title: HIV-1-specific immune responses in subjects who temporarily contain virus replication after discontinuation of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: Therapeutic intervention with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can lead to suppression of HIV-1 plasma viremia to undetectable levels for 3 or more years. However, adherence to complex drug regimens can prove problematic, and subjects may temporarily discontinue HAART for variable periods. We studied 6 HIV-1-infected individuals who stopped therapy. Off HAART, levels of viremia were suppressed to fewer than 500 copies/mL in 2 subjects for more than 12 and more than 24 months, respectively, and in 1 subject for 4 months on 1 occasion. Three subjects failed to contain plasma viremia. Broad and strong HIV-1-specific immune responses were detected in subjects with prolonged suppression of viral replication. This longitudinal study suggests that containment of HIV-1 replication to low or undetectable levels after discontinuation of HAART is associated with strong virus-specific immune responses. Boosting of HIV-1-specific immune responses should be considered as an adjunctive treatment strategy for HIV-1-infected individuals on HAART.
authors.affiliation: Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trkola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Binley
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonhoeffer
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kuebler
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Donahoe
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Demoitie
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kakimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ketas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clas
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markowitz
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24