Gene gun DNA vaccination with Rev-independent synthetic HIV-1 gp160 envelope gene using mammalian codons

DNA immunization with HIV envelope plasmids induce only moderate levels of specific antibodies which may in part be due to limitations in expression influenced by a species-specific and biased HIV codon usage. We compared antibody levels, Th1/Th2 type and CTL responses induced by synthetic genes encoding membrane bound gp160 versus secreted gp120 using optimized codons and the efficient gene gun immunization method. The in vitro expression of syn.gp160 as gp120 + gp41 was Rev independent and much higher than a classical wt.gp160 plasmid. Mice immunized with syn.gp160 and wt.gp160 generated low and inconsistent ELISA antibody titres whereas the secreted gp120 consistently induced faster seroconversion and higher antibody titres. Due to a higher C + G content the numbers of putative CpG immune (Th1) stimulatory motifs were highest in the synthetic gp160 gene. However, both synthetic genes induced an equally strong and more pronounced Th2 response with higher IgG1/IgG2a and IFNgamma/IL-4 ratios than the wt.gp160 gene. As for induction of CTL, synthetic genes induced a somewhat earlier response but did not offer any advantage over wild type genes at a later time point. Thus, optimizing codon usage has the advantage of rendering the structural HIV genes Rev independent. For induction of antibodies the level of expression, while important, seems less critical than optimal contact with antigen presenting cells at locations reached by the secreted gp120 protein. A proposed Th1 adjuvant effect of the higher numbers of CpG motifs in the synthetic genes was not seen using gene gun immunization which may be due to the low amount of DNA used.