Since the identification of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) as the etiologic agent of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), many efforts have been made to stop the AIDS pandemic. A major success of medical research has been the development of the highly active antiretroviral therapy and its availability to an increasing number of people worldwide, with a considerable effect on survival. However, a safe and effective vaccine able to prevent and eradicate the HIV pandemic is still lacking. Clinical trials and preclinical proof-of-concept studies in nonhuman primate (NHP) models have provided insights into potential correlates of protection against the HIV-1 infection, which include broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), non-neutralizing antibodies targeting the variable loops 1 and 2 (V1V2) regions of the HIV-1 envelope (Env), polyfunctional antibody, and Env-specific T-cell responses. In this review, we provide a brief overview of different HIV-1 vaccine approaches and discuss the current understanding of the cellular and humoral correlates of HIV-1 immunity.
Despite the increasing availability of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), nearly 1.5 million deaths were attributed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 2010 (1). The immunodeficiency caused by chronic HIV infection increases the risk of co-infection with pathogens that are controlled by innate and adaptive cellular immune responses and some that are controlled by phagocytic antibody responses. Furthermore, administration of cART in the setting of HIV co-infection does not always restore the pathogen-specific immune response to normal levels.