A prophylactic and therapeutic AIDS vaccine containing as a component the innocuous Tat toxoid.

Extracellular Tat can act as a viral toxin on uninfected cells of different tissues, including the CNS and the immune system, thus in order to immunize humans against Tat we have prepared a biologically inactivated but immunogenic Tat (Tat Toxoid). Tat Toxoid is not toxic in mice even at high doses. It triggers high levels of specific Tat Abs in the mouse and rabbit. Furthermore, in humans Tat Toxoid immunization was safe and induced in seronegatives persistent high levels of Tat Abs and in immunodeficient patients a significant rise of these specific Abs. Facing acute HIV-1 infection, the presence of high level of circulating Tat Abs promoted by Tat Toxoid vaccine should prevent Tat-induced immunosuppression and allow anti-HIV-1 cellular response to develop. As a consequence, early release of beta-chemokines could enhance host resistance towards HIV-1, and, in infected people, inhibit viral replication and evolution towards AIDS.