title: Direct visualization of HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes during primary infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are believed to play an important role in containing viral replication throughout HIV-1 infection. Previous studies have attempted to quantify the HIV-1-specific CTL precursor frequency during primary HIV infection by using limiting dilution analysis, which almost certainly underestimates the true CTL frequency. Here we use a relatively new technique to quantify HIV-specific CD8 T cells in primary HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have used soluble tetrameric complexes of HLA class I molecules complexed with HIV epitope peptides to study the dynamics and frequency of HIV-specific CD8 T cells in relation to plasma viral load in early HIV infection, in three patients with a highly focused HIV-specific CTL response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that the frequencies of HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells in acute infection are significantly higher than previously documented and can be demonstrated well before full seroconversion. These studies also confirm the immunodominance of the B27-restricted response in HIV infection and demonstrate a close temporal relationship between the numbers of circulating HIV-specific CD8 T cells and viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings strongly suggest that HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells are responding directly to the level of viral replication in early HIV infection and are a major factor in its control. In addition, the data indicate that immunodominance for CD8 T-cell responses is established in the acute phase of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Human Immunology Unit, Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ogg
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaunak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Downie
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Workman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McMichael
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rowland-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag