Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
CYTOTOXIC T-LYMPHOCYTE RESPONSES TO HIV-1 IN INFECTED INDIVIDUALS
AIDS Vaccine Research and Clinical Trials. Putney SD and Bolognesi DP, eds. New York, Marcel Dekker, p. 179-94, 1990.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/91676948 Walker BD; Dept. of Medicine, Harvard Medical Sch., Boston, MA
Abstract:
AIDS is associated with a persistent viremia, with virus readily cultured from the peripheral blood of infected individuals. Despite this, most individuals remain asymptomatic for years after infection, suggesting that a virus-specific host immune response might play a role in keeping these people healthy in the face of ongoing exposure to the virus. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to HIV-1 in infected individuals are discussed, with emphasis on the author's work. Topics include historical perspective; cytotoxicity assay; HIV-1 envelope, gag, and reverse transcriptase-specific CTL; characteristics of the HIV-1-specific cytotoxic effector cell population; and HIV-1-specific CTL with disease progression. The role of cell-mediated immune response may be particularly important in this infection, since HIV is thought to be predominantly cell-associated and therefore not readily accessible to neutralizing antibodies. Detection of CTL activity in most viral systems requires an in vitro stimulation phase in which memory cells expand in response to added viral antigen. In contrast, HIV-specific CTL can be detected using fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells from infected individuals, presumably reflecting ongoing in vivo stimulation of the effector cell population. HIV-1-specific CTL was detected in 22 of 22 seropositive subjects, in all stages of clinical illness. Envelope-specific CTL were present in all seropositive subjects assayed, although activity has been observed to drop in subjects with clinical disease progression. In a longitudinal study of three subjects who progressed from asymptomatic infection to AIDS while under observation, a marked reduction in HIV-1 envelope-specific CTL activity was seen in each. Similar to cell-mediated immune responses to other viruses, the HIV-specific cytotoxicity is mediated predominantly by major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted CD3+, CD8+ lymphocytes. The actual role of these CTL in protection from disease progression remains unclear. (37 Refs)
Keywords: Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity/IMMUNOLOGY Antigens, CD4/IMMUNOLOGY Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/IMMUNOLOGY Cell Line, Transformed Human HIV Infections/*IMMUNOLOGY HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/IMMUNOLOGY T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/*IMMUNOLOGY Vaccines, Synthetic/IMMUNOLOGY Viral Vaccines/IMMUNOLOGY MONOGRAPH REVIEW 912130
M91C4093
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
