Maintenance of HIV-specific CD4+ T cell help distinguishes HIV-2 from HIV-1 infection.

Journal article

Unlike HIV-1-infected people, most HIV-2-infected subjects maintain a healthy CD4+ T cell count and a strong HIV-specific CD4+ T cell response. To define the cellular immunological correlates of good prognosis in HIV-2 infection, we conducted a cross-sectional study of HIV Gag-specific T cell function in HIV-1- and HIV-2-infected Gambians. Using cytokine flow cytometry and lymphoproliferation assays, we show that HIV-specific CD4+ T cells from HIV-2-infected individuals maintained proliferative capacity, were not terminally differentiated (CD57-), and more frequently produced IFN-gamma or IL-2 than CD4+ T cells from HIV-1-infected donors. Polyfunctional (IFN-gamma+/IL-2+) HIV-specific CD4+ T cells were found exclusively in HIV-2+ donors. The disparity in CD4+ T cell responses between asymptomatic HIV-1- and HIV-2-infected subjects was not associated with differences in the proliferative capacity of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells. This study demonstrates that HIV-2-infected donors have a well-preserved and functionally heterogeneous HIV-specific memory CD4+ T cell response that is associated with delayed disease progression in the majority of infected people.

Authors: Duvall, MG; Jaye, A; Dong, T; Brenchley, J; Alabi, A

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of Immunology
• Volume: 176
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 6973-6981
• Publication date: 2006-06-01
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.176.11.6973
• EISSN: 1550-6606
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• Language: English
• Keywords: Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; Gene Products, gag; HIV Infections; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Antigens, CD57; HIV Long-Term Survivors; Cell Differentiation; Interferon-gamma; Disease Progression; HIV-1; Humans; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; HIV-2; Intracellular Fluid; Cell Proliferation; Interleukin-2; Cross-Sectional Studies; CD4 Lymphocyte Count