title: Early production of HIV-1 neutralising antibodies in patients following highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) during primary HIV infection.
abstract: We investigate the effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on humoral immune responses during a 24-month follow up of 15 HIV patients with acute primary HIV infection. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the therapeutic protocol they were following at the time of entry: a) five naive patients (untreated or treated with only ZDV or AZT); b) five patients following a triple combination of ZDV+ lamivudine (3TC)+ saquinovir (SQV); and c) five patients on a four-drug combination of ZDV+3TC+SQV+ ritonavir (RTV). The results show that the early introduction of HAART greatly reduces plasma viremia levels and restores the number of CD4 cells. A significant correlation was found between anti HIV neutralising activity and the four-drug, but not the three-drug combination. The reduction in infectivity was directed against viruses of different clades and associated with immunoglobulin fractions. Moreover, the neutralising antibodies in the HAART-treated patients appeared after two weeks of treatment and remained stable throughout the 24 months of follow up. The early appearance of neutralising antibodies represent an important component of immune responses during primary HIV infection, may contribute towards immune reconstitution in patients on HAART, and give further information that may be useful in developing new strategies designed to eradicate the disease.
authors.affiliation: DIBIT and Infectious Disease Clinic, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barassi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pastori
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marraccini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciuffreda
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Capiluppi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bressi
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Siccardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tambussi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lopalco
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015483:HIV Antibodies