Induction of mucosal and systemic antibody responses against the HIV coreceptor CCR5 upon intramuscular immunization and aerosol delivery of a virus-like particle based vaccine

Virus-like particles (VLPs) can be exploited as platforms to increase the immunogenicity of poorly immunogenic antigens, including self-proteins. We have developed VLP-based vaccines that target two domains of the HIV coreceptor CCR5 that are involved in HIV binding. These vaccines induce anti-CCR5 antibodies that bind to native CCR5 and inhibit SIV infection in vitro. Given the role of mucosal surfaces in HIV transmission and replication, we also asked whether an aerosolized, VLP-based pulmonary vaccine targeting CCR5 could induce a robust mucosal response in addition to a systemic response. In rats, both intramuscular and pulmonary immunization induced high-titer IgG and IgA against the vaccine in the serum, but only aerosol vaccination induced IgA antibodies at local mucosal sites. An intramuscular prime followed by an aerosol boost resulted in strong serum and mucosal antibody responses. These results show that VLP-based vaccines targeting CCR5 induce high-titer systemic antibodies, and can elicit both local and systemic mucosal response when administered via an aerosol. Vaccination against a self-molecule that is critically involved during HIV transmission and pathogenesis is an alternative to targeting the virus itself. More generally, our results provide a general method for inducing broad systemic and mucosal antibody responses using VLP-based immunogens.