amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research  Increasing the
Potential of AIDS Vaccines: An amfAR Grantee Update  By Jeffrey
Laurence, M.D.   December 18, 2006One of the central
frustrations of AIDS research has been the elusiveness of a
vaccine that could either prevent HIV infection or slow the
onset of AIDS. Some of the candidates currently being tested can
elicit seemingly appropriate immune responses, but are too weak
to avert infection or disease. But could they be ramped up to
strengthen their activity against HIV?  Earlier this year we
highlighted the work, published in February, of amfAR grantee
Dr. Richard Kornbluth of the University of California, San
Diego. He found that two immune proteins common to mice and
humans, CD40L and GITRL, greatly increased the activity of
killer T cells and antibodies directed against HIV. Killer T
cells and antibodies are both known to be important in killing
all viruses, both during natural infection as well as after
vaccination. However, Dr. Kornbluth’s experiments were