J Immunol. 2015 Nov 15; 195(10):4861-72.

PubMed ID: 26466954

Enhancing the quality of antibodies to HIV-1 envelope by GagPol-specific Th cells

Storcksdieck genannt Bonsmann M, Niezold T, Temchura V, Pissani F, Ehrhardt K, Brown EP, Osei-Owusu NY, Hannaman D, Hengel H, Ackerman ME, Streeck H, Nabi G, Tenbusch M, Uberla K

The importance of Fc-dependent effector functions of Abs induced by vaccination is increasingly recognized. However, vaccination of mice against HIV envelope (Env) induced a skewed Th cell response leading to Env-specific Abs with reduced effector function. To overcome this bias, GagPol-specific Th cells were harnessed to provide intrastructural help for Env-specific B cells after immunization with virus-like particles containing GagPol and Env. This led to a balanced Env-specific humoral immune response with a more inflammatory Fc glycan profile. The increased quality in the Ab response against Env was confirmed by FcγR activation assays. Because the Env-specific Th cell response was also biased in human vaccinees, intrastructural help is an attractive novel approach to increase the efficacy of prophylactic HIV Env-based vaccines and may also be applicable to other particulate vaccines.