title: Persistence of genital tract T cell responses in HIV-infected women on highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: Initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV-infected individuals is associated with control of viremia, improved CD4 counts, and declining systemic HIV-specific immune responses. While HAART effectively reduces plasma viremia, it remains unclear how effectively antiretroviral drugs reach mucosal surfaces, such as those of the genital tract. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of HAART on genital tract CD4 T cell reconstitution, HIV shedding, and HIV-specific T cell responses. Cervical cytobrush and blood specimens were obtained from 35 HIV-infected, HAART-naïve women and 27 women on HAART in order to investigate HIV Gag-specific T cell responses by intracellular gamma interferon (IFN-γ) staining. Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). We show that for HIV-infected women, HAART is associated with significantly improved CD4 T cell counts both in blood and at the cervix. While HAART effectively suppressed both blood and cervical viremia, HIV-specific CD8 T cell responses in blood were lost, while those at the cervix were preserved.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nonhlanhla N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Mkhize
authors.forename: Pamela P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Gumbi
authors.forename: Lenine J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Liebenberg
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Denny
authors.forename: Jo-Ann S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Passmore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D013019:South Africa; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines