Vaccines — Open Access Journal
http://www.mdpi.com/journal/vaccines
(Accessed 23 January 2016)

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Review: Current Advances in Virus-Like Particles as a Vaccination Approach against HIV Infection
by Chongbo Zhao, Zhujun Ao and Xiaojian Yao
Vaccines 2016, 4(1), 2; doi:10.3390/vaccines4010002 (registering DOI) – published 22 January 2016
Abstract:
HIV-1 virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising vaccine candidates against HIV-1 infection. They are capable of preserving the native conformation of HIV-1 antigens and priming CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses efficiently via cross presentation by both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules. Progress has been achieved in the preclinical research of HIV-1 VLPs as prophylactic vaccines that induce broadly neutralizing antibodies and potent T cell responses. Moreover, the progress in HIV-1 dendritic cells (DC)-based immunotherapy provides us with a new vision for HIV-1 vaccine development. In this review, we describe updates from the past 5 years on the development of HIV-1 VLPs as a vaccine candidate and on the combined use of HIV particles with HIV-1 DC-based immunotherapy as efficient prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination strategies.