title: Improvement of HIV-specific immunity in HIV-infected twins treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy, interleukin 2, and syngeneic adoptively transferred cells.
abstract: Five HIV-seropositive twins were treated with HAART and given cycles of treatment consisting of adoptive cellular therapy from their HIV-seronegative identical twins followed by a 5-day course of intravenous IL-2. Changes in absolute and percent CD4(+) and CD8(+) cell count were monitored and compared with changes in these parameters occurring in seven age-, sex-, and disease stage-matched HIV-infected patients treated with HAART alone. Increase in the magnitude and breadth of HIV-specific immune responses was monitored in three twin subjects who received multiple treatment cycles. Absolute and percent CD4(+) cell counts rose dramatically and to significantly higher levels in the recipient twins than in control subjects treated with HAART only. The subjects who received multiple cycles of treatment developed new and increased levels of HIV-specific activated and memory cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, and interferon gamma-secreting effector cells. Treatment consisting of HAART, adoptive cellular therapy, and IL-2 was superior to treatment with HAART alone for improving absolute and percent CD4(+) cell counts and inducing new, or increasing the magnitude of, HIV-specific immune responses in HIV infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Immunodeficiency Treatment Centre, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Tsoukas
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hatzakis
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Goodhew
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kilby
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Luetkehoelter
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Routy
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Walmsley
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma