title: Exploring the benefits of antibody immune response in HIV-1 infection using a discrete model.
abstract: The role of antibodies in HIV-1 infection is investigated using a discrete-time mathematical model that considers cell-free and cell-associated transmission of the virus. Model analysis shows that the effect of each type of antibody is dependent on the stage of the infection. Neutralizing antibodies are efficient in controlling the viral levels in the early days after seroconversion and antibodies that coat HIV-1-infected cells and recruit effector cells to either kill the HIV-1-infected cells or inhibit viral replication are efficient when the infection becomes established. Model simulations show that antibodies that inhibit viral replication are more effective in controlling the infection than those that recruit Natural Killer T cells after infection establishment. The model was fitted to subjects of the Tsedimoso study conducted in Botswana and conclusions similar to elasticity analysis results were obtained. Model fitting results predicted that neutralizing antibodies are more efficient in controlling the viral levels than antibodies that coat HIV-1-infected cells and recruit effector cells to either kill the HIV-1-infected cells or inhibit viral replication in the early days after seroconversion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, National University of Science and Technology, Box AC 939 Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe showa.sarudzai@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Showa
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, P. Bag XI, Matieland 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nyabadza
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, National University of Science and Technology, Box AC 939 Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hove-Musekwa
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, 1122 Volunteer Blvd, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magombedze
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies
keywords: HIV infection; antibodies; antibody-dependent cell-mediated virus inhibition; antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity