Impact of the Immunogen Nature on the Immune
Response against the Major HBV Antigens in an HBsAg
and HLA-humanized Transgenic Mouse Model
M Mancini-Bourgine, G Guillen, ML Michel, JC Aguilar
Citation Information :
Mancini-Bourgine M, Guillen G, Michel M, Aguilar J. Impact of the Immunogen Nature on the Immune Response against the Major HBV Antigens in an HBsAg and HLA-humanized Transgenic Mouse Model. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2014; 4 (1):36-44.
Hepatitis B chronic carriage remains as a major public health problem. Protein and DNA vaccines are
now widely used in therapeutic vaccine candidates. Although, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
based vaccines have been largely studied, candidates comprising both HBsAg and core (HBcAg)
either protein- or DNA-based approaches deserve further immunological characterization.
In the present study, a repeated dose administration schedule for protein or DNA immunogens was
conducted in order to characterize the resulting immune response in a humanized and HBsAg-tolerized
setting. A novel transgenic (Tg) mice that express the HBsAg, human MHC class I (HLA-A*0201)
and MHC class II (HLA-DRB1*01) molecules and devoid of endogenous murine class I and II
molecules was used as a model of HBV chronic carrier. Mice were immunized by subcutaneous
(protein) or intramuscular (DNA) routes and the humoral and cellular responses were evaluated.
Protein or DNA immunization induced humoral immune responses against both HBsAg and HBcAg.
The systematic analysis of epitopes that activate CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes confirmed the
accuracy of the model. Cellular immune responses were detected differing in their nature. CD8 T-cell
responses were induced mostly after DNA immunization while CD4 T-cell responses were predominant
in protein based immunizations. In addition, the intensity of HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ T cell responses
was reduced in Tg mice expressing HBsAg when compared to control Tg mice.
In conclusion, our results indicate that cellular immune responses necessary for the development of
protective immunity can be achieved by DNA or protein immunization. However, important differences
in their nature arise when immunogens are administered several times.
Zuckerman JN. Protective efficacy, immunotherapeutic potential and safety of hepatitis B vaccines. J Med Virol 2006;78:169- 177
Therapeutic vaccination in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers. Expert Rev Vaccines 2006;5:707-716
Therapeutic HBV Vaccine group of investigators. Therapeutic vaccination of chronic hepatitis B patients with virus suppression by antiviral therapy: a randomized, controlled study of coadministration of HBsAg/AS02 candidate vaccine and lamivudine. Vaccine 2007; 25(51):8585-8597
In vivo immunization by vaccine therapy following virus suppression by lamivudine: a novel approach for treating patients with chronic hepatitis B. J Clin Virol 2005;32(2):156-161
Role of B cells in antigen presentation of the hepatitis B core. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1997;94:14648-14653
Comparative immunogenicity of hepatitis B virus core and E antigens. J Immunol 1988;141:3617-3624
Preferential recognition of hepatitis B nucleocapsid antigens by Th1 or Th2 cells is epitope and major histocompatibility complex dependent. J Virol 1995;69:2776-2785
Antibody production to the nucleocapsid and envelope of the hepatitis B virus primed by a single synthetic T cell site. Nature 1987;329: 547-549
The position of heterologous epitopes inserted in hepatitis B virus core particles determines their immunogenicity. J Virol 1992;66:106-114. M Mancini-Bourgine et al 44 10. Aguilar JC, Lobaina Y, Muzio V, et al. Development of a nasal vaccine for chronic hepatitis B infection that uses the ability of hepatitis B core antigen to stimulate a strong Th1 response against hepatitis B surface antigen. Immunol Cell Biol 2004; 82:539-546
Coinoculation with hepatitis B surface and core antigen promotes a Th1 immune response to a multiepitopic protein of HIV-1. Immunol Cell Biol 2006;84(2):174-183
Phase I clinical trial in healthy adults of a nasal vaccine candidate containing recombinant hepatitis B surface and core antigens. Int J Infect Dis 2007;11:394-401
