DNA Vaccination for HIV-1 and SIV

Control of the worldwide AIDS epidemic will only be achieved with a safe and effective prophylactic HIV-1 vaccine. DNA vaccination has recently emerged as a promising vaccine modality that can elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses. HIV-1- and SIV-specific immune responses have been elicited by DNA vaccines in both mice and nonhuman primates. However, these immune responses have not been capable of protecting nonhuman primates against pathogenic AIDS virus challenges. A number of approaches are therefore being investigated to augment DNA vaccine-elicited immune responses.