Materials and methods for detecting, preventing, and treating retroviral infection

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to materials and methods for detecting, preventing and treating retroviral infections in humans and other animals susceptible to infection by retrovirus. It has been discovered that FIV can be transmitted from cats to humans and that the FIV can infect human cells in vivo and that antibodies generated by the infected person cross-react with HIV antigens. Thus, the methods and compositions of the subject invention can be used to detect, prevent and treat FIV infection in humans and other non-feline animals that are susceptible to FIV infection. The methods and compositions of the invention can also be used to prevent and treat infection by HIV in humans.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method for inducing an immune response to a feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in an animal, said method comprising:
 administering to the animal an effective amount of a composition comprising a polynucleotide that encodes:   a) an FIV protein, or a fragment thereof; and   b) an HIV protein, or a fragment thereof; or   administering to the animal an effective amount of a composition comprising a) an FIV protein or fragment thereof; and b) an HIV protein or fragment thereof;   
       whereby said immune response is induced in the animal. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said composition induces a humoral immune response. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said composition induces a cellular immune response. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said composition induces an immune response against more than one subtype of FIV. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said HIV protein comprises HIV core gag protein and/or HIV envelope protein. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said HIV protein comprises an HIV p24 protein. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said composition induces a protective immune response against FIV. 
     
     
         19 . A prophylactic vaccine composition comprising a polynucleotide provided in a viral vector, wherein said polynucleotide encodes:
 a) an FIV protein; and   b) an HIV-1 protein; wherein said FIV protein and/or said HIV-1 protein comprises an epitope that is evolutionarily conserved between FIV and HIV-1 such that an antibody that binds to said FIV epitope also binds to said HIV-1 epitope;   and wherein said vaccine composition comprises an amount of said viral vector effective to protect an animal against infection by FIV and/or HIV-1;   or said vaccine composition comprises a) an FIV protein; and b) an HIV-1 protein; wherein said FIV protein and/or said HIV-1 protein comprises an epitope that is evolutionarily conserved between FIV and HIV-1 such that an antibody that binds to said FIV epitope also binds to said HIV-1 epitope.   
     
     
         20 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said HIV-1 protein comprises HIV-1 core gag protein and/or HIV-1 envelope protein. 
     
     
         21 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said HIV-1 protein comprises an HIV-1 p24 protein and said FIV protein comprises an FIV p24 protein. 
     
     
         22 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said FIV protein comprises FIV protein from two or more different FIV subtypes. 
     
     
         23 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said HIV-1 protein comprises an HIV-1 gp120 protein. 
     
     
         24 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said FIV protein and said HIV-1 protein comprise core gag protein and/or viral envelope protein. 
     
     
         25 . The vaccine composition according to  claim 19 , wherein said viral vector is from adenovirus, avipox, herpesvirus, vaccinia, canarypox, entomopox, or swinepox. 
     
     
         26 . A method for inducing an immune response to FIV in an animal, said method comprising administering to the animal an effective amount of a vaccine composition of  claim 19 .