Induction of HIV-1-specific T-helper responses and type 1 cytokine secretion following therapeutic vaccination of macaques with a recombinant fowlpoxvirus co-expressing interferon-gamma

Abstract

Preventive and/or therapeutic vaccines against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) are urgently required. Induction of cellular immunity is favoured since these responses correlate with control of HIV-1. Recombinant fowlpoxvirus (FPV) vaccines encoding both HIV-1 gag/pol and interferon-gamma (FPV gag/pol-IFNγ) were hypothesised to enhance HIV-specific cellular immunity and were further evaluated in macaques previously infected with HIV-1. A novel assay to detect IFNγ secretion following HIV antigen stimulation of whole blood was developed to further assess the safety and immunogenicity of the FPV gag/pol-IFNγ vaccine. Immunisation with FPV gag/pol-IFNγ safely enhanced HIV-specific IFNγ secr..