Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are artificially derived from somatic cells that have been transduced with defined reprogramming factors. A previous report has indicated the possibility of using iPSCs as an immune stimulator to generate antigen-specific immunity. In our current study, we have investigated whether human iPSCs (hiPSCs) have the ability to enhance specific immune response against a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antigen in a xenogenic mouse model. Our results show that BALB/c mice immunized with hiPSCs transduced with an adenoviral vector encoding HIV-1 gp160 exhibited prominent antigen-specific cellular immune responses. We further found that pre-treatment of hiPSCs with ionizing radiation promotes the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), IL-12, and IL-18. These cytokines might promote the activation of antigen-presenting cells and the effective induction of cellular immunity. Our present findings thus demonstrate that a hiPSCs-based vaccine has the potential to generate cellular immunity against viral antigens such as HIV-1 gp160 in a xenogenic condition.

Highlights

  • The latest estimate indicates that 33.4 million people are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS in 2009, and there are some 2.7 million new infections each year

  • RT-PCR analysis revealed that the Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) markers Oct4, Nanog, and hTERT were strongly expressed in the cells before and after the transduction of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) gp160, but this was not the case in MRC5 fibroblasts (Figure 1C)

  • Immunization with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) and the immune responses generated We investigated whether hiPSCs could induce cellular immune response against the viral antigen in a mouse model

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The latest estimate indicates that 33.4 million people are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS in 2009, and there are some 2.7 million new infections each year. The development of a safe and effective HIV/AIDS vaccine is required urgently to halt this epidemic. Current approaches in the development of HIV/AIDS vaccines have focused not on preventing infection itself, but on eliciting potent antiviral-specific CD8+ T cell [cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)] responses to limit viral replication (Yamamoto and Matano, 2008). This is in part because such an immune response contributes to non-progression of AIDS in people infected with HIV type 1 (HIV-1). It is desirable to develop a new vaccine vector system for generating effective CTL response against HIV-1

Methods
Results
Conclusion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.