This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. During this period, we evaluated the vaccinia-specific cellular immunity elicited by the DNA/MVA HIV vaccine and compare with vaccinia-specific immunity elicited by the current smallpox vaccine DryVax?. Macaques were primed with 0.6 mg of DNA/HIV on week 0 and boosted with 1x108 pfu of MVA/HIV 48 on weeks 8 and 32. Ten more macaques were primed with DryVax? using standard human dose by scarification. Vaccinia-specific T cells were measured at 1 and 8 weeks following each immunization. Following the second MVA boost, both CD4 and CD8 responses underwent a rapid expansion. At this time, the magnitude of vaccinia-specific CD4 cells ranged from 0.02% to 0.14% of total CD4 cells and the magnitude of vaccinia-specific CD8 cells ranged from 0.06% to 2.1% of total CD8 cells. By 8 weeks post the second MVA boost, the CD4 responses were generally stable and the CD8 responses contracted 5 fold. These responses were maintained at this level even at two years post the second MVA boost. A single dose inoculation of DryVax? elicited a robust CD4 and CD8 response. At peak vaccine response, the vaccinia-specific CD4 response raised by DryVax? vaccine ranged from 0.09% to 1.23% with a geometric mean frequency of 0.44% of total CD4 cells. The vaccinia-specific CD8 response raised by the DNA/MVA vaccine was about 5 fold lower than the vaccinia-specific CD8 response raised by DryVax?. Our results demonstrate that the DNA/MVA-HIV vaccines elicit cellular immunity that is comparable to that of elicited by the DryVax? vaccinations in macaques and strongly suggest that this HIV vaccine may also serve as a vaccine for smallpox.
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