CTL escape and increased viremia irrespective of HIV-specific CD4+ T-helper responses in two HIV-infected individuals.

Abstract

We investigated whether development of mutations leads to loss of CD8 T-cell recognition in HIV-1 infection and is possibly linked to alterations in HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses in 2 HIV-infected individuals. In patient, H434 full genome sequencing of HIV-1 biological clones at early and late time points during disease progression showed development of fixed mutations in 16 predicted HIV-specific CTL epitopes. Loss of T-cell recognition and reactivity against wild-type and mutant epitopes was observed primarily for the HLA-B27-restricted KK10 epitope and HLA-A2-restricted SL9 epitope. Similarly, in patient H671, decreasing numbers of HLA-A3-restricted CD8(+) T cells specific for the wild-type RK9 epitope was observed after CTL escape. Only in patient H434 loss of CTL responses was paralleled by a decrease in HIV-specific IL-2(+) CD4(+) T-helper responses. This suggests that loss of T-cell reactivity may not be directly linked to HIV-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses but that increased viremia after CTL escape may influence CD4(+) T-helper responses.

• Authors: Mark J Geels, Christine A Jansen, Elly Baan, Iris M De Cuyper, Gijs J M van Schijndel, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Jaap Goudsmit, Georgios Pollakis, Frank Miedema, William A Paxton, Debbie van Baarle
• Journal: Virology (Virology) Vol. 345 Issue 1 Pg. 209-19 (Feb 05 2006) ISSN: 0042-6822 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16246391 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte

Topics

• Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte (genetics)
• Genome, Viral
• HIV Infections (immunology, virology)
• HIV-1 (genetics, immunology, physiology)
• Humans
• Lymphocyte Count
• Mutation
• T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic (immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer (immunology)
• Viremia