title: T cell immunity in acute HIV-1 infection.
abstract: Exceedingly high viral loads and rapid loss of CD4(+) T cells in all tissue compartments are a hallmark of acute human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, which is often accompanied by clinical symptoms such as fever, maculopapular rash, and/or lymphadenopathy. The resolution of the clinical symptoms and the subsequent decrease in plasma viremia are associated with the emergence of HIV-1-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses. The remarkable early inhibition of viremia by CD8(+) T cells appears to be precipitated by only a limited number of specific CD8(+) T cell responses, and the plasma viremia is reduced to a "set point" level. Over time, the breadth and magnitude of CD8(+) T cell responses increase, but without a change in the control of viral replication or further reduction in the viral set point. Moreover, the early viral set point, consequent on the first CD8(+) T cell responses, is highly predictive of the later course of disease progression. Thus, HIV-1-specific CD8(+) T cell responses in acute HIV-1 infection appear uniquely able to efficiently suppress viral replication, whereas CD8(+) T cell responses generated in the chronic phase of infection appear often impaired.
authors.affiliation: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Streeck
authors.forename: Douglas F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nixon
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D019562:Viral Load