title: Autoproliferation in HIV-1-infected patients undergoing active HIV-1-specific immunotherapy.
abstract: We have observed a treatment-associated autoproliferative response in cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of asymptomatic HIV-1-infected subjects receiving a gp120-depleted, inactivated HIV-1 antigen in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA; HIV-1 Immunogen). The frequency and magnitude of the autoproliferative response appeared to be dose-related (P < 0.05), and was not observed in subjects receiving IFA alone. Immunophenotyping of the proliferating cells demonstrated the presence of both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, with the CD4+ blasts almost exclusively expressing the CD45RO+ phenotype. A comparison of this response with the HIV-1-specific antigen stimulation responses in this cohort revealed a significant correlation between increases in HIV-1-specific cell-mediated immunity and autoproliferation (r2 = 0.61, P < 0.001). These findings suggest that immunization with the HIV-1 Immunogen induces an autoproliferative response that may reflect changes in HIV-1-specific cell-mediated immunity in infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Immune Response Corporation, Carlsbad, CA, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Trauger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Giermakowska
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wormsley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carlo
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015488:HIV Antigens; D006681:HLA-D Antigens