Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Nagai Y

Moriya C, Igarashi H, Takeda A, Tsukamoto T, Kawada M, Yamamoto H, Inoue M, Iida A, Shu T, Hasegawa M, Nagai Y, Matano T. · International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan. · Microbes Infect. · Pubmed #18316225 No free full text.

Abstract: A current promising AIDS vaccine strategy is to elicit CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses that broadly recognize highly-diversified HIVs. In our previous vaccine trial eliciting simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) mac239 Gag-specific CTL responses, a group of Burmese rhesus macaques possessing a major histocompatibility complex haplotype 90-120-Ia have shown vaccine-based viral control against a homologous SIVmac239 challenge. Vaccine-induced Gag(206-216) epitope-specific CTL responses exerted strong selective pressure on the virus in this control. Here, we have evaluated in vivo efficacy of vaccine-induced Gag(206-216)-specific CTL responses in two 90-120-Ia-positive macaques against challenge with a heterologous SIVsmE543-3 that has the same Gag(206-216) epitope sequence with SIVmac239. Despite efficient Gag(206-216)-specific CTL induction by vaccination, both vaccinees failed to control SIVsmE543-3 replication and neither of them showed mutations within the Gag(206-216) epitope. Further analysis indicated that Gag(206-216)-specific CTLs failed to show responses against SIVsmE543-3 infection due to a change from aspartate to glutamate at Gag residue 205 immediately preceding the amino terminus of Gag(206-216) epitope. Our results suggest that even vaccine-induced CTL efficacy can be abrogated by a single amino acid change in viral epitope flanking region, underlining the influence of viral epitope flanking sequences on CTL-based AIDS vaccine efficacy.

Liu H, Nakayama EE, Theodorou I, Nagai Y, Likanonsakul S, Wasi C, Debre P, Iwamoto A, Shioda T. · Department of Viral Infections, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. · Int J Immunogenet. · Pubmed #17845302 No free full text.

Abstract: Mutations in the human CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene may alter the expression or function of the protein product, thereby altering chemokine binding/signalling or human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the cells that normally express CCR5 protein. We performed a systematic survey of natural sequence variations in an 8.1-kb region of the entire CCR5 gene as well as CCR2V64I in 50 Japanese subjects and evaluated the effects of those variations on CCR5 promoter activity. We also analysed CCR5 promoters and CCR2V64I in 80 more Japanese and 186 Thais. There was no 32-bp deletion observed in Caucasians, but two types of non-synonymous substitutions were found in CCR5 genes of Japanese. Our results showed several novel characteristics of the CCR2-CCR5 haplotype structure that were not reported from studies on Caucasians and African-Americans. Specifically, we were able to show that the G allele at position -2852 from the CCR5 open reading frame in Japanese and Thais is the representative of the CCR5 promoter haplotype that was reported to be associated with rapid progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in HIV-1-infected individuals. Furthermore, nearly all non-synonymous polymorphisms in Japanese CCR5 occurred in haplotypes with elevated promoter activity. We thus hypothesized that there was a certain selective pressure favouring low levels of CCR5 expression during human evolution.

Tanaka-Takahashi Y, Yasunami M, Naruse T, Hinohara K, Matano T, Mori K, Miyazawa M, Honda M, Yasutomi Y, Nagai Y, Kimura A. · Department of Molecular Pathogenesis, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. · Electrophoresis. · Pubmed #17309048 No free full text.

Abstract: The rhesus macaque exhibits individual differences in susceptibility and resistance to infectious agents such as simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) under experimental conditions, and these may be genetically determined at least in part by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I polymorphism. Although the importance of defining MHC class I polymorphism is well recognized, development of a generic and comprehensive molecular typing method of MHC class I alleles of the rhesus macaque has been hampered because, during the evolution of this species, multiple copies of similar DNA sequences have been generated by duplication events including the coding sequences of Mamu-A and Mamu-B loci. We report here a newly developed reference strand-mediated conformation analysis (RSCA)-based typing method of multiple Mamu-A and Mamu-B cDNAs that allowed us to estimate the number of expressed alleles. This technique detected 1-7 Mamu-A signals and 2-12 Mamu-B signals in a single sample, indicating that the number of functional alleles may vary. By comparing the data from the parents with those from the descendants in the breeding colony, several MHC class I haplotypes consisting of variable numbers of functional Mamu-A and Mamu-B alleles could be assigned.

Kato M, Igarashi H, Takeda A, Sasaki Y, Nakamura H, Kano M, Sata T, Iida A, Hasegawa M, Horie S, Higashihara E, Nagai Y, Matano T. · Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. · Vaccine. · Pubmed #15837216 No free full text.

Abstract: Recent prophylactic vaccine trials inducing virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses have shown control of primary infections of a pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) in macaques. In the chronic phase, therapeutic immunization replenishing virus-specific CD8+ T-cells is likely to contribute to sustained control of virus replication. In this study, we have administered a recombinant Sendai virus (SeV) vector into five rhesus macaques that had received prophylactic vaccinations and had controlled SHIV replication for more than 1 year after challenge. Our results indicate that virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses can be expanded and broadened by therapeutic immunization with SeV vectors in the chronic phase after prophylactic vaccine-based control of primary immunodeficiency virus infections.

Lun WH, Takeda A, Nakamura H, Kano M, Mori K, Sata T, Nagai Y, Matano T. · AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. · J Gen Virol. · Pubmed #15218180 links to  free full text

Abstract: Virus-specific cellular immune responses play an important role in the control of immunodeficiency virus replication. However, preclinical trials of vaccines that induce virus-specific cellular immune responses have failed to contain simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication in macaques. A defective provirus DNA vaccine system that efficiently induces virus-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses has previously been developed. The vaccinated macaques showed reduced viral loads, but failed to contain SIVmac239 replication. In this study, macaques that showed partial control of SIV replication were followed up to see if or how they lost this control in the chronic phase. Two of them showed increased viral loads about 4 or 8 months after challenge and finally developed AIDS. Analysis of SIV-specific T-cell levels by detection of SIV-specific gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production revealed that these two macaques maintained SIV-specific CD8(+) T cells, even after loss of control, but lost SIV-specific CD4(+) T cells when plasma viral loads increased. The remaining macaque kept viral loads at low levels and maintained SIV-specific CD4(+) T cells, as well as CD8(+) T cells, for more than 3 years. Additional analysis using macaques vaccinated with a Gag-expressing Sendai virus vector also found loss of viraemia control, with loss of SIV-specific CD4(+) T cells in the chronic phase of SIV infection. Thus, SIV-specific CD4(+) T cells that were able to produce IFN-gamma in response to SIV antigens were preserved by the vaccine-based partial control of primary SIV replication, but were lost with abrogation of control in the chronic phase.

Matano T, Kobayashi M, Igarashi H, Takeda A, Nakamura H, Kano M, Sugimoto C, Mori K, Iida A, Hirata T, Hasegawa M, Yuasa T, Miyazawa M, Takahashi Y, Yasunami M, Kimura A, O'Connor DH, Watkins DI, Nagai Y. · Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. · J Exp Med. · Pubmed #15210746 links to  free full text

Abstract: Recently, encouraging AIDS vaccine trials in macaques have implicated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the control of the simian human immunodeficiency virus SHIV89.6P that induces acute CD4(+) T cell depletion. However, none of these vaccine regimens have been successful in the containment of replication of the pathogenic simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) that induce chronic disease progression. Indeed, it has remained unclear if vaccine-induced CTL can control SIV replication. Here, we show evidence suggesting that vaccine-induced CTLs control SIVmac239 replication in rhesus macaques. Eight macaques vaccinated with DNA-prime/Gag-expressing Sendai virus vector boost were challenged intravenously with SIVmac239. Five of the vaccinees controlled viral replication and had undetectable plasma viremia after 5 wk of infection. CTLs from all of these five macaques rapidly selected for escape mutations in Gag, indicating that vaccine-induced CTLs successfully contained replication of the challenge virus. Interestingly, analysis of the escape variant selected in three vaccinees that share a major histocompatibility complex class I haplotype revealed that the escape variant virus was at a replicative disadvantage compared with SIVmac239. These findings suggested that the vaccine-induced CTLs had "crippled" the challenge virus. Our results indicate that vaccine induction of highly effective CTLs can result in the containment of replication of a highly pathogenic immunodeficiency virus.

