Delayed early antiretroviral treatment is associated with an HIV-specific long-term cellular response in HIV-1 vertically infected infants.
Antiviral T-cell immune responses appear to be crucial to control HIV replication. Infants treated before the third month of life with highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) did not develop a persistent HIV-specific immune response. We evaluated how delayed initiation of HAART after 3 months of age influences the development of HIV-1-specific T-cell responses during long-term follow-up in 9 HIV-1 vertically infected infants. These data suggest that a longer antigenic stimulation, due to a larger window for therapeutic intervention with HAART, is associated with the establishment of a persistent specific HIV immune response resulting in a long-term viral control of vertically infected infants.
Palma
Paolo
P
Department of Public Health, University of Tor Vergata, and Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. paolo.palma@uniroma2.it
Romiti
Maria Luisa
ML
Cancrini
Caterina
C
Pensieroso
Simone
S
Montesano
Carla
C
Bernardi
Stefania
S
Amicosante
Massimo
M
Di Cesare
Silvia
S
Castelli-Gattinara
Guido
G
Wahren
Britta
B
Rossi
Paolo
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000737:chemistry
D010455:Peptides; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus