Functional T Cell Reconstitution and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity during Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.
Pontesilli, Oscar 1,a; Kerkhof-Garde, Susana 1; Notermans, Daan W. 2; Foudraine, Norbert A. 2; Roos, Marijke T. L. 1; Klein, Michel R. 1,a; Danner, Sven A. 2; Lange, Joep M. A. 2; Miedema, Frank 1,3
[Article] Journal of Infectious Diseases. 180(1):76-86, July 1999.

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: Lymphoproliferative responses (LPRs) to recall antigens (Ags) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag and frequencies of circulating HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLps) were measured in 12 patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after long-standing HIV-1 infection. LPRs to at least 1 recall Ag became detectable or increased in all patients during HAART. No significant LPRs to Gag-p24 were observed, whereas 4 of 8 patients tested presented with Gag-p17-specific LPRs. HIV-1-specific CTLp frequencies became measurable or increased early during therapy in 6 of 10 patients tested and were maintained or decreased thereafter. Increasing HIV-1-specific CTLp frequencies were seen only in association with partial HAART failure in 1 patient. In conclusion, restoration of CD4 T lymphocyte responsiveness to recall Ags is achieved during HAART. The data provide evidence for limited HIV-1-specific CD4 memory T cells during advanced HIV-1 infection and suggest that both CD4 and CD8 HIV-1-specific T cells are poorly stimulated when viral load is suppressed.

(C) Copyright Oxford University Press 1999.