HIV-specific gag responses in early infancy correlate with clinical outcome and inversely with viral load.

ABSTRACT: Many HIV-infected infants progress to AIDS during the first year of life when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not given. The immune determinants of progression to AIDS are not known. We hypothesized that distinct HIV-specific T cell responses correlate with viral load and survival over the first year of life. Whole blood of infants at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age was incubated with HIV antigens Gag and Env. The frequency of specific T cells producing interferon (IFN)-γ was then measured by flow cytometry. Viral load and CD4% in HIV(+) infants were determined at each time point. ART was not available for this population at the time of sample collection. Those infants who survived to 12 months of age (n=12) had lower viral loads and higher Gag-specific CD8(+) T cell responses at 3 months, c

SUBMITTER: Nqoko B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3227240 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature