Koup RA, Lamoreaux L, Zarkowsky D, Bailer RT, King CR, Gall JG, Brough DE, Graham BS, Roederer M.

The magnitude and character of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) -specific T cells was determined in volunteers with and without pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NA) to Ad5 who received rAd5-based HIV vaccines. There was no correlation between T cell responses and NA to Ad5. There was no increase in magnitude or activation state of Ad5-specific CD4(+) T cells at time points where antibodies to Ad5 and T cell responses to the recombinant gene products could be measured. These data indicate that rAd5-based vaccines containing deletions in the E1, E3 and E4 region do not induce appreciable expansion of vector-specific CD4(+) T cells.