A vaccine strategy against AIDS: an HIV gp41 peptide immunization prevents NKp44L expression and CD4+ T cell depletion in SHIV-infected macaques.
We previously showed that a gp41 peptide (3S) induces expression of a natural killer (NK) ligand (NKp44L) on CD4+ T cells during HIV-1 infection and that those cells are highly sensitive to NK lysis. In HIV-infected patients, anti-3S antibodies are associated with the maintenance of CD4+ T cell counts close to their baseline values, and CD4+ T cells decrease with the antibody titer. This study sought to determine whether anti-3S immunization could prevent NKp44L expression on these CD4+ T cells in vivo and inhibits the subsequent decline in CD4+ T cell counts by immunizing macaques with 3S and then infecting them with simian HIV(162P3). The results show that anti-3S antibodies inhibited NKp44L expression and NK activity and cytotoxicity. They also decreased the apoptosis rate of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood and lymph nodes. These data raise questions about the pathogenesis of HIV and present opportunities for both preventive and therapeutic HIV vaccine strategies.
Vieillard
Vincent
V
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U543, Laboratoire d'Immunologie Cellulaire et Tissulaire, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Paris 75013, France.
Le Grand
Roger
R
Dausset
Jean
J
Debré
Patrice
P
D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008024:Ligands; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D008024:Ligands