Ugen K E, Nyland S B, Boyer J D, Vidal C, Lera L, Rasheid S, Chattergoon M, Bagarazzi M L, Ciccarelli R, Higgins T, Baine Y, Ginsberg R, Macgregor R R, Weiner D B
University of South Florida College of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Tampa 33612, USA.
Vaccine. 1998 Nov;16(19):1818-21. doi: 10.1016/s0264-410x(98)00180-7.
Humoral and cellular immune responses have been produced by intramuscular vaccination with DNA plasmids expressing HIV-1 genes, suggesting possible immunotherapeutic and prophylactic value for these constructs. Vaccination with these constructs has decreased HIV-1 viral load in HIV-1-infected chimpanzees. In addition, naive (i.e. non-HIV-1-infected) chimpanzees were protected against a heterologous challenge with HIV-1. Ongoing phase I clinical trials show that therapeutic vaccinations indeed boost anti-HIV-1 immune responses in humans. A therapeutic phase I trial on humans with these constructs induced a good safety profile and also demonstrated an immunological potentiation. These findings indicate that further studies with these constructs in humans are warranted.
