Impact of preexisting vector immunity on the efficacy of adeno-associated virus-based HIV-1 Gag vaccines

Vectors based on primate-derived adeno-associated virus (AAV) are being considered in the development of genetic vaccines against a number of diseases including infection with HIV-1. Preexisting immunity to the vaccine carrier as a result of natural infections could potentially compromise vaccine efficacy. This study evaluates the impact of neutralizing antibodies against AAV capsids on the ability of HIV-1 Gag-expressing vectors to elicit transgene-specific T and B cell responses. Mice were passively transferred with pooled human immunoglobulin at various doses to simulate human antivector humoral immunity. Vectors based on serotype 2, which were evaluated in the clinic, were compared with those created from the novel monkey isolates AAV7 and AAV8. Inhibition of AAV2-directed Gag responses occurred at doses of human immunoglobulin 10- to 20-fold less than was required to inhibit immunogenicity of AAV7 and AAV8 vectors. Cynomolgus macaques were screened for preexisting immunity to AAV7 and AAV8 and sera from individual animals were passively transferred into mice that were analyzed for AAV vaccine efficacy. There was a correlation between the level of preexisting capsid neutralizing titers and diminution of vaccine efficacy; sera from a number of animals with no detectable neutralizing antibodies showed partial vaccine inhibition, suggesting that the in vitro assay is less sensitive than the in vivo passive transfer assay for detecting neutralizing antibodies to AAV.