Mission Remission: Integrated characterization of the HIV Reservoir and Host Immune Responses after Antibody-Immunotherapy

Ziel

The search for a therapeutic intervention that can lead to HIV remission or cure is a global priority of the HIV field. HIV-specific antibodies have the potential to alter the clinical course of infection and enhance antiviral immune responses. In addition, we have recently demonstrated that antibody-based HIV immunotherapy results in higher-than-average cases of durable HIV remission in the absence of antiretroviral medication. Moreover, passive administration of HIV-specific antibodies was associated with reductions in the size of the replication-competent HIV reservoir which is the major barrier towards a cure for HIV. While these results highlight the exceptional potential of HIV immunotherapy, it is critical to understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for higher rates of HIV remission and antibody-mediated changes in the reservoir. Therefore, we will identify individuals with long-term HIV remission from clinical antibody-immunotherapy trials before comprehensively characterizing host immune responses, host-viral gene expression and the HIV latent reservoir. By combining highly valuable clinical samples with novel strategies for the characterization of viral immunity and persistence, we aim to establish a relationship between antibody-based HIV immunotherapy, host immunological factors, adaptive immune responses, and the nature of the viral reservoir with the overarching goal of developing clinical interventions for long-term, drug-free HIV remission or cure.