title: Recombination-mediated escape from primary CD8+ T cells in acute HIV-1 infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A major immune evasion mechanism of HIV-1 is the accumulation of non-synonymous mutations in and around T cell epitopes, resulting in loss of T cell recognition and virus escape.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we analyze primary CD8+ T cell responses and virus escape in a HLA B*81 expressing subject who was infected with two T/F viruses from a single donor. In addition to classic escape through non-synonymous mutation/s, we also observed rapid selection of multiple recombinant viruses that conferred escape from T cells specific for two epitopes in Nef.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that recombination between multiple T/F viruses provide greater options for acute escape from CD8+ T cell responses than seen in cases of single T/F virus infection. This process may contribute to the rapid disease progression in patients infected by multiple T/F viruses.
authors.forename: Adam John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: Fangping
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Nicola M G
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongshuo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brackenridge
authors.forename: Salim S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Abdool Karim
authors.forename: Bette T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Korber
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McMichael
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Nilu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goonetilleke
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D008297:Male; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014779:Virus Replication