In situ formation of peptidic nanofibers can fundamentally optimize the quality of immune responses against HIV vaccine†

Herein, we report that the in situ formed peptidic nanofibers facilitate the induction of multiple crucial immunities against HIV DNA vaccine, including polyfunctional T cell response, broad IgG subclasses response, and V1/V2 loop-specific antibody response, all of which can hardly be triggered by HIV DNA vaccine alone. Such novel in situ formation fundamentally overcomes the big hurdle for the applications of such nanofibers, which previously can only trigger these crucial immune responses via adding exogenous alkaline phosphatase. Such robustness of peptidic nanofibers for inducing crucial immune responses may allow better inhibition against HIV than reported materials.