title: HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in the first year of life.
abstract: HIV-1-specific CTL responses were prospectively evaluated in infants born to HIV-1-seropositive women to assess the capability of the young infant to generate HIV-1-specific CTL and to examine the potential role of HIV-1-specific CTL in the pathogenesis of vertical infection. Our results indicate that some young infants, and even the fetus, seem to be capable of generating virus-specific CTL responses. The detection of HIV-1-specific CTL responses varied among infants, however, with respect to timing, HIV-1 gene product recognition, and the magnitude of detectable responses; HIV-1-specific CTL responses were uncommonly detected in the first few months of life. The less consistent detection of HIV-specific CTL in early infancy contrasts with reports of the detection of HIV-1-specific CTL soon after primary infection in adults. HIV-1-specific CTL were not detected in any uninfected infants born to HIV-1-seropositive women. This description of HIV-1-specific CTL in infants may have important implications for understanding the pathogenesis of vertical HIV-1 infection and for the development of a vaccine to interrupt vertical infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01605.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luzuriaga
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hereema
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Panicali
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014766:Viremia / Q000276:immunology; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus