A single dose of HIV DNA vaccine induces long lasting potent HIV-specific T cell responses in Rhesus macaques

Background Use of HIV DNA vaccines in rodents revealed enthusiastic strong and long lasting immune responses (IR) specific to all expressed HIV antigens. However, ''le desarroi'' began when these constructs were used in human and nonhuman primates and their immunogenicity was found to be very weak. To face this desarroi, HIV DNA immunizations were rapidly associated with heterologous boosts with recombinant viruses and purified proteins. However, efforts in many labs were pursued to develop strategies that increase the immunogenicity of these vaccines. Among these strategies we have chosen to transpose as close as possible in Rhesus Macaques, the conditions of immunization we used in mice [1,2].