Takeda A, Igarashi H, Nakamura H, Kano M, Iida A, Hirata T, Hasegawa M, Nagai Y, Matano T. · Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. · J Virol. · Pubmed #12915583 links to  free full text

Abstract: We previously demonstrated the excellent protective efficacy of DNA priming followed by Gag-expressing Sendai virus (SeV) boosting (DNA prime/SeV-Gag boost vaccine) against a pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV89.6PD) infection in macaques. Here we show that we established a practical, safer AIDS vaccine protocol, a single DNA priming followed by a single booster with a recently developed replication-defective F deletion SeV-expressing Gag, and show its protective efficacy against SHIV89.6PD infections.

Matano T, Kano M, Takeda A, Nakamura H, Nomura N, Furuta Y, Shioda T, Nagai Y. · Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan. · AIDS. · Pubmed #12799562 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Umemura M, Nishimura H, Yajima T, Wajjwalk W, Matsuguchi T, Takahashi M, Nishiyama Y, Makino M, Nagai Y, Yoshikai Y. · Laboratory of Host Defense, Research Institute for Disease Mechanism and Control, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. · FASEB J. · Pubmed #12409318 links to  free full text

Abstract: LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) infection causes murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS), a disease characterized by varied functional abnormalities of immunocompetent cells. We found that MAIDS progression was severely retarded in IL-15 transgenic (Tg) mice constructed with cDNA encoding secretable IL-15 under the control of an MHC class I promoter. Several immune defects, including impaired natural killer activity, depressed IFN-gamma production by T cells stimulated with anti-T cell receptor cross-linking, and increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis infection, were prevented in IL-15 Tg mice inoculated with LP-BM5 MuLV. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to a highly antigenic 10-mer peptide encoded by LP-BM5-defective virus gag p12 gene was detected in the spleen and peritoneal exudate cells from IL-15 Tg mice infected with LP-BM5 MuLV. Intramuscular injection of cDNA encoding secretable IL-15 also prevented the development of MAIDS. These results indicate that IL-15 prevents the progression of MAIDS and may provide insight into an immunotherapeutic approach using the IL-15 gene for controlling retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency.

Nakayama EE, Meyer L, Iwamoto A, Persoz A, Nagai Y, Rouzioux C, Delfraissy JF, Debre P, McIlroy D, Theodorou I, Shioda T, Anonymous00189. · Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. · J Infect Dis. · Pubmed #11930331 No free full text.

Abstract: The interleukin (IL)-4 -589T allele bears a single nucleotide polymorphism at position -589 upstream from the open-reading frame of the IL-4 gene. To determine the influence of this allele on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 disease, disease progression and serum virus load were assessed by IL-4 genotype in 427 white patients with known seroconversion dates who were followed in the French SEROCO cohort between 1988 and 1996. Serum virus load was 0.20 log lower during the 6-24-month plateau phase after seroconversion in patients with IL-4 -589T than in those without this allele (P=.02). Kaplan-Meier analysis survival curves showed a slower progression to clinical AIDS in carriers of IL-4 -589T (P=.04). Adjustment for early serum virus load greatly diminished the strength of this association. These results suggest that IL-4 -589T protects against HIV-1 disease progression by reducing virus load.

Mori K, Yasutomi Y, Ohgimoto S, Nakasone T, Takamura S, Shioda T, Nagai Y. · AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. · J Virol. · Pubmed #11287551 links to  free full text

Abstract: We previously generated a mutant of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) lacking 5 of a total of 22 N-glycans in its external envelope protein gp120 with no impairment in viral replication capability and infectivity in tissue culture cells. Here, we infected rhesus macaques with this mutant and found that it also replicated robustly in the acute phase but was tightly, though not completely, contained in the chronic phase. Thus, a critical requirement for the N-glycans for the full extent of chronic infection was demonstrated. No evidence indicating reversion to a wild type was obtained during the observation period of more than 40 weeks. Monkeys infected with the mutant were found to tolerate a challenge infection with wild-type SIV very well. Analyses of host responses following challenge revealed no neutralizing antibodies against the challenge virus but strong secondary responses of cytotoxic T lymphocytes against multiple antigens, including Gag-Pol, Nef, and Env. Thus, the quintuple deglycosylation mutant appeared to represent a novel class of SIV live attenuated vaccine.

Kano M, Matano T, Nakamura H, Takeda A, Kato A, Ariyoshi K, Mori K, Sata T, Nagai Y. · No affiliation provided · AIDS. · Pubmed #10894297 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.