[Human immunodeficiency virus-1 gag specific CD8+ T cell responses in long-term nonprogressors and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 gag specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses in long-term nonprogressors (LTNP) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients in China.


METHODS
7 LTNP and 9 AIDS patients were included in this study. 11 peptide pools derived from 125 overlapping peptides spanning the full-length of HXB2 gag were used as antigens. HIV-1 specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses in these patients were examined by interferon gamma ELISPOT assay, and investigated the relationship between HIV-1 gag specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses and CD(+) T cell counts and the relationship between specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses and viral loads.


RESULTS
HXB2 could induce HIV-1 specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses in Chinese HIV/AIDS patients. The strengths of HIV-1 gag specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses in LTNP and AIDS groups were (1212 +/- 796) SFC/10(6) PBMC and (182 +/- 203) SFC/10(6) PBMC, respectively. The breadths of HIV-1 gag specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses of LTNP group and AIDS group were 3.0 +/- 0.8 and 0.8 +/- 0.7, respectively. The values of these two parometers in LTNP group were significantly higher than that in AIDS group (P < 0.01). There was a positive relationship between the strength or the breadth of HIV-1 specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses and CD(4)(+) T cell counts, whereas there was a negative relationship between strength or breadth of CD(8)(+) T cell responses and viral loads.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a cross-reactivity between dominant HIV strain in Europe and America and those in China. HIV-1 gag specific CD(8)(+) T cell responses may play a protection role during disease progression.
Zhang
Hong-wei
HW
Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Qiu
Zhi-feng
ZF
Li
Tai-sheng
TS
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D015683:Gene Products, gag