Vaccine-induced T cells control reversion of AIDS virus immune escape mutants.
Many current-generation human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines induce specific T cells to control acute viremia, but their utility following infection with escape mutant virus is unclear. We studied reversion to wild type of an escape mutant simian-HIV in major histocompatibility complex-matched vaccinated pigtail macaques. High levels of vaccine-induced CD8+ T cells strongly correlated with maintenance of escape mutant virus during acute infection. Interestingly, in animals with lower CD8+ T-cell levels, transient reversion to wild-type virus resulted in better postacute control of viremia. Killing of wild-type virus facilitated by transient reversion outweighs the benefit of a larger CD8+ T-cell response that only maintains the less fit escape mutant virus. These findings have important implications for the further development of T-cell-based HIV vaccines where exposure to escape mutant viruses is common.
Fernandez
Caroline S
CS
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, and Department of Haematology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
Smith
Miranda Z
MZ
Batten
C Jane
CJ
De Rose
Robert
R
Reece
Jeanette C
JC
Rollman
Erik
E
Venturi
Vanessa
V
Davenport
Miles P
MP
Kent
Stephen J
SJ
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008254:Macaca nemestrina; D009154:Mutation; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics; D014766:Viremia
D016915:AIDS Vaccines