Presence of HIV-1 Nef specific CD4 T cell response is associated with non-progression in HIV-1 infection.
The ex vivo response to three HLA-DR-restricted Nef peptides (Nef 66-97, Nef 133-159, Nef 180-202) and one HLA-DQ-restricted Nef peptide (Nef 56-68) was evaluated in 28 HIV-seropositive patients and 6 Long-term Non-Progressors (LTNPs). Analyzing specific proliferative response and IFN-gamma secretion, patients were identified as high responders, medium responders and non-responders to peptides. As high responder patients, LTNP patients showed strong proliferative response to all the Nef-peptides as strong IFN-gamma secretion. Twenty-four months later, all high responder patients were always without antiretroviral treatment whereas 50% of medium responders and at least 66% of low responder patients followed bi-therapy. CDC classification confirmed also unfavourable evolution for these two last groups. All high responder patients conserved stable CD4 counts, proliferative response to Nef peptides as strong IFN-gamma secretion during this 24-month period. So, early good T CD4 response to peptides of the Nef protein could thus be regarded as a factor of good prognosis in HIV infection and a tool of importance in the decision to put or not a patient under treatment.
Pancré
Véronique
V
UMR 8527 CNRS/Lille II/Institut Pasteur de Lille, Institut de Biologie, Lille, France. Veronique.Pancre@ibl.fr
Delhem
Nadira
N
Yazdanpanah
Yazdan
Y
Delanoye
Anne
A
Delacre
Myriam
M
Depil
Stéphane
S
Moralès
Olivier
O
Mouton
Yves
Y
Auriault
Claude
C
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015693:Gene Products, nef; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus