Therapeutic Antibodies in HIV
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 32
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue examines the role of therapeutic antibodies in HIV infection, emphasizing the relative contributions of viral neutralization and Fc-mediated effector functions. Broadly neutralizing antibodies have shown substantial antiviral activity; however, their ability to mediate Fc-dependent clearance of infected cells remains incompletely defined, in part due to divergent findings from SIV and SHIV studies. Recent studies have clarified key distinctions between antibody classes. Non-neutralizing antibodies, when combined with Env sensitization strategies such as CD4 mimetics, mediate efficient Fc-dependent elimination of infected cells, highlighting differences between antibodies optimized for neutralization and those capable of robust effector recruitment. By contrast, many naturally occurring broadly neutralizing antibodies exhibit limited intrinsic Fc activity, motivating Fc engineering approaches including afucosylation, targeted mutations, subclass modulation, and multi-specific formats to enhance the engagement of innate immune pathways. Beyond direct antiviral effects, antibody-derived recognition domains are increasingly being incorporated into chimeric antigen receptor T cell platforms, where epitope accessibility, density, and distance from the membrane critically influence cytotoxic function. Anti-HIV-1 antibodies may also reawaken endogenous immune control through vaccinal effects, including enhanced antigen presentation and durable cellular immune responses. These properties distinguish antibody-based interventions from antiretroviral therapy, including long-acting agents such as lenacapavir, and raise important questions regarding their integration with existing treatment strategies. Given this background, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing mechanistic and translational aspects of antibody-mediated HIV control, including the emergence of resistance mutations, adverse outcomes, implications for reservoir targeting, and cure-oriented strategies.
Dr. Pradeep Uchil
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- HIV-1
- therapeutic antibodies
- Fc-effector functions
- broadly neutralizing antibodies
- non-neutralizing antibodies
- CD4 mimetics
- antibody-based CAR T cells
- epitope location
- ADCC
- antibody engineering
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