title: Identification of human endogenous retrovirus-specific T cell responses in vertically HIV-1-infected subjects.
abstract: Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-specific T cell responses in HIV-1-infected adults have been reported. Whether HERV-specific immunity exists in vertically HIV-1-infected children is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of HERV-specific T cell responses in 42 vertically HIV-1-infected children. HERV (-H, -K, and -L family)-specific T cell responses were identified in 26 of 42 subjects, with the greatest magnitude observed for the responses to HERV-L. These HERV-specific T cell responses were inversely correlated with the HIV-1 plasma viral load and positively correlated with CD4(+) T cell counts. These data indicate that HERV-specific T cells may participate in controlling HIV-1 replication and that certain highly conserved HERV-derived proteins may serve as promising therapeutic vaccine targets in HIV-1-infected children.
authors: Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Department of Medicine, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. rtandon@hawaii.edu
authors: Ravi
authors: R
authors: Tandon
authors: Devi
authors: D
authors: SenGupta
authors: Lishomwa C
authors: LC
authors: Ndhlovu
authors: Raphaella G S
authors: RG
authors: Vieira
authors: R Brad
authors: RB
authors: Jones
authors: Vanessa A
authors: VA
authors: York
authors: Vinicius A
authors: VA
authors: Vieira
authors: Elizabeth R
authors: ER
authors: Sharp
authors: Andrew A
authors: AA
authors: Wiznia
authors: Mario A
authors: MA
authors: Ostrowski
authors: Michael G
authors: MG
authors: Rosenberg
authors: Douglas F
authors: DF
authors: Nixon
mesh_terms: D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load