HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Frequency and function of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells.

Abstract
The virus-specific CD8(+) T cell responses of 27 HIV-infected patients were studied, including a unique cohort of long term nonprogressors (LTNP) with normal CD4(+) T cell counts, low levels of plasma viral RNA, strong proliferative responses to HIV antigens and an over-representation of the HLA B*5701 class I allele. The frequencies of CD8(+) T cells specific to the majority of HIV gene products were measured by flow cytometric detection of intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to HIV-vaccinia recombinant infected autologous B cells. Very high frequencies (1.4-22%) of circulating CD8(+) T cells were found to be HIV-specific and were not only found in LTNP with reduced plasma virus. No correlation was evident between the frequency of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells and levels of plasma viremia. In each case, the vast majority of cells (up to 17.2%) responded to Gag-Pol gene products. Although similar frequencies of Gag peptide-specific CD8(+) T cells were found in LTNP and progressors by either intracellular IFN-gamma or MHC class I tetramer staining, the breadth of these responses was greater in patients with progressive HIV infection compared with the LTNP group. The frequency of CD8(+) T cells specific for a single peptide was not representative of an individual patient's total HIV-specific CD8(+) T cell response. These data demonstrate that high numbers of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells exist even in patients with high level viremia and progressive disease. Further, they suggest that other qualitative parameters of the CD8(+) T cell response may differentiate some patients with very low levels of plasma virus and nonprogressive infection.
AuthorsS A Migueles, M Connors
JournalImmunology letters (Immunol Lett) Vol. 79 Issue 1-2 Pg. 141-50 (Nov 01 2001) ISSN: 0165-2478 [Print] Netherlands
PMID11595301 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
Chemical References
  • HIV Antigens
  • HLA Antigens
  • HLA-B Antigens
Topics
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology)
  • Cohort Studies
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Female
  • HIV (immunology)
  • HIV Antigens (genetics)
  • HIV Infections (genetics, immunology)
  • HIV Long-Term Survivors
  • HLA Antigens (genetics)
  • HLA-B Antigens (genetics)
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Viremia (immunology)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: