The invention relates to compositions and uses thereof for inducing an antigen-specific immune response, for increasing the avidity of immune cells for an antigen, for increasing the number of immune cells specific for an antigen in a subject, or for preventing or treating infection or vaccinating a subject, wherein the compositions and uses comprise an interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) antagonist in combination with an antigen, in particular an HIV-1 antigen selected from a gag, pol, or env protein, wherein one or more polynucleotides encoding the antigen and the interleukin-4 receptor antagonist are a component of a recombinant virus and are expressed in the subject in a priming dose and a booster dose, and the recombinant virus of the priming dose and the booster dose transiently expresses the interleukin-4 receptor antagonist in the subject.
