title: [HIV-1 nef specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in long-term nonprogressors and AIDS patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses in long-term nonprogressor (LTNP) and AIDS patient in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 7 LTNPs and 9 AIDS patients, 12 males and 4 females, aged 37 (27 approximately 55). A panel of 26 overlapping peptides spanning HIV-1 nef constituting 3 peptide pools was used as antigens. The HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses of the LTNPs and AIDS patients were examined by IFN- ELISPOT assay. The amount of CD4(+) T cell and viral load were detected. The relationships between HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses and CD4(+) T cell counts and viral loads were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The strength of HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses of LTNP group was 404 +/- 33 SFC/10(6) PBMCs, significantly higher than that of the AIDS group (59 +/- 121 SFC/10(6) PBMCs). The strength of HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses was positively correlated with the CD4(+) T cell count. No relationship between the strength of CD8(+) T cell responses and viral load was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-1 nef specific CD8(+) T cell responses may play an important role in preventing disease progression of HIV infection. There is a cross immune response between the major HIV-1 strains in Europe and those in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Hong-wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Tai-sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015754:Genes, nef / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load