A clade C HIV-1 vaccine protects against heterologous SHIV infection by modulating IgG glycosylation and T helper response in macaques

Sci Immunol. 2022 Jul 22;7(73):eabl4102. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abl4102. Epub 2022 Jul 22.

Abstract

The rising global HIV-1 burden urgently requires vaccines capable of providing heterologous protection. Here, we developed a clade C HIV-1 vaccine consisting of priming with modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) and boosting with cyclically permuted trimeric gp120 (CycP-gp120) protein, delivered either orally using a needle-free injector or through parenteral injection. We tested protective efficacy of the vaccine against intrarectal challenges with a pathogenic heterologous clade C SHIV infection in rhesus macaques. Both routes of vaccination induced a strong envelope-specific IgG in serum and rectal secretions directed against V1V2 scaffolds from a global panel of viruses with polyfunctional activities. Envelope-specific IgG showed lower fucosylation compared with total IgG at baseline, and most of the vaccine-induced proliferating blood CD4+ T cells did not express CCR5 and α4β7, markers associated with HIV target cells. After SHIV challenge, both routes of vaccination conferred significant and equivalent protection, with 40% of animals remaining uninfected at the end of six weekly repeated challenges with an estimated efficacy of 68% per exposure. Induction of envelope-specific IgG correlated positively with G1FB glycosylation, and G2S2F glycosylation correlated negatively with protection. Vaccine-induced TNF-α+ IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells and TNF-α+ CD4+ T cells expressing low levels of CCR5 in the rectum at prechallenge were associated with decreased risk of SHIV acquisition. These results demonstrate that the clade C MVA/CycP-gp120 vaccine provides heterologous protection against a tier2 SHIV rectal challenge by inducing a polyfunctional antibody response with distinct Fc glycosylation profile, as well as cytotoxic CD8 T cell response and CCR5-negative T helper response in the rectum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Vaccines*
  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • Glycosylation
  • HIV-1*
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Vaccinia virus

Substances

  • AIDS Vaccines
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha