Immunodominance of HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses in acute HIV-1 infection: at the crossroads of viral and host genetics.
The development of HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses during acute HIV-1 infection is associated with a dramatic decline in HIV-1 replication and the resolution of the acute retroviral syndrome. These HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T cells typically target a small number of viral epitopes in a distinct hierarchical order, and high-level viremia in chronic progressive infection leads to broadly diversified HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses with a less clear immunodominance pattern. It is argued here that the specific hierarchical pattern of immune responses in acute HIV-1 infection is the result of a tightly regulated process that, among other factors, is critically impacted by the kinetics of viral protein expression, the HLA class I background of the infected individual and the autologous sequence of the infecting virus.
Lichterfeld
Mathias
M
Partners AIDS Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
Yu
Xu G
XG
Le Gall
Sylvie
S
Altfeld
Marcus
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I