title: Enhancement of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in chronically infected persons after temporary treatment interruption.
abstract: Immunologic and virologic outcomes of treatment interruption were compared for 5 chronically human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons who have maintained antiretroviral therapy-mediated virus suppression, as compared with 5 untreated controls. After a median interruption of 55 days of therapy accompanied by rebound of virus, reinitiated therapy in 4 of 5 subjects resulted in suppression of 98.86% of plasma virus load by 21-33 days and no significant decrease in CD4 T cell percentage from baseline. Increased T helper responses against HIV-1 p24 antigen (P=. 014) and interferon-gamma-secreting CD8 T cell responses against HIV-1 Env (P=.004) were present during interruption of therapy and after reinitiation of treatment. The remaining subject whose treatment was interrupted did not resume treatment and continued to have a low virus load (<1080 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) and persistent antiviral cell-mediated responses. In summary, cellular immunity against autologous HIV-1 has the potential to be acutely augmented in association with temporary treatment interruption in chronically infected persons.
authors.affiliation: The Wistar Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 10104, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papasavvas
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moonis
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Drohan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shull
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kostman
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Montaner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D007371:Interferon-gamma