Abstract:A series of challenges including enormous genetic diversity and rapid evolution， which enable HIV-1 to escape host immune surveillance， has hindered the development of the effectively protective vaccine and a functional cure strategy against HIV-1/AIDS. Exploring the relationship between HIV-1 evolution and human immune responses will help to develop effective HIV-1 vaccines to elicit broaden neutralizing responses and specific cross-reactive CTL responses， which can also help to identify new target for exploring HIV-1/AIDS cure strategy. From an evolutionary perspective， here， we summarized the study progress on origin， classification and epidemic of HIV-1， followed by the genetic diversity and rapid evolution model of HIV-1. In addition， we highlighted the relationship between variability of HIV-1 and the host adaptive immune responses， as well as the variability of HIV-1 under anti-retroviral therapy. The intrinsic host restriction factors were also depicted. We hope that this review will provide clues to design new vaccines and HIV-1/AIDS cure strategies.