Proliferation, but not interleukin 2 production, of Gag-specific CD8+ T cells is associated with low HIV viremia and high CD4 counts in HIV-1-infected Chinese individuals.
BACKGROUND
To control HIV globally, a comprehensive understanding of host immunity to HIV in different human populations is needed. Relatively, little is known on the quantity and quality of HIV-specific T-cell responses in Chinese patients.


METHODS
We quantified HIV Gag-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells that are capable of producing interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin 2 and assessed their proliferative capacity in a cohort of 53 antiretroviral-naive chronically HIV-1-infected Chinese patients.


RESULTS
The proliferation of Gag-specific CD8+ T cells, but not their IFN-gamma or interleukin 2 production, was inversely proportional to HIV viral load and directly proportional to CD4+ T-cell counts. Gag-specific CD8+ T-cell proliferation was proportionate to the frequency of IFN-gamma-secreting CD8+ T cells. Such correlations, however, did not exist for Gag-specific CD4 T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that good quality and large quantities of HIV Gag-specific T-cell responses are associated with virologic control in HIV-1-infected Chinese patients. We infer that protective T-cell vaccines tested in other populations should also provide benefit to the Chinese population.
Li
Haiying
H
Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Chen
Xinyue
X
Jin
Xia
X
Liu
Zhiying
Z
Huang
Xiaojie
X
Cao
Zhenhuan
Z
Guo
Caiping
C
Dong
Tao
T
Wu
Hao
H
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000276:immunology*; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D007376:Interleukin-2; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D007371:Interferon-gamma