AID-mediated somatic hypermutation for generation of viral envelope protein diversity in patient-specific therapeutic HIV vaccines based on induction of neutralizing antibodies.

The somatic hypermutation (SHM) hypothesis for R5-X4 HIV-1 switching has recently received experimental support. AID-mediated SHM in B cell lines can be used to generate patient's HIV-1 envelope protein diversity in vitro for subsequent vaccination of HIV-1-infected patient at the beginning of asymptomatic period with a resulting mixture of mutant envelope proteins. Suggested approach, which represents a vaccination against R5-X4 HIV-1 switching, might open possibilities for creation of patient-specific therapeutic HIV vaccines based on induction of neutralizing antibodies.