Leonardo Rojas-Sanchez

Mr. Leonardo Rojas-Sanchez


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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27 September 2019 in Nanomaterials
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DDDominik Damm
Dominik Damm
LRLeonardo Rojas-Sanchez
Leonardo Rojas-Sanchez
HTHannah Theobald
Hannah Theobald
VSViktoriya Sokolova
Viktoriya Sokolova
RWRichard T Wyatt
Richard T Wyatt
VTVladimir Temchura
Vladimir Temchura
Incorporation of immunodominant T-helper epitopes of licensed vaccines into virus-like particles (VLP) allows to harness T-helper cells induced by the licensed vaccines to provide intrastructural help (ISH) for B-cell responses against the surface proteins of the VLPs. To explore whether ISH could also improve antibody responses to calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticle vaccines we loaded the nanoparticle core with a universal T-helper epitope of Tetanus toxoid (p30) and functionalized the surface of CaP nanoparticles with stabilized trimers of the HIV-1 envelope (Env) resulting in Env-CaP-p30 nanoparticles. In contrast to soluble Env trimers, Env containing CaP nanoparticles induced activation of naïve Env-specific B-cells in vitro. Mice previously vaccinated against Tetanus raised stronger humoral immune responses against Env after immunization with Env-CaP-p30 than mice not vaccinated against Tetanus. The enhancing effect of ISH on anti-Env antibody levels was not attended with increased Env-specific IFN-γ CD4 T-cell responses that otherwise may potentially influence the susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. Thus, CaP nanoparticles functionalized with stabilized HIV-1 Env trimers and heterologous T-helper epitopes are able to recruit heterologous T-helper cells induced by a licensed vaccine and improve anti-Env antibody responses by intrastructural help.