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. 2019 Jan 17;15(1):e1007429. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007429

Fig 2. Potential role for checkpoint blockade in combination immunotherapy for a functional cure.

Fig 2

A therapeutic vaccine (1) would enhance HIV-specific CTL number and function. Because many HIV-specific CTLs are exhausted during HIV, IC blockade could enhance the activating effect of the vaccine and the function of the CTL after activation. After administering this vaccine, checkpoint blockade could feasibly enhance LRAs (2) activity as previously demonstrated for PD1 [91]. During LRA treatment, broadly neutralizing antibodies (3) could bind to HIV polypeptide expressed on the infected cell’s surface and activate antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity activity by NK cells, which may also be enhanced by checkpoint blockade [110]. CD4, cluster of differentiation 4; CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; IC, immune checkpoint; LRA, latency reversing agent; NK, natural killer; PD1, programmed cell death-1; TCR, T-cell receptor.