Proliferative capacity of epitope-specific CD8 T-cell responses is inversely related to viral load in chronic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.
The relationship between the function of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific CD8 T-cell responses and viral load has not been defined. In this study, we used a panel of major histocompatibility complex class I tetramers to examine responses to frequently targeted CD8 T-cell epitopes in a large cohort of antiretroviral-therapy-naïve HIV type 1 clade C virus-infected persons in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. In terms of effector functions of proliferation, cytokine production, and degranulation, only proliferation showed a significant correlation with viral load. This robust inverse relationship provides an important functional correlate of viral control relevant to both vaccine design and evaluation.
Day
Cheryl L
CL
Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom.
Kiepiela
Photini
P
Leslie
Alasdair J
AJ
van der Stok
Mary
M
Nair
Kriebashne
K
Ismail
Nasreen
N
Honeyborne
Isobella
I
Crawford
Hayley
H
Coovadia
Hoosen M
HM
Goulder
Philip J R
PJ
Walker
Bruce D
BD
Klenerman
Paul
P
D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013019:South Africa; D019562:Viral Load
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015488:HIV Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma