Fusion to Flaviviral Leader Peptide Targets HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase for Secretion and Reduces Its Enzymatic Activity and Ability to Induce Oxidative Stress but Has No Major Effects on Its Immunogenic Performance in DNA-Immunized Mice

Figure 8

RT-specific IgGs and IgA induced in sera of mice immunized with pVaxRT1.14opt-in and pVaxRT1.14oil plasmids. Endpoint titers of RT-specific total IgG, IgG subtypes (IgG1, IgG2a), and IgA antibodies detected in the sera of BALB/c mice immunized with the genes encoding RT1.14opt-in and RT1.14oil plasmids. Data represent a mean + SD for the endpoint titer of antibodies against recombinant RT1.14 protein for four mice per group in two independent immunization runs. Cutoffs were set against the control mice immunized with empty vector pVax1 (see “Materials and Methods”). Groups demonstrate no significant difference in either IgG, or IgG1, or IgG2a, or IgA levels ().