Background
Durability of vaccine-elicited immune responses is one of the key determinants for vaccine success. Our
Conclusions
First generation HIVconsv vaccine induced human T cells, which were plurifunctional and persisted for at least 2 years.
Methods
Vaccine recipients in trial HIV-CORE 002 were invited to provide a blood sample at 1 and 2 years after vaccination. Their PBMCs were tested in IFN-γ ELISPOT, 25-analyte Luminex, CFSE proliferation and intracellular cytokine staining assays, the last enhanced by HLA-peptide dextramer analysis.
Results
12/12 (1 year) and 8/8 (2 years) returning subjects had median (range) of 990 (150-2495) and 763 (70-1745) IFN-γ SFU/106 PBMC specific for HIVconsv, respectively, and recognized 5 (1-6) out of 6 peptide pools at 2 years. Over one-half of the HIVconsv-specific cells expressed at least 3 functions IFN-γ, TNF-α and CD107a, and were capable of proliferation. Among dextramer-reactive cells, naïve, transitional, effector and terminally differentiated memory subsets were similarly represented. Conclusions: First generation HIVconsv vaccine induced human T cells, which were plurifunctional and persisted for at least 2 years.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01151319.