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Development and Evaluation of a Vaccine for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection
- Anthony S. Fauci, MD;
- Robert C. Gallo, MD;
- Scott Koenig, MD, PhD;
- Jonas Salk, MD; and
- Robert H. Purcell, MD
Abstract
The development of a safe and effective vaccine for infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is complicated by several unique scientific, logistic, and ethical issues. These issues include a lack of understanding of protective immunity to HIV and disease development, the absence of an adequate and convenient animal model for studying HIV infection, and difficulties in phase III evaluation of candidate vaccines. Because HIV can be transmitted as either a cellfree or cell-associated virus, a protective immune response against HIV infection will likely require both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. A neutralizing antibody against HIV and an antibody involved in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity have been shown in HIV-infected persons, but their precise relation to protection is unclear. Cytotoxic lymphocytes from HIV-infected persons have been shown to lyse target cells expressing HIV or its proteins. Cloned T cells have been developed that manifest HIV-specific, major histocompatibility-complex class I-restricted cytotoxic capabilities that are broadly specific. Thus far, all attempts to protect chimpanzees, currently the only suitable animal model, from HIV infection have failed. Ongoing vaccine studies in humans include phase I trials of recombinant proteins of the HIV envelope in uninfected persons as well as the administration of whole killed virus to persons already infected with HIV. Rapid progress is being made in the development of new animal models for HIV infection. The establishment of alternative animal models, both primate and small animal models, will greatly facilitate the development of a vaccine for HIV infection.
Article and Author Information
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An edited summary of a Combined Clinical Staff Conference held 1 June 1988 at the Amphitheater, Building 10, Bethesda, Maryland, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Authors who wish to cite a section of the conference and specifically indicate its author may use this example for the form of reference:
Gallo RC, Bolognesi DP, Nerurkar LS. The immune response to human immunodeficiency virus infection, pp 374-377. In: Fauci AS, moderator. Development and evaluation of a vaccine for human immunodeficiency virus infection. Ann Intern Med. 1989;110:373-385.
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Request for Reprints: Anthony S. Fauci, MD, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 31, Room 7A-03, Bethesda, MD, 20892.
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Current author addresses: Dr. Robert C. Gallo, Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 6A-09, Bethesda, MD, 20892.
Dr. Scott Koenig: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 11B13, Bethesda, MD, 20892.
Dr. Robert H. Purcell: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 7, Room 202, Bethesda, MD, 20892.
Dr. Jonas SaIk: The SaIk Institute for Biological Studies, P. O. Box 85800, San Diego, CA, 92138-9216.
