P03-05. CD4 targeted vaccination in retroviral infection

Targeted retroviral infection of tumor cells by receptor cooperation.

Retroviruses expressing two different receptor-binding domains linked by proline-rich spacers infect only cells expressing both retroviral receptors (Valsesia-Wittman et al., EMBO J. 6:1214-1223, 1997). Here we apply this receptor cooperation strategy to target human tumor cells by linking single-chain antibodies recognizing tumor antigens via proline-rich spacers to the 4070A murine leukemia v...

Reducing Anthrax Infection in Man through Animal Vaccination in Iran

B cells and TCR avidity determine distinct functions of CD4+ T cells in retroviral infection.

The T cell-dependent B cell response relies on cognate interaction between B cells and CD4(+) Th cells. However, the consequences of this interaction for CD4(+) T cells are not entirely known. B cells generally promote CD4(+) T cell responses to pathogens, albeit to a variable degree. In contrast, CD4(+) T cell responses to self- or tumor Ags are often suppressed by B cells. In this study, we d...

Immunosuppression by CD4+ regulatory T cells induced by chronic retroviral infection.

Normal levels of CD4(+) regulatory T cells are critical for the maintenance of immunological homeostasis and the prevention of autoimmune diseases. However, we now show that the expansion of CD4(+) regulatory T cells in response to a chronic viral infection can lead to immunosuppression. Mice persistently infected with Friend retrovirus develop approximately twice the normal percentage of splen...

Interleukin-Encoding Adenoviral Vectors as Genetic Adjuvant for Vaccination against Retroviral Infection

Interleukins (IL) are cytokines with stimulatory and modulatory functions in the immune system. In this study, we have chosen interleukins which are involved in the enhancement of TH2 responses and B cell functions to analyze their potential to improve a prophylactic adenovirus-based anti-retroviral vaccine with regard to antibody and virus-specific CD4(+) T cell responses. Mice were vaccinated...