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HIV

Tied down by its own receptor

Nature volume 519, pages 36–37 (2015)Cite this article

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An engineered protein that binds to the envelope of HIV viruses protects monkeys against infection with a simian–human virus that causes AIDS. This gene-therapy approach might provide an alternative to elusive HIV vaccines. See Letter p.87

The past 30 years have been marked by a long and discouraging search for an effective HIV vaccine. In 2009, the 'Thai trial' of the candidate vaccine RV144 was the first to demonstrate any success, measuring a 31.2% reduction in the rate of infection, although efficacy decreased over the first year after vaccination1. The difficulty in developing a more effective vaccine has forced investigators to explore problems that are posed by other intractable pathogens, including persistence in the host, a high degree of variability of certain regions, masking of common regions, and pathogen-induced inhibition of host immunity. But on page 87 of this issue, Gardner et al.2 describe research suggesting that protection against HIV infection may be achievable through a gene-therapy approach, rather than by relying on eliciting protective immune responses by vaccination.

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Figure 1: Vaccination versus gene therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nancy L. Haigwood is in the Division of Pathobiology & Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006, USA.,

    Nancy L. Haigwood

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  1. Nancy L. Haigwood
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Correspondence to Nancy L. Haigwood.

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Haigwood, N. Tied down by its own receptor. Nature 519, 36–37 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14205

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