Interleukin-2 production used to detect antigenic peptide recognition by T-helper lymphocytes from asymptomatic HIV-seropositive individuals.
T lymphocytes from mice and healthy humans immunized against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope have recently been shown to recognize two antigenic regions of the gp160 HIV-envelope protein which have been located on the basis of amphipathicity. In HIV-infected humans, T-cell proliferative responses are lost soon after infection. Here we demonstrate that interleukin-2 production is often retained even when proliferative activity is absent, and that it can be used to monitor T-helper cell responses by HIV-seropositive donors. We use this approach to investigate the T-helper cell response of 42 asymptomatic HIV-seropositive patients to four synthetic gp160 peptides and to influenza A virus, an antigen requiring intact CD4 T-helper cell function. As many as 67% of the HIV-seropositive donors who retain responsiveness to influenza A virus respond to a single peptide, and 85-90% responded to at least one of the peptides.
Clerici
M
M
Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Stocks
N I
NI
Zajac
R A
RA
Boswell
R N
RN
Bernstein
D C
DC
Mann
D L
DL
Shearer
G M
GM
Berzofsky
J A
JA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012016:Reference Values; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D015488:HIV Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2