In vivo delivery of a multiepitope peptide and Nef protein using novel cell-penetrating peptides for development of HIV-1 vaccine candidate.
Biotechnol Lett
; 43(3): 547-559, 2021 Mar.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33386500
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
A potent HIV vaccine should overcome some limitations such as polymorphism of human HLA, the diversity of HIV-1 virus, and the lack of an effective delivery system. In this study, a DNA construct encoding Nef60-84, Nef126-144, Vpr34-47, Vpr60-75, Gp16030-53, Gp160308-323, and P248-151 epitopes was designed using bioinformatics tools. The pcDNA3.1-nef-vpr-gp160-p24 and pcDNA3.1-nef constructs were prepared in large scale as endotoxin-free form. Moreover, the recombinant Nef-Vpr-Gp160-p24 polypeptide and Nef protein were generated inE. coli. These constructs were delivered using cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) in vivo, and immune responses were assessed for different modalities in BALB/c mice.RESULTS:
The recombinant DNA constructs were confirmed as the ~ 867 bp and ~ 648 bp bands related tonef-vpr-gp160-p24 andnef genes on agarose gel. Moreover, the purified Nef-Vpr-Gp160-p24 polypeptide and Nef protein showed the ~ 32 kDa and ~ 30 kDa bands on SDS-PAGE, respectively. The results of immune responses indicated that the heterologous prime/boost regimens using both Nef-Vpr-Gp160-P24 and Nef antigens induced significantly the secretion of IgG2a, IgG2b, IFN-γ and Granzyme B compared to other groups. The levels of Granzyme B in mice immunized with Nef antigen were higher than those immunized with Nef-Vpr-Gp160-P24 antigen. The CPPs showed the same potency with Montanide adjuvant for eliciting immune responses.CONCLUSIONS:
The heterologous prime/boost regimens for both antigens could significantly direct immune responses toward Th1 and CTL activity compared to other regimens. Comparing the efficiency of Nef-Vpr-Gp160-P24 and Nef constructs, the Nef-Vpr-Gp160-P24 constructs delivered by CPPs showed promising results as an HIV vaccine candidate.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Drug Delivery Systems
/
AIDS Vaccines
/
Nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
/
Cell-Penetrating Peptides
/
Epitopes
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Biotechnol Lett
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Publication country:
HOLANDA
/
HOLLAND
/
NETHERLANDS
/
NL
/
PAISES BAJOS
/
THE NETHERLANDS