Substantial differences in specificity of HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells in acute and chronic HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a vital part in controlling viral replication during human viral infections. Most studies in human infections have focused on CTL specificities in chronic infection and few data exist regarding the specificity of the initial CTL response induced in acute infection. In this study, HIV-1 infection in persons expressing human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201 was used as a means of addressing this issue. In chronic infection, the dominant HLA-A*0201-restricted CTL response is directed towards the epitope SLYNTVATL ("SL9") in p17 Gag (residues 77-85). This epitope is targeted by 75% of HLA-A*0201-positive adults, and the magnitude of this A*0201-SL9 response shows a strong negative association with viral load in progressive infection. Despite

SUBMITTER: Goulder PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2193346 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature