Patterns of in vitro anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody production in long-term nonprogressors.
With the aim of evaluating the specific pattern of in vitro antibody production (IVAP) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected long-term non-progressors (LTNPs), we tested 20 subjects who had remained asymptomatic for more than 8 years with a CD4+ cell count higher than 500/microliter and 59 patients at different stages of HIV-1 infection as controls. In cell cultures, IVAP was detected in 14 out of 20 LTNPs (70%), in 5 out of 6 recent seroconverters (83%), and in all the other control patients. Anti-p24 antibody production was significantly lower in LTNPs than in asymptomatic patients with a more recent infection. Recent seroconverters and patients with AIDS did not produce anti-p24 antibodies (P = 0.02). Anti-gp160 antibodies were produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from LTNPs in 12/20 cases. CD4+ cell count was significantly higher in IVAP-negative than in IVAP-positive LTNPs (P = 0.013), while the viral load was not significantly different. Specific anti-HIV-1 antibody production did not seem to be a correlate of long-term nonprogression.
Rusconi
S
S
Istituto di Malattie Infettive, Università di Milano, Ospedale Luigi Sacco, Italy. rusconi@imiucca.csi.unimi.it
Berlusconi
A
A
Papagno
L
L
Colombo
M C
MC
De Maddalena
C
C
Riva
A
A
Bagnarelli
P
P
Balotta
C
C
Galli
M
M
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins