Newborn Mice Vaccination with BCG.HIVA222 + MVA.HIVA Enhances HIV-1-Specific Immune Responses : Influence of Age and Immunization Routes

Abstract EN

We have evaluated the influence of age and immunization routes for induction of HIV-1- and M.

tuberculosis-specific immune responses after neonatal (7 days old) and adult (7 weeks old) BALB/c mice immunization with BCG.HIVA222 prime and MVA.HIVA boost.

The specific HIV-1 cellular immune responses were analyzed in spleen cells.

The body weight of the newborn mice was weekly recorded.

The frequencies of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells producing IFN-γ were higher in adult mice vaccinated intradermally and lower in adult and newborn mice vaccinated subcutaneously.

In all cases the IFN-γ production was significantly higher when mice were primed with BCG.HIVA222 compared with BCGwt.

When the HIV-specific CTL activity was assessed, the frequencies of specific killing were higher in newborn mice than in adults.

The prime-boost vaccination regimen which includes BCG.HIVA222 and MVA.HIVA was safe when inoculated to newborn mice.

The administration of BCG.HIVA222 to newborn mice is safe and immunogenic and increased the HIV-specific responses induced by MVA.HIVA vaccine.

It might be a good model for infant HIV and Tuberculosis bivalent vaccine.