Relationship between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes and virus load after recent HIV-1 seroconversion.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific memory, or precursor, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in 14 subjects who had recently experienced seroconversion were evaluated with respect to virus set point, defined as plasma HIV-1 RNA level 6 months after seroconversion. Env-, Gag-, Pol-, and Nef-specific precursor CTL were detected in (51)Cr-release assays, using antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells as effectors and B cell lines infected with HIV-1-vaccinia recombinants as targets. All subjects tested had precursor CTL specific to at least 2 HIV-1 antigens. Detection of Env-specific precursor CTL was associated with a high set point (P=.0221). The number of antigens recognized tended to be greater in subjects with higher set points (rho=.45621; P=.1171). Gag-specific precursor CTL frequency correlated inversely with set point (rho=-.8478; P=.0003). Two heterozygotes for a 32-bp deletion in CCR5 had the lowest set points (P=.0220) and highest Gag precursor CTL frequencies (P=.0128). These data suggest that host factors that restrict viral replication may be important determinants of the level of HIV-1-specific precursor CTL.
Connick
E
E
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA. liz.connick@uchsc.edu
Schlichtemeier
R L
RL
Purner
M B
MB
Schneider
K M
KM
Anderson
D M
DM
MaWhinney
S
S
Campbell
T B
TB
Kuritzkes
D R
DR
Douglas
J M
JM
Judson
F N
FN
Schooley
R T
RT
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D018450:Disease Progression; D005838:Genotype; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000235:genetics; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load
D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012367:RNA, Viral; D019713:Receptors, CCR5