Immunological Evaluation of HIV-1 Nef-MPER-V3 Harboring IMT-P8 Penetrating Peptide in BALB/c Mice

Immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is a global health problem and it has affected more than 75 million individuals since the epidemic started. Various approaches have been investigated to some up with a preventive or therapeutic formulation against this virus. However, none of them has been achieved. The aim of the study was the immunological evaluation of HIV-1 Nef-MPER-V3 Harboring IMT-P8 penetrating peptide in BALB/c mice to induce effective immune responses.

In current study, to evaluate of the antigen immunogenicity of IMT-P8-Nef-MPER-V3, 11 different groups of female BALB/c mice were immunized with three doses of the antigen with or without Hsp27 and Hp91 adjuvants formulation. The immune responses were assessed using IgG ELISA assay and its isotype determination. IL-10 and IFN-γ were also evaluated by sandwich ELISA.

The data showed that the recombinant protein developed different levels of humoral and cellular responses. IMTP8-Nef-MPER-V3+Hp91 groups reached highest IgG2a, and elicited strong IFN-γ production towards a Th1 response compared to the other groups. Cytokine assay indicated that the immunized mice with the antigen formulation containing IMT-P8 CPP applied with Hp91 has a high potency in immune induction.

These results demonstrated that application of IMTP8-Nef-MPER-V3 combining the adjuvant-formulated (Hp91) provides strong responses which must be considered as an effective formulation towards a potential HIV vaccine candidate.