title: HIV-specific CD8+ T cell proliferation is coupled to perforin expression and is maintained in nonprogressors.
abstract: It is unclear why immunological control of HIV replication is incomplete in most infected individuals. We examined here the CD8+ T cell response to HIV-infected CD4+ T cells in rare patients with immunological control of HIV. Although high frequencies of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells were present in nonprogressors and progressors, only those of nonprogressors maintained a high proliferative capacity. This proliferation was coupled to increases in perforin expression. These results indicated that nonprogressors were differentiated by increased proliferative capacity of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells linked to enhanced effector function. In addition, the relative absence of these functions in progressors may represent a mechanism by which HIV avoids immunological control.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005089:Exocytosis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D054353:Perforin; D010641:Phenotype; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019012:Integrin beta1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D054353:Perforin