An Attenuated Listeria monocytogenes Vector Primes More Potent Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific Mucosal Immunity than DNA Vaccines in Mice

Abstract

A human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine that induces potent immune responses in the gastrointestinal mucosa would be highly desirable. Here we show that attenuated recombinant Listeria monocytogenes , administered orally utilizing its natural route of infection, induces potent mucosal as well as systemic immune responses in mice. Moreover, these responses can be boosted efficiently with replication-incompetent adenoviral vectors. L. monocytogenes elicited more potent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag-specific CD8 + T lymphocyte responses in mucosal compartments than DNA vaccines.