EUROVAC: European vaccine effort against HIV/AIDS

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0471-5

Key words (English)

Chemokines as potential co-adjuvants in vaccination;
Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Safety; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK2-CT-1999-01321

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.2 Control of infectious diseases

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: CNRS, Lyon (F)

Abstract (English)

Chemokines are essential regulators of immunity against infectious agents by controlling the recruitment of resting lymphocytes into secondary lymphoid tissues (lymph nodes, spleen) and the homing of newly generated effector cells to sites of inflammation. The working hypothesis of the Theodor-Kocher Institute is based on the role of several homeostatic chemokines in bringing together the key players in the initiation of adaptive immunity (dendritic cells, T and B cells). In workpackage WP4(7-3) the function of the homeostatic chemokine BCA-1 and its receptor CXCR5 is examined. BCA-1 is unique in its highly restricted expression in the B cell zone of secondary lymphoid tissues. Its receptor CXCR5 is present on all naïve B cells and a subtype of T cells, and neutralization of its gene results in aberrant follicular architecture. In T cells, CXCR5 is selectively expressed on a small subset of memory CD4+ T cells with potent B helper function, termed follicular B helper T cells (TFH). In peripheral blood their presence reflects ongoing activities in spleen or lymph nodes, and therefore CXCR5 could be used as a marker for evaluation of vaccination efficacies.Potentially, homeostatic chemokines could improve vaccination efficacies by bringing together antigen presenting cells (dendritic cells) and resting T/B cells at the site of antigen deposition (WP6[7-3]). This hypothesis will be tested in small rodent models of vaccination. Murine chemokine cDNAs and model vaccine cDNAs were cloned into eukaryotic expression vectors for DNA vaccination studies. In addition, these DNA sequences were also subcloned into attenuated Semliki Forest Virus for use in virus-mediated vaccination experiments. These reagents are currently tested in the laboratory of the subcontractor H. Pircher (Freiburg).

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0471-5