The purpose of this study is to examine the role of genetics in determining the immune response to an HIV vaccine in pairs of HIV-uninfected twins.
Genetics may play a role in the immune response to HIV vaccines. It remains unknown, however, exactly what the genetic influence on the immune response may be. This study will examine how genes affect the strength of an immune response produced by HIV vaccines and how genes influence different immune responses. In this study, participants will receive two HIV vaccines-a DNA HIV vaccine (VRC-HIVDNA016-00-VP) and a recombinant adenoviral serotype 5 (rAd5) vector HIV vaccine (HIVADV014-00-VP). Both of these vaccines are experimental, but have been used in previous clinical trials without any serious side effects. Comparing immunological responses in HIV vaccine trials can be complicated by various genetic and environmental factors. This study will enroll pairs of twins who grew up in common childhood environments. This will provide researchers with participants who have similar backgrounds so that the role of genetics can be examined while controlling for other environmental variables. The purpose of this study is to examine how genes may influence the immune response to a DNA HIV vaccine followed by a rAd5 HIV vaccine. This study will enroll pairs of healthy, HIV-uninfected monozygotic and dizygotic adult twins. Participants will receive the DNA vaccine at baseline and Months 1 and 2, and the rAd5 vaccine at Month 6. Both vaccines will be injected into the upper arm. At all vaccination study visits, participants will undergo a medical history and medication history review, physical exam, and blood collection. Participants will also complete questionnaires and a social impact assessment. They will receive counseling on HIV testing, risk reduction, and pregnancy prevention. After receiving the vaccine, participants will remain in the clinic for at least 30 minutes for observation and monitoring of side effects. For 3 days after each vaccination, participants will record their temperature and side effects in a symptom log. In addition to the vaccine study visits, additional study visits will occur at Weeks 2, 6, and 10; 1, 3, and 7 days after the Month 6 visit; and Months 7, 9, 12, and 18. Various study procedures, including a physical exam, blood collection, and counseling, will be repeated at these visits. At the end of 18 months, participants will be contacted by study researchers once a year for 3 ½ years for follow-up health monitoring.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
8
4 mg injection administered as 1 mL intramuscularly via Biojector in deltoid
1 x 10\^10 particle units (PU) administered as 1 mL intramuscularly by needle and syringe in deltoid
Brigham and Women's Hospital Vaccine CRS (BWH VCRS)
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Seattle Vaccine and Prevention CRS
Seattle, Washington, United States
Magnitude of HIV-1 insert-specific cellular responses, as measured by ELISpot, intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Magnitude of Ad-specific cellular responses, as measured by ELISpot, ICS, or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Number of HIV epitopes targeted by CD4 and CD8 T-cells, as measured by ELISpot, ICS, or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Number of Ad epitopes targeted by CD4 and CD8 T-cells, as measured by ELISpot, ICS, or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Percentage of insert-specific T lymphocytes expressing 1, 2, or 3 cytokines, as measured by HIV-1 specific multi-parameter ICS or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Percentage of Ad-specific T lymphocytes expressing 1, 2, or 3 cytokines, as measured by HIV-1 specific multi-parameter ICS or other modalities
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
HIV-1-specific nAb titers, as measured by antibody titer assays
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Ad-specific nAb titers, as measured by antibody titer assays
Time frame: Measured at 4 weeks after the rAd5 boost
Serum concentration of IL-6, IL 12, TNF-a, INF-y, IL-1Ra, IP-10/CXCL-10, and MCP-1/CCL2 (and other circulating cytokines associated with the innate immune response, as measured by Luminex assay or other modality)
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Time frame: Measured at baseline, and Days 0, 1, 3, and 7 after the rAd5 boost
Numbers of circulating peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils
Time frame: Measured at baseline, and Days 0, 1, 3, and 7 after the rAd5 boost
Local and systemic reactogenicity signs and symptoms, laboratory measures of safety, adverse events (AEs), and AEs reported on an expedited basis to DAIDS (EAEs)
Time frame: Measured throughout the study