title: The relationship between T cell proliferative responses and plasma viremia during treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection with combination antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: The relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 replication and CD4+ T cell function was examined. T lymphocyte proliferation in response to both HIV-1 antigens and recall antigens was measured in HIV-1-infected individuals before and after they received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). No correlation was observed between baseline viral load or CD4+ T cell count and the T cell proliferative response to HIV-1 Gag. Suppression of viremia was not associated with an increase in T cell proliferative responses. Emergence of viral replication during short periods of intermittent therapy promoted generalized activation of T helper lymphocytes, manifested by increased T cell proliferative responses to HIV-1 Gag and recall antigens. Recovery of CD4+ T cell responses occurred in some individuals who initiated HAART years after infection and who were intermittently adherent to drug treatment. Thus, CD4+ T cell responses can sometimes be regenerated if viral load is suppressed to allow some immune recovery and if antigenic stimulation is later provided.
authors.affiliation: The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10016, USA. jbinley@adarc.org
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Binley
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Schiller
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002455:Cell Division; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24