Papagno L, Appay V, Sutton J, Rostron T, Gillespie GMA, Ogg GS, King A, Makadzanhge AT, Waters A, Balotta C, Vyakarnam A, Easterbrook PJ, Rowland-Jones SL. Comparison between HIV- and CMV-specific T cell responses in long-term HIV infected donors.
Clin Exp Immunol 2002;
130:509-17. [PMID:
12452843 PMCID:
PMC1906546 DOI:
10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.02005.x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2002] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying non-progression in HIV-1 infection are not well understood; however, this state has been associated previously with strong HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses and the preservation of proliferative CD4+ T cell responses to HIV-1 antigens. Using a combination of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) ELISpot assays and tetramer staining, the HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell populations were quantified and characterized in untreated long-term HIV-1-infected non-progressors and individuals with slowly progressive disease, both in relation to CD4+ T cell responses, and in comparison with responses to cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens. High levels of CD8+ T cell responses specific for HIV-1 or CMV were observed, but neither their frequency nor their phenotype seemed to differ between the two patient groups. Moreover, while CMV-specific CD4+ T cell responses were preserved in these donors, IFN-gamma release by HIV-1-specific CD4+ T cells was generally low. These data raise questions with regard to the role played by CD8+ T cells in the establishment and maintenance of long-term non-progression.
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