopes, was used in a macromolecular assemblage model (HIV-1 linear peptide amino acid sequence 308-331 in a tetravalent multiple antigen peptide system linked to tripalmitoyl-S-glycerylcysteine). The latter complex, in liposome or micelle, was used to immunize mice and guinea pigs without any adjuvant and found to induce gp120-specific antibodies that neutralize virus infectivity in vitro, elicit cytokine production, and prime CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vivo. Our results show that the macromolecular assemblage approach bears immunological mimicry of the gp120 of HIV virus and may lead to useful vaccines against HIV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Vaccines / immunology*
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / prevention & control*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • HIV Antibodies / immunology*
  • HIV Antigens / immunology
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neutralization Tests
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / chemistry

Substances

  • AIDS Vaccines
  • HIV Antibodies
  • HIV Antigens
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • Interleukin-2
  • Vaccines, Synthetic