Primary Th1 cell immunization against HIVgp160 in SCID-hu mice coengrafted with peripheral blood lymphocytes and skin.

SCID-hu mouse models are of interest in the pathologic investigation of HIV infection, but obtaining a T cell response in SCID-hu-PBL mice is still controversial. We have developed a SCID model by engrafting human skin and autologous PBLs from HIV-seronegative individuals. The study describes the ability of this human-mouse chimera to generate in vivo a primary T lymphocyte response against HIV Ag. The injection of human autologous PBLs was performed 4 to 5 wk after the skin engraftment. Two weeks after injection of PBLs, chimeric mice were immunized with recombinant canary pox virus expressing HIV-1 LAIgp160 (vCP-LAIgp160) and supplemented or not with rIL-2. Intradermal vCP-LAIgp160 injection induced an intradermal perivascular human lymphocytic infiltrate and an epidermic network of CD1a+, CD80+, and CD86+ cells. We derived CD4+ T cell lines (STLs) from the human skin graft of immunized mice, showing that STLs mediated an MHC class II-restricted cytolytic activity directed against HIV-LAIgp160 Ags. Cytokine gene expression in both human skin cells and in STLs showed a predominance of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-12 transcripts. Finally, the T cell repertoire analysis using the immunoscope technique showed a very limited CDR3 length polymorphism in the skin infiltrating lymphocytes suggesting an Ag-specific repertoire. The ability to induce a primary Th1 cell response in vivo affords a useful preclinical model for testing vaccine strategies.