Immunotherapy with DNA vaccine and live attenuated rubella/SIV gag vectors plus early ART can prevent SIVmac251 viral rebound in acutely infected rhesus macaques.

ABSTRACT: Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has been highly successful in controlling HIV replication, reducing viral burden, and preventing both progression to AIDS and viral transmission. Yet, ART alone cannot cure the infection. Even after years of successful therapy, ART withdrawal leads inevitably to viral rebound within a few weeks or months. Our hypothesis: effective therapy must control both the replicating virus pool and the reactivatable latent viral reservoir. To do this, we have combined ART and immunotherapy to attack both viral pools simultaneously. The vaccine regimen consisted of DNA vaccine expressing SIV Gag, followed by a boost with live attenuated rubella/gag vectors. The vectors grow well in rhesus macaques, and they are potent immunogens when used in a prime and boost strategy. We

SUBMITTER: Virnik K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7055890 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature