title: Control of viral rebound through therapeutic immunization with DermaVir.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To reconstitute immune responses capable of eliminating infected cells and suppressing viral load during chronic retroviral infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  : A topical, DNA-based therapeutic immunization (DermaVir) was designed to express most of the regulatory and structural viral genes in dendritic cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  DermaVir alone and in combination with antiretroviral drugs was tested in chronically SIV-infected macaques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DermaVir provided virological, immunological and clinical benefit for SIV-infected macaques during chronic infection and AIDS. In combination with antiretroviral drugs, DermaVir augmented SIV-specific T-cell responses and enhanced control of viral load rebound during treatment interruptions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate the feasibility of therapeutic immunization even in immune compromised hosts, and suggest that DermaVir can complement antiretroviral drugs to sustain suppression of HIV-1 replication.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Genetic and Human Therapy, Washington, DC 20007, USA. lisziewj@geneticimmunity.com
authors.forename: Julianna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lisziewicz
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trocio
authors.forename: Jianqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryder
authors.forename: Nyasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bakare
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Wendeline
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pistorio
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lori
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008251:Macaca; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; C501366:DermaVir; D012367:RNA, Viral