This study confirms that enhanced cellular immune responses result in mice via chimaeric Gag VLPs incorporating GagRT and GagTN as vaccine boost candidates to a pVRCgrttnC DNA priming vaccine for HIV-1. The DNA prime/mixed VLP boost vaccination increased the cumulative Gag- and RT-specific IFN-γ responses relative to two DNA vaccinations 4-fold, and Gag- and RT-specific IL-2 responses 2.8 fold. Chimaeric VLP boosts such as these are a promising option for future HIV-1 vaccine studies.

Sirika Pillay, Enid G Shephard, Ann E Meyers, Anna-Lise Williamson, Edward P Rybicki.
“HIV-1 sub-type C chimaeric VLPs boost celluar immune responses in mice.”
Journal of Immune Based Therapies and Vaccines 2010.