Textonfigure:
Thevaccineboosts theimmunesystem'sdivisionofwork
Priortothevaccination,thebody hasonlyafewcellscapableofrecognisingtheHIVvirus.
Top tier: Virusattackwithoutvaccine. WhentheHIVvirusinfectstheunvaccinatedhost,theimmunesystemismainlypresentedwiththestrong
antigens.Theimmunecellsconsequently divide,sothatapredominantnumber ofcellscanrecognisethestrongimmunostimulatory genes(shownin
green).However, theHIVvirusdivisiontakesplacesoquickly, thattheimmunecellscannot keepupinthelongrun.Theweakimmunostimulatory genes
(showninpink)only activatetheimmunesystemtoamildextent.
Middle tier: Virusattackwithtraditionalvaccine:Avaccinationwithstrongimmunostimulatory cellsprimestheimmunesystem,buttheHIVviruswillstill
beabletowearouttheimmunecellsor avoidthemthrough mutation.
Bottomtier: Virusattackwithnewvaccinestrategy:Avaccinationwithweakimmunostimulatory cellsbooststheimmunesystemagainstthesegenes
andalsoallowsanimmunesystemagainststrongimmunostimulatory genes.Theresultisthattheimmunesystemrecognisesallpartsofthevirusand
dividetheworkbetweenthestrongandweakimmunostimulatory genes.Thevaccinethuscreatesadivisionofworkensuringthattheimmunesystem
cankeepupandcombatthevirusorinsomecaseseradicatetheinfection.