Trends and perspectives in the HIV vaccine research over the past thirty-five years: A scientometrics analysis through CiteSpace

Despite advances in antiretroviral therapy, developing an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine remains pivotal for epidemic control. Through a scientometric analysis of 19,863 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (1989-2023) using CiteSpace, this study delineates evolving trends and emerging frontiers in HIV vaccine research. The United States dominated contributions, with institutions like the National Institutes of Health and Harvard leading productivity. Clustering revealed two interconnected research trajectories, which are broad neutralizing antibody development, broad neutralizing antibody precursors, and immune mechanism exploration. Despite efficacy trials not resulting in licensed HIV vaccine advancements in antigen design and adjuvant strategies, they show promise. Key findings indicated structural biology, germinal center (GC) dynamics, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and glycosylation shielding as pivotal research domains. Critical barriers include generating a specific immune response to new epitopes and glycosylation-mediated immune evasion. Future efforts should prioritize GC optimization to enhance B-cell affinity maturation, structure-guided epitope targeting through cryo-electron microscopy, and advances in antigen delivery. In addition, engineering vaccines to expand CXCR5+ T follicular helper cell populations may improve durable humoral immunity. This analysis underscores the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches to overcome HIV vaccine hurdles.