Therapeutic potential of a novel therapeutic vaccine containing both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) administered through mucosal and parenteral route in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology 2010;52(Suppl):438A-439A
Immunogenicity of a hepatitis B DNA vaccine administered to chronic HBV carriers. Vaccine 2006;24(21):4482-4489
Induction or expansion of T-cell responses by a hepatitis B DNA vaccine administered to chronic HBV carriers. Hepatology 2004;40(4):874-882
Identification of novel HLA-DR1-restricted epitopes from the hepatitis B virus envelope protein in mice expressing HLA-DR1 and vaccinated human subjects. Microbes Infect 2006;8(12-13):2783-2790
HBsAg/HLA-A2 transgenic mice: a model for T cell tolerance to hepatitis B surface antigen in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Int Immunol 2003;15(10):1125-1136
DNA mediated immunization to the hepatitis B surface antigen in mice: aspects of the humoral response mimic hepatitis B viral infection in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1995;92: 5307
DNA-mediated immunization in a transgenic mouse model of the hepatitis B surface antigen chronic carrier state. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996 Oct 29;93(22):12496-12501
A mouse model of human adaptive immune functions: HLA-A2.1-/HLA-DR1-transgenic H-2 class I-/class II-knockout mice. Eur J Immunol 2004 Nov; 34(11):3060-3069
CpG oligodeoxynucleotydes with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for vaccination in HBsAg-transgenic mice. J Virol 2001;75:6482
Optimum culture conditions for specific and nonspecific activation of whole blood and PBMC for intracellular cytokine assessment by flow cytometry. J Immunol Methods 2004;292: 1-15
Antiviral therapy for adults with chronic hepatitis B: a systemic review for a National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference. Ann Intern Med 2009;150:111-124
Therapeutic vaccination in the immunotolerant phase of children with chronic hepatitis B infection. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2003;22:345-349
Specific vaccine therapy in chronic hepatitis B: induction of T cell proliferative responses specific for envelope antigens. J Infect Dis 1999;180:15-26
The effect of the parenteral route of administration on the immune response to simultaneous nasal and parenteral immunizations using a new HBV therapeutic vaccine candidate. Viral Immunol 2010;23:521-529
Article in press 2011
Revealing the potential of DNA-based vaccination: lessons learned from the hepatitis B virus surface antigen. Biol Chem 200;382:543-552
Alternative processing of endogenous or exogenous antigens extends the immunogenic, H-2 class Irestricted peptide repertoire. Mol Immunol 2002 Oct;39 (3-4):249-259
Alternative pathways for processing exogenous and endogenous antigens that can generate peptides for MHC class I-restricted presentation. Immunol Rev 1999; 172:131-152
Prime-boost strategies for malaria vaccine development. J Exp Biol 2003;206:3771-3779
A heterologous DNA priming- Mycobacterium bovis BCG boosting immunization strategy using mycobacterial Hsp70, Hsp65 and Apa antigens improves protection against tuberculosis in mice. Infect Immun 2004; 72:6945-6950
DNA prime/protein boost vaccine strategy in neonatal macaques against simian human immunodeficiency virus. J Med Primatol 2002;31:40-60
Enhanced immunogenicity of gp120 protein when combined with recombinant DNA priming to generate antibodies that neutralize the JR-FL primary isolate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Virology 2005; 79:7933-7937
DNA electroporation prime and protein boost strategy enhances humoral immunity of tuberculosis DNA vaccines in mice and nonhuman primates. Vaccine 2006;24:4565-4568
The successful immune response against hepatitis C nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) requires heterologous DNA/protein immunization. Vaccine. 2010 Feb 23;28(8):1987-1996
Resolution of chronic hepatitis B and anti-HBs seroconversion in humans by adoptive transfer of immunity to hepatitis B core antigen. Gastroenterology 2002; 122:614-624
Immune modulator and antiviral potential of dendritic cells pulsed with both hepatitis B surface antigen and core antigen for treating chronic HBV infection. Antivir Ther 2010;15:887-